Matt’s 7-Round Jets Mock Draft: 2.0

We are a week away from the draft so mocks will be flying around like crazy in the coming days. I thank you for taking the time to take a look at my 2nd instalment. In my first mock, I specifically made picks based on who I would draft without any trades. With this version, I will make picks based on who I think JD likes without trades. In my last mock next week I will be going into full prediction mode with trades included.

Round 1 (Pick 2)

QB, Zach Wilson, BYU

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My guy is Justin Fields, but I would more than happy to walk away with Zach at pick 2. The upside difference between them is marginal. I’ll even admit that Wilson fits one need a little bit more than Fields. Playing in the weather of the North East, a QB that can throw with a lot of velocity will greatly benefit him. Fields has the most accurate and beautiful rainbow deep passes in the class. In the potential weather Fields would face here, those rainbows are more susceptible to being manipulated by wind. Wilson’s line drives can pierce right through the elements. All signs point to Zach being our guy, and I don’t see JD picking anyone else.

Round 1 (Pick 23)

OT/OG, Teven Jenkins, Oklahoma St

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Jenkins is one my favorite 1st round linemen. his bully personality, athleticism and seasoned technique make him a sought after prospect. I have heard from a few sources that JD and the Jets have been interested in him. If he were to fall to 23, I don’t think Joe would hesitate to add Jenkins to the ranks. We can move him inside and never look back. Also, in a pinch, we could kick him outside and I would be very comfortable with that.

Round 2 (Pick 34)

CB, Ifeatu Melifonwu, Syracuse

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We are a week out from the draft and our CB room is still pretty thin. We most likely will be bringing someone in, probably after the draft. I wouldn’t count on them being a long-term option though. Of the 2nd round CB options, Melifonwu probably has the most upside and is the most scheme diverse. He has the size, physicality and range to flourish on the back end of our defense.

Round 3 (Pick 66)

IOL, Kendrick Green, Illinois

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Taking Jenkins will be a great help to this OL unit, but we can’t stop there. We still need one more talented linemen to compete for the LG spot. Enter Kendrick Green. His name has been catching fire lately, so I might not be able to mock him this far down for too much longer. David wrote about him recently. We need linemen who are athletic and strong. Green fits the bill to a T. On top of that, he has that bully mentality that I mentioned before with Jenkins. Give me a team of bullies. I would have him compete right away with GVR for a starting spot.

Round 3 (Pick 86)

LB, Chazz Surratt, UNC

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Saleh values his LBers. He may value them more than CBs. We are going to draft a LBer, it’s just a matter of when. There is no one I trust more to take a lump of LBer clay and mold them into a perennial Pro Bowl participant. Chazz has all the physical tools to be exactly what we need at WILL LBer.

Round 4 (Pick 107)

EDGE, Elerson Smith, Northern Iowa

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The front 7 of our defense is going to be fundamental to the success of our defense. Lawson is a monster, but on the other side there is a horde of guys that will be rotated in. Maybe there is some sticking power there, but maybe not. I can see Joe going after some explosive EDGE for the strongside. Smith is a long EDGE with some good burst and ankle bend. He uses his length well to maintain leverage. If he can bulk up a little, he could be the answer opposite Lawson.

Round 5 (Pick 146)

RB, Khalil Herbert, Virginia Tech

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Running back isn’t the biggest need right now, but I could see us adding someone else. One name that I have been hearing in connection with us is Herbert. Herbert isn’t the biggest back, but he plays big. He has a very low center of gravity and greta balance through contact. He doesn’t need a big hole to be successful, he can make plays on his own.

Round 5 (Pick 154)

WR, Anthony Schwartz, Auburn

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We have a solid starting 4 with Davis, Mims, Crowder and Cole. What we are missing from this group is a truse speedster to blow the top off defenses. Anthony Schwartz is arguably the fastest player in this draft. I would probably go with a different player if we were thinking deep threat, but the Jets have been rumored to have been really watching Schwartz closely.

Round 6 (Pick 186)

LB, Justin Hilliard, Ohio St

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I believe I mentioned how thin our LBer core is and how important the position is for our defense going forward. I wouldn’t be surprised if JD wants to double dip in the LBer pool. Hilliard is an interesting prospect. On any other team, he would have been given a larger role. As it stands, he has a lot of potential to be great coverage LBer at the next level.

Round 6 (Pick 226)

TE, Matt Bushman, BYU

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The skill position least talked about right now, when talking about the Jets, is tight end. I am not really sure why. It’s not like we have any sure things in that group. If our offense looks anything like what the 49ers have looked like the past few years, the TE will be very important. I believe JD will look to fill the TE ranks while also giving Zach Wilson one of his favorite receivers.