The NFL draft is two weeks away and will provide Jets general manager Joe Douglas with another crack at building his team’s foundation.
This would be Douglas’ fourth draft as GM of the Jets. His first two drafts aren’t looking good at the moment. His third draft can be considered one of the best in team history. It was a mixed bag.
For the next three newsletters, we’ll look at each of Douglas’ drafts.
When considering options, you need to know my point of view on how to judge the choice. First and second round picks should be immediate starts or major contributors. Third round draft picks must play for at least special teams as rookies and become juniors by year two or three.
I don’t want to give letter grades for each option. Too early for some of them. Let’s pass/fail their career so far.
Let’s start by looking at the 2020 draft, which came during Douglas’ first year at the helm. This was a COVID draft when he was running things from his house:
OT Mekhi Becton, first round, No. 11 overall
Douglas went on to get a franchise at left tackle for his first pick, but Buckton barely saw the field during his time with the Jets. He appeared in just 15 of a possible 50 matches – including all but one in the last two years – while battling knee injuries. Becton seems excited, and has made himself into better shape. Can he rewrite his jets’ legacy in 2023?
pass/fail: fail
WR Denzel Mims, second round, No. 59 overall
I don’t think any player lost more when the Jets changed coaches in 2021. Adam Gass and his staff were believers in the Mims. Robert Saleh and his crew don’t believe in MS. He has 42 catches for 676 yards, but has yet to score a touchdown since his arrival. Mims requested a trade last summer, and could use a change of scenery. He has a long shot at making the list this year.
pass/fail: fail
S. Ashtin Davis, third round, No. 68 overall
This was one of the picks the Jets received from the Giants in exchange for Leonard Williams. Davis has been described as an uber-athlete who can be a weapon for the Jets. He’s basically become a special teams player who only sees time on defense sparingly. He made an interception sealing the game against the Browns last season.
pass/fail: fail
DE Jabari Zúñiga, 3rd round, No. 79 overall
This choice never seems appropriate. Zuniga could not enter the field with the previous coaching staff or the current one. The Jets moved on from him at the end of last year’s training camp. He played one game for the Saints last season, and has just one job in three NFL seasons.
pass/fail: fail
RB La’Mical Perine, fourth round, 120th overall
Perrin showed promise as a junior, but fell out of favor with the new coaching staff. Perine was released at the end of training camp last year, scored two rushing touchdowns with the Jets, and earned a Super Bowl ring as a member of the Chiefs’ practice squad.
pass/fail: fail
James Morgan QB, fourth round, 125th overall
This pick was a head-scratcher from the start because the Jets had their young quarterback in Sam Darnold and tons of holes in the roster. Morgan did not last long with the Jets, as he was cut short after training camp in 2021. He is now a member of the Pittsburgh Maulers in the USFL.
pass/fail: fail
OL Cameron Clarke, fourth round, 129th overall
Clark’s career was derailed by a serious neck injury he suffered during training camp in 2021 that forced his retirement.
Pass/Fail: Incomplete
CB Brace Hall, 5th floor, 158th overall
Hall was a starter in 2020 and 2021, doing well. He was replaced last year when the Jets Sauce drafted Gardner and signed DJ Reed. Hall is now primarily a special teams player. However, this was a good choice. Hall was coming off a serious leg injury in college, and Douglas took a chance on him. He played a lot in the fifth round.
pass/fail: pass
Braden Mann, sixth round, 191st overall
Mann has been the primary punter for the Jets since he was drafted. It looks like he will be replaced this season by the recently signed Thomas Morstead, but Mann has had some good moments while he struggles with consistency. For many Jets fans, Mann’s biggest memory will be sore — the tackle he made against the Rams in late December to secure the Jets’ first win of 2020.
pass/fail: pass
overall assessment: This draft was ugly any way you cut it. The Jets have had a bit of production from their two top picks, and they should be the staples of the moment. They haven’t really hit any mid- or late-season draft picks in the sense that they are now firmly established as starters. When your best pick is the average punter, it’s tough.
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Read Tea Leaves from OBJ Chase
Odell Beckham Jr. chose Crows and $15 million on the Jets last weekend. This leaves the Jets with the question of what they need to do at the wide receiver.
They have a solid wide receivers room with Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard and Mikul Hardman at the top. Corey Davies seems to be sticking around, too.
But flirting with Beckham shows the Jets still feel like they’re missing something.
I think they would like someone to raise the defenses and free things up more for Wilson.
Can they find it now? Not in free agency.
And I’d be leery about drafting a wide receiver if I were Douglas. There are other, more important gaps that he must fill, and they are on the offensive and defensive lines.
There has been talk of the Broncos trading Jerry Jeudy or Courtland Sutton, but I’m not sure those players are the answer either.
The Jets may have to roll with what they have now and take a flyer on a receiver later in the draft in the hopes of being able to land it.
Stat is that
There is always a lot of talk about how the Jets never beat the Eagles (0-12) when they are on schedule. But we decided to flip it around today and take a look at the five teams the Jets have the best winning percentages against:
1. Buccaneers — Record against: 10-3 (.769 win percent.)
2. Texas vs. Record: 6-3 (.667)
2. Vikings vs. Record: 8-4 (.667)
4. Packers vs. Record: 9-5 (.643)
5. Cardinals vs. Record: 6-4 (.600)
Source: Pro Football Reference