The New York Jets go with Mekhi Becton with hopes that he’ll be protecting Sam Darnold’s blindside for the next decade.
The newest New York Jet, Mekhi Becton, is a physical and athletic freak. He stands at 6-foot-7 and weighs in at 364 pounds. A guy that size isn’t supposed to be as athletic as Becton, but he’s not normal. He ran an astonishing 5.10 40-yard dash and has phenomenal short-area quickness.
His college tape is littered with reps where Becton bullied people. He threw full-grown men off the field multiple times. He can pull and create space in the open field like no other tackle in this class.
Becton’s the best-run blocker in this draft class. That makes him a great fit for Le’Veon Bell, if nothing else. However, it makes him an odd fit for general manager Joe Douglas and head coach Adam Gase.
They have focused all offseason on adding the best pass blockers possible, and Becton isn’t that. He ran just 73 true pass-blocking sets at Lousiville in 2019, and that’s hurt him. Becton’s pass-blocking technique is raw and will take a while to get better.
He’s not going to set onto a field and be a strong pass blocker from day one. He’s likely going to be a nightmare in pass protection his rookie year.
The tradeoff is that he’s likely going to be an elite run blocker in year one and has the potential to be elite all-around. Becton’s ceiling is the highest of any offensive lineman in this draft class. If he hits that ceiling, he’ll end up in Canton when all is said and done.
If he doesn’t hit that ceiling though, then the Jets will be left with a run-blocking tackle in a pass-first league. It’s a dangerous game that Douglas is playing with this selection. Douglas has shown all offseason he’s not averse to risk, and this selection continues to prove that.
With an offensive lineman onboard, expect the Jets to target a receiver in the second round. Some names to keep an eye on are Michael Pittman Jr., Tee Higgins, Jalen Reagor, and K.J. Hamler.
