Who do the Jets get in Todd McShay’s early 2021 NFL mock draft?

ESPN’s Todd McShay has released an early 2021 mock draft.

The Jets currently hold a pair of first round picks, their own and Seattle’s which was obtained in the Jamal Adams trade. McShay has the Jets address two needs with their picks.

With their own pick, the Jets take a cornerback.

8. New York Jets Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State*

Man, Ohio State just keeps churning out first-round cornerbacks. Wade was stuck behind a pair of them, Jeff Okudah and Damon Arnette, on the depth chart and relegated to slot duties in 2019, but he can also play outside. He is fluid and quick, and while he could use more game experience, he has the physical tools to become a very good cornerback at the next level. A lot of attention was given to providing quarterback Sam Darnold help this offseason, but I think the Jets might turn to the defensive side of the ball with this pick, especially with much of the secondary set to hit the open market after the season.

Meanwhile Sam Darnold gets some help from the Seattle pick.

24. New York Jets (via SEA) Sage Surratt, WR, Wake Forest*

With Wade already headed to the Jets, let’s flip back to Darnold’s offense here with the slot acquired in the Jamal Adams trade. Wide receiver Denzel Mims will certainly get looks in his rookie year, but I have concerns about the team’s depth at the position. Breshad Perriman is currently the team’s No. 1 option, and slot target Jamison Crowder led the WR room with 833 receiving yards last season. Darnold will be three seasons into his rookie contract by the time New York is on the clock, and the Jets just can’t afford to waste that. Surratt has good size and found the end zone 11 times last season for Wake Forest — which despite having a total of three first-rounders in the modern draft era (since 1967) has two players going in the top 24 picks in this mock.

Is a mock draft in August meaningful? Of course it isn’t. Many players will see their value rise or fall dramatically between now and the Draft. This year there is likely to be even greater variability in the evaluation process. At this point in time some conference are planning to play while others are not. Additionally, McShay is purely guessing the Draft order.

I do think there is one small way these projections provide value. They provide us with a ballpark estimate of how these prospects are viewed right now. It is a starting point. Things will change in the months ahead.