Three Best Options For Jets At No. 4 Overall Pick In Draft
Though they ended up with a decent haul of capable players, the Jets did not make a major splash in the first week of NFL free agency. Sure, they filled holes at tight end, right guard, cornerback, and safety, but despite upwards of $50 million of salary cap room at the start, they failed to secure the highest-end talent at the most impactful positions, such as wide receiver and edge rusher. I found it disheartening that Gang Green wasn’t in the running for such receivers as Allen Robinson II in free agency or Robert Woods as a bargain-basement trade chip.
Oh well, as Jets fans, we’re all used to disappointment.
However, there’s still an opportunity for Jets General Manager Joe Douglas to fix the roster in next month’s NFL Draft, right? I’m not all that hopeful. One reason is that this class doesn’t project to boast a deep pool of players who can step in right away to transform a team. It’s quite possible that no quarterback or receiver goes in the top 10. Also, most NFL GMs take a “best player available” approach to their selections, so there’s as much a chance that the Jets double down by choosing Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton with their No. 4 overall pick in the first round as there is that Douglas finds, say, an edge rusher that high up on his board. New York also owns the No. 10 pick (thank you, Seattle), where it should be easier to find a receiver deserving of the slot, but not necessarily the immediate WR1 type like the three from last year’s Draft.
First, let’s take a look at the three best options for the Jets at No. 4 (using three different mock draft simulators):
1) Ahmad Gardner, cornerback (Cincinnati)
My real first choice would be Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux, but he was off the board in all three mocks and several Jets beat writers have hinted that he isn’t in the mold of Jets Head Coach Robert Saleh’s “All Gas and No Brake” type of player. If that’s the case, go with the best player at the next-most impactful position. Though some scouting reports questioned his foot speed, Gardner, aka “Sauce”, ran a swift 4.41 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine two weeks ago. His experience is more as a “press corner” than in the zone coverages the Jets often feature, but you can always zone up behind anyone who has the ability to take his man out of the play. What about the fact that the Jets just signed former Seattle corner D.J. Reed to a three-year, $33 million free agent contract and have Bryce Hall coming off a solid season, you ask? CB depth is crucial, especially on this team where the injury bug seems to be endemic every year. Reed, who graded out as the league’s eighth-best corner overall last season (minimum 500 snaps) by ProFootballFocus.com, is only 5-foot 9, making him a high-risk bet for the Jets when defending the red zone. The 6-foot 2 Gardner at least would be of immediate use in those crucial situations as he develops into a CB1.
2) George Karlaftis, edge rusher (Purdue)
Though not as athletic or productive as Thibodeaux, no one is questioning Karlaftis’ motor. I was so tempted to swap Karlaftis for Georgia’s Travon Walker here, but I am just too wary of late risers following Combine results. (For the record, Walker did blow scouts away with his 4.51 40 time and 1.62 10-yard split.) Since Karlaftis didn’t run in Indianapolis and Purdue’s Pro Day isn’t until March 29, there’s still time for me to flip-flop. For now, Karlaftis was simply the most consistent pass rusher on the board. You look at his PFF grades from last season and he didn’t have a single bad game. Compare that with Walker, who admittedly came on in the CFB Playoffs but was more up-and-down. Karlaftis registered 54 pressures in 335 pass rush snaps; Walker had 34 in 381 opportunities. Karlaftis would definitely be classified as a reach at 4 in the best player available models, but his positional value has to be factored in.
3) Charles Cross, tackle (Mississippi State)
There is a sense that the Jets don’t just want to light a match under the feet of 2020 first-round pick Mekhi Becton, they want it to be a five-alarm blaze. No better way than to draft his eventual replacement, a supreme pass protector who shut out Alabama last season with zero pressures allowed in 66 pass block sets. Most scouts have Ikem Ekwonu (N.C. State) and Evan Neal (Alabama) rated higher, but I feel those were based more on raw physical tools than performance. For instance, several analysts suggest that Ekwonu would fare better at guard, where the Jets already made (overly) huge investments in Alijah Vera-Tucker (2021 first-rounder) and Laken Tomlinson (2022 free agent). Neal, like Becton, is an imposing figure, but scouts have raised some serious issues with his balance in pass protection. Cross likely won’t pancake people on a routine basis, but he has graded out well enough in the Jets preferred zone blocking schemes to be a solid pick here. Add in his agility in pass protection and you have a guy who maybe comes with a lower ceiling than his colleagues at his position, but has a higher floor. When it's a left tackle and that floor is “NFL starter”, you take that and run.
Coming soon: Best Jets picks at No. 10