After letting Morris Claiborne walk in free agency, the Jets lack a definitive starting No. 2 cornerback. New York also lacks established depth at the position, meaning it will be on general manager Mike Maccagnan add a corner or two in the upcoming 2019 NFL draft.
Fortunately for the Jets, there is an abundance of talented cornerbacks in this year’s draft class. There isn’t a consensus number one player at the position, but the 2019 cornerback class is loaded with defensive backs who profile as impact players.
With that being said, let’s take a look at four cornerbacks the Jets should target throughout the draft.
Julian Love — Notre Dame
With the Jets picking No. 3 and without a second-round pick, they find themselves out of the running for the likes of Greedy Williams, Byron Murphy and Rock Ya-Sin. That should make Notre Dame cornerback Julian Love the top realistic option on their draft board.
Odds are, Love goes off the board in the second round and the Jets never have a chance to pick him, as they do not have the ammunition to trade up into the second round. However, should he fall into the third, New York should not hesitate to select the 5-foot-10 corner.
Love is extremely polished and can start from day one. Speed limitations might cause him to drop a bit, but that could be good news for the Jets.
Trayvon Mullen — Clemson
Every year, there are a handful of prospects that NFL scouts cannot agree on. Mullen is one of those prospects this year, as he has emerged as a love or hate prospect.
Some believe Mullen has an early-round skill set, while others question his technique. However, there is no denying Mullen’s physical traits and raw athleticism. At 6-foot-1, 199 pounds, Mullen has elite speed and is long enough to give wide receivers problems on the outside.
Mullen is worth taking a chance on. Given the Jets’ current cornerback situation, they don’t have much to lose here.
Joejuan Williams — Vanderbilt
Projected to go off the board between the third and fourth round, Williams could be the perfect fit in defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ attacking defense.
At 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, Williams has an intriguing frame and the coverage skills to match. He is not afraid to mix it up and get physical at the line of scrimmage, while he is also a good tackler in run support. The only concern surrounding Williams is his lack of top-end speed, as he ran a 4.68 40-yard dash at the NFL draft combine.
If the Jets look past Williams’ speed concerns, they could wind up with a mid-round steal.
Jimmy Moreland — James Madison
Moreland is the epitome of a scrapper at corner. The FCS product is physical at the line of scrimmage and plays with grit and a massive chip on his shoulder, which has drawn scouts to him.
Moreland’s competitive nature was on display at the East-West Shrine and it helped boost his draft stock. Now projected to go off the board at some point on Day 3, Moreland could be a guy New York zones in on in the later rounds.
The only concerns surrounding Moreland are a lack of top-end speed and a lack of size. However, his strengths cancel out his weaknesses. If the Jets still need a corner late in the draft, Moreland should be their guy.
