After addressing offense in Round 1, the Jets turn their attention to the opposite side of the football in Touchdown Wire’s Day 2 mock.
Here, Mark Schofield has the Jets taking Florida State cornerback Asante Samuel Jr.
Here’s Schofield’s explanation for the selection:
The New York Jets spent both of their first-round selections on offense, drafting Zach Wilson in the second-overall spot and then trading up for offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker. Now they turn to defense and add to the secondary with Asante Samuel Jr. Some might view him as a slot corner, but I would not be surprised to see him stick on the outside.
Jets fans are quite familiar with Samuel Jr.’s father, who terrorized New York’s quarterbacks during his time in New England. Now the younger Samuel has the opportunity to turn the tables on the rest of the AFC East.
While Samuel isn’t the most physically imposing cornerback, he makes up for it with his athleticism and elite ball skills. He has the ability to line up all over the field but projects as a complement to Bryce Hall, which would be a formidable 1-2 punch for Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich’s defense.
Samuel recorded three interceptions and six passes defended this past season while receiving all-conference honors. He totaled four interceptions and 29 passed defended in 32 career games across three seasons at Florida State.
For someone who could’ve been the pick at No. 23, Samuel would be an easy sell if the Jets elect to stay put at the top of the second round.
