How do the New York Jets look with some sexy new additions to the team in Matt Miller‘s latest mock draft?
Let’s waste no time. Here is who NFL Draft Insider Matt Miller projected for the New York Jets in his full seven-round mock draft:
- No. 6: Denzel Ward, Cornerback, Ohio State
- No. 37: Lorenzo Carter, Linebacker, Georgia
- No. 49: Jamarco Jones, Offensive tackle, Ohio State
- No. 72: D.J. Chark, Wide receiver, LSU
- No. 107: Nick Chubb, Running back, Georgia
- No. 157: Andre Smith, Linebacker, North Carolina
- No. 179: Dalton Schultz, Tight end, Stanford
- No. 235: D’Montre Wade, Cornerback, Murray State
For those counting at home, here are the specifics as it pertains to the Jets draft selections via NFL Insider Rich Cimini.
NFL releases official draft order. Jets' picks (round-number-overall): 1-6-6, 2-5-37, 2-17-49 (from Sea), 3-8-72, 4-7-107, 5-20-157 (from Dallas), 6-5-179, 7-17-235 (from Sea). #Jets
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) March 6, 2018
The Jets have eight picks (currently) in the 2018 NFL Draft. In Miller’s version, the Jets take a balanced approach as it pertains to drafting offense (four) vs. defense (four).
That would make it the 10th straight time the Jets selected a defensive player in the first round. Did you know the Jets haven’t selected more offensive players than defensive players in a draft since 2013?
In fact, the only remaining player from that draft class is Brian Winters who just signed a fat new extension last year. Hardly an inspiring effort from the Jets scouting department.
But back to Miller’s most updated mock draft, here are the big takeaways:
- Denzel Ward is somewhat undersized at 5-foot-10 and 191 pounds, but he’s as quick as they come (4.32 40 yard dash at NFL Combine). Elite speed and elite athleticism (39-inch vertical leap). The Jets need help at corner and as a caveat, Miller said this is assuming the Jets sign Kirk Cousins to a deal. If that’s the case the Jets can truly enter this draft with a “best player available” mindset, which I have no problem with.
- The Jets have gone to the Georgia linebacking well before (insert Jordan Jenkins). Jenkins isn’t spectacular, but he’s a blue-collar guy that you can rely on for years to come. In this mock, I would’ve liked a different Bulldog to be selected in Sony Michel, but he was snagged a pick earlier by the Indianapolis Colts. Lorenzo Carter has solid measurables across the board and tested well at the combine. When I see the body frame, he compares favorably to a former Georgia linebacker who went top-10 in Leonard Floyd. Both have 6-foot-6 frames and around250-pound bodies. Carter was highly recruited coming out of high school, but didn’t quite live up to the hype (14 career sacks in four years).
While on offense …
- DJ Chark lit up the NFL Combine and even had NFL Network host Rich Eisen often calling it ‘Chark Week’. LSU has a rich history with successful wide receivers recently with Odell Beckham Jr and Jarvis Landry tearing up the league lately. He’s your run of the mill tall (6-foot-3, 200 pounds, 4.34 40 yard dash) prospect. Chark has thrived off of his talent for years, instead of technique, he won’t be able to get away with that at the next level.
- While finally another Bulldog makes an appearance and he’s one of my favorite players in the NFL Draft. With the retirement of Matt Forte, the Jets are in dire need of a true bell cow on offense. They have ancillary pieces, but none that can really carry an offense. Nick Chubb doesn’t have blazing speed (4.5 40 yard dash), but he has other traits that are very intriguing and why many thought he’d be a first-round lock before he suffered a gruesome leg injury in college. He could be one of the biggest steals of the NFL Draft. Jets need a grinder and that’s what Chubb provides.
To check out his full mock, you can view it here via Bleacher Report.
