Joe Douglas’ first draft as Jets general manager is in the books.
It will take years before we know exactly how well Douglas did, but so far his first class is drawing rave reviews. Douglas addressed multiple positions of need, found great value and accumulated extra picks through trades.
Here’s a quick recap of each pick Douglas made in his first draft on the job:
Round 1, Pick 11: OT Mekhi Becton
It was no surprise that Douglas used the 11th pick on an offensive tackle. He took a home run swing with the pick, selecting Becton and his tremendous upside over a safer bet in Tristan Wirfs.
Becton comes with some concerns, but the Louisville product’s massive frame should be a major boost to an offensive line that lacked talent and youth in 2019.
Round 2, Pick 59: WR Denzel Mims
Everyone thought the Jets were going to take Mims with the 48th pick, but then they traded with Seattle and moved down to No. 59. Mims, however, was still there. So Douglas not only found a new weapon for Sam Darnold, but he also added a pick.
Mims is a burner with a large catch radius. He had some dropping issues at Baylor, but he was extremely productive nonetheless. Now the Jets are hoping he can develop into a No. 1 wideout with Robby Anderson gone.
Round 3, Pick 68: DB Ashytn Davis
If Gregg Williams could design a player in a lab, he’d probably resemble Davis. A cornerback turned safety at California, the defensive back can line up all over the field.
Davis doubled as a track star in college, so he brings speed in addition to versatility to New York’s secondary. He was also a stud on special teams, which means Davis should have no shortage of opportunities to contribute in New York.
Round 3, Pick 79: DE Jabari Zuniga
An ankle injury hindered Zuniga’s final season at Florida, but he flashed plenty of potential during his college years.
Like Davis, Zuniga is a flexible fit for Williams’ defense. The hope is that he can develop into a serious edge presence. If all goes well, he could find himself starting opposite of Jordan Jenkins.
Round 4, Pick 120: RB La’Michal Perine
With no reliable depth behind Le’Veon Bell, Joe Douglas went to Florida for a second consecutive pick.
Perine gives the Jets a tailback who demonstrated an ability to rush and catch while at Florida. A dual-threat, he should be useful to Adam Gase. If all goes well, he could be Bell’s heir not too far down the road.
Round 4, Pick 125: QB James Morgan
The Jets may have taken Morgan a little earlier than they should have given other weaknesses, but the hope is the FIU star can turn into a solid backup for Sam Darnold.
The Jets are 0-6 in the games Darnold has missed, and David Fales and Mike White don’t inspire confidence. Morgan may be a project, but he allows the Jets to mold a young QB as they see fit.
Round 4, Pick 129: OT Cameron Clark
Douglas went back to the offensive line here, taking Clark out of Charlotte.
A first-team All-Conference USA selection in 2019, Clark gives the Jets even more depth at the tackle position. That’s good news for Darnold, who will have a handful of new linemen to work with in 2020 thanks to Douglas.
Round 5, Pick 158: CB Bryce Hall
Douglas added another piece to New York’s secondary, taking advantage of Hall’s slide to the fifth round.
A four-year starter at Virginia, the cornerback fell in the draft after breaking his fibula and tearing his deltoid ligament last season. A projected high-round pick prior to that, the Jets are banking on Hall returning to form after a rough end to his college career.
Round 6, Pick 191: P Braden Mann
With Lac Edwards no longer around, the Jets needed a new punter. So they took one of the best in college football.
Mann won the Ray Guy Award in 2018, given to the best player at his position. A standout at Texas A&M, Mann averaged 48.9 yards on punts during his college career.
This pick ended up being the last for New York in 2020 after Douglas traded the 211 selection to the Colts for CB Quincy Wilson.
