We’re now less than one week away from the 2023 NFL Draft getting underway. Jets fans have had an entertaining offseason to follow, but it’s also included a lot of waiting around. It all pretty much revolves around when quarterback Aaron Rodgers is finally traded to Gang Green.
Will that happen before the draft? Or, maybe during the event in Kansas City? Either one of those would likely be preferred by everyone who associates themselves with the Jets. As they say, waiting is the hardest part. Plus, New York has a season to prepare for. It’d be nice to finally have their QB1 installed at the top of the depth chart.
The Jets had three first-round picks last year, and when we look at their overall haul from the Draft, they did very, very well. That’ll happen when you select both the Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year.
While the Green Bay Packers tried to snatch New York’s 13th overall pick in this year’s draft as part of the Rodgers trade, it’s probably not happening. So, before they make that selection, who are the other players they’ve drafted in the first round in franchise history? The complete list is below.
Jets first-round NFL Draft picks
1960s and 1970s
- 1961: Tom Brown, G from Minnesota (2nd overall)
- 1962: Sandy Stephens, QB from Minnesota (fifth)
- 1963: Jerry Stovall, DB from LSU (third)
- 1964: Matt Snell, RB from Ohio State (third)
- 1965: Joe Namath, QB from Alabama (first — AFL Draft), and Tom Nowatzke, FB from Indiana (fourth)
- 1966: William Yearby, DE from Michigan (13th)
- 1967: Paul Seiler, C Notre Dame (12th)
- 1968: Lee White, RB from Weber St. (17th)
- 1969: Dave Foley, OT from Ohio State (26th)
- 1970: Steve Tannen, DB from Florida (20th)
- 1971: John Riggins, RB from Kansas (sixth)
- 1972: Jerome Barkum, TE from Jackson State, and Michael Taylor, LB from Michigan (20th)
- 1973: Burgess Owens, DB from Miami (13th)
- 1974: Carl Barzilauskas, DT from Indiana (sixth)
- 1975: No pick (traded it to the New Orleans Saints)
- 1976: Richard Todd, QB from Alabama (sixth)
- 1977: Marvin Powell, OT from USC (fourth)
- 1978: Chris Ward, OT from Ohio State (fourth)
- 1979: Marty Lyons, DE from Alabama (14th)
1980s and 1990s
- 1980: Lam Jones, WR from Texas (second)
- 1981: Freeman McNeil, RB from UCLA (third)
- 1982: Bob Crable, LB from Notre Dame (23rd)
- 1983: Ken O’Brien, QB from UC Davis (24th)
- 1984: Russell Carter, DB from SMU (10th), and Ron Faurot, DE from Arkansas (15th)
- 1985: Al Toon, WR from Wisconsin (10th)
- 1986: Mike Haight, G from Iowa (22nd)
- 1987: Roger Vick, RB from Texas A&M (21st)
- 1988: Dave Cadigan, G from USC (eighth)
- 1989: Jeff Lageman, DE from Virginia (14th)
- 1990: Blair Thomas, RB from Penn State (second)
- 1991: No pick (used it to select WR Rob Moore in 1990 supplemental draft)
- 1992: Johnny Mitchell, TE from Nebraska (15th)
- 1993: Marvin Jones, LB from Florida State (fourth)
- 1994: Aaron Glenn, DB from Texas A&M (12th)
- 1995: Kyle Brady, TE from Penn State (ninth), and Hugh Douglas, DE from Central State OH (16th)
- 1996: Keyshawn Johnson, WR from USC (first)
- 1997: James Farrior, LB from Virginia (eighth)
- 1998: No pick (traded it to the New England Patriots)
- 1999: No pick (also traded it to the New England Patriots)
2000s
- 2000: Shaun Ellis, DE from Tennessee (12th), John Abraham, DE from South Carolina (13th), Chad Pennington, QB from Marshall (18th), and Anthony Becht, TE from West Virginia (27th)
- 2001: Santana Moss, WR from Miami (16th)
- 2002: Bryan Thomas, DE from UAB (22nd)
- 2003: Dewayne Robertson, DT from Kentucky (fourth)
- 2004: Jonathan Vilma, LB from Miami (12th)
- 2005: No pick (traded it to the Oakland Raiders)
- 2006: D’Brickashaw Ferguson, OT from Virginia (fourth), and Nick Mangold, C from Ohio State (29th)
- 2007: Darrelle Revis, DB from Pittsburgh (14th)
- 2008: Vernon Gholston, DE from Ohio State (sixth), and Dustin Keller, TE from Purdue (30th)
- 2009: Mark Sanchez, QB from USC (fifth)
2010s to Present Day
- 2010: Kyle Wilson, DB from Boise State (29th)
- 2011: Muhammad Wilkerson, DT from Temple (30th)
- 2012: Quinton Coples, DE from North Carolina (16th)
- 2013: Dee Milliner, DB from Alabama (ninth), and Sheldon Richardson, DT from Missouri (13th)
- 2014: Calvin Pryor, DB from Louisville (18th)
- 2015: Leonard Williams, DE from USC (sixth)
- 2016: Darron Lee, OLB from Ohio State (20th)
- 2017: Jamal Adams, S from LSU (sixth)
- 2018: Sam Darnold, QB from USC (third)
- 2019: Quinnen Williams, DT from Alabama (third)
- 2020: Mekhi Becton, OT from Lousville (11th)
- 2021: Zach Wilson, QB from BYU (second), and Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL from USC (14th)
- 2022: Sauce Gardner, CB from Cincinnati (fourth), Garrett Wilson, WR from Ohio State (10th), and Jermaine Johnson, EDGE from Florida State (26th)
Who adds their name to this list? We’re getting closer to finding out.
You can reach Matt Musico at matt.musico@xlmedia.com. You can follow him on Twitter: @mmusico8.
