Latest Mock Draft for the New York Jets

By: Adam Martin

The New York Jets are in a big transition period and they have got lots of good draft picks. Since the arrival of General Manager Joe Douglas in 2019 it felt like the jets were in rebuild. This draft is the beginning of that and it will be very interesting to see who they pick. Here we look at the Jets picks in the first three rounds of this years draft and focus on who they are going to pick.

Round one

1.2 Zach Wilson

First up in round one the Jets have got the 1.2 pick after a dismal season last year. With the recent trade of Sam Darnold to the Carolina Panthers it confirms that the Jets will pick a QB. There are many to choose from but the one that is getting the most heat is Zach Wilson. He had a great year with BYU passing for 3,692 yards and 33 touchdowns. On top of that he only gave up three interceptions in a standout season.

He isn’t the finished article but he has tremendous ball placement and great arm strength. Another benefit is that he is very good at moving defenders with his eyes and selling dummies well. He has the ability to make any type of throw from any situation, similar to Patrick Mahomes. However, he does need to work on his footwork and his time at BYU was against weaker opposition.

1.23 Teven Jenkins

Later on in the first round the Jets have got the chance to bring in another quality young player. After bringing in there brand new QB they will want to get someone to help protect him. The obvious player at this point in the draft is Teven Jenkins from Oklahoma State. Jenkins is a man mountain at 6’6 and 320lbs and has shown during his college career how good he can be.

The former Oklahoma Cowboy has developed into one of the best blindside blocker in America. The other massive positive with Jenkins is that he plays in a nasty way. He is incredibly strong who has heavy hands and is more than happy to push a pass rusher to the ground. He still needs to be coached and polished into a high end NFL player but in time he could be. If ever there was a player who could represent his coach on the field it would be Jenkins for Robert Salah.

Round Two

2.2 Asante Samuel Jr

Asante Samuel Jr would be a good choice for the Jets in a problem area for them. Samuel has the potential to go in the first round but is more likely to slip into the second. His main attributes are speed and agility that can help him to change direction and make big plays when he shouldn’t. He will have the ability to keep up with the fastest receivers in the NFL and has good recovery speed. Another area that Samuel excels is his ability to make a tackle and is quick to do it. He isn’t afraid to get in a receivers face and has some great rookie traits that can help him become a quality corner.

The Florida State graduate isn’t the complete package though and does have some issues. His main issue is something that Samuel cant change and that is his lack of size. At 5’10 and 183lbs he is smaller than the average corner and will struggle against taller receivers. On top of that his reach is a problem with smaller than average arms for the position. Another potential problem was that Samuel did give up quite a few holding penalties in college. With coaching this could change but if he is giving away penalties at college level it could get worse at NFL level.

Round Three

3.2 Chubba Hubbard

Chubba Hubbard has been a good running back during his time at Oklahoma State over the last couple of years. At 6’1 and 207lbs he isn’t the biggest back but he has produced for them. Over three seasons he has rushed 585 times for over 3,400 yards and 33 touchdowns. Hubbard has great footwork and the patience to wait for the room to become available. Although he might not be massive in size he is hard to bring down and will be capable of doing well in the NFL.

There are not many negatives to Hubbard but he will not be able to match his college production. His size is the biggest problem and he will need to be in a specific scheme. His best chance of success is to be in a committee and would be great for the Jets if they bring in a veteran to help him. The other negative to Hubbard is that he has been used quite a lot by Oklahoma. 585 carries over three seasons is a huge amount of work for a college running back. Although it probably wont affect him to much in the early days of his NFL career it could do later on.

3.23 Ronnie Perkins

Ronnie Perkins would be a great choice for the Jets given that there defense is desperate for edge rushers. He is fast of the edge and can easily change direction of his attack. He has superb footwork and has the ability to cover a large amount of area on the field. He is explosive, very sudden and is more than happy to run through anyone trying to stop him. Perkins is an underrated defender and passes the eye test very well.

One of Perkins biggest problems is that, for an edge rusher, he is lacking in size at 6’3 and 247lbs. He still has the ability to become an NFL starter but this is why he is a third round draft candidate. Another area of concern is that he has had some character issues but a strong head coach in Robert Salah can sort that out. Ronnie Perkins would be a quality addition to a defense that is desperate for young talent.