With the NFL draft less than 24 hours away, it’s time to zone in the players who are realistic options for the Jets with the No. 3 pick.
There’s no doubt New York’s first pick will be a defensive player, but who remains to be seen. Plenty of names have been thrown around, but a group of four players has emerged as most likely to go off the board to the Jets assuming they stand pat and do not trade down.
With that being said, let’s take a look at four realistic first-round options for New York.
Nick Bosa — Ohio State
Before Kliff Kingsbury took over as the Arizona Cardinals’ head coach, Bosa looked like a lock to be the No. 1 overall pick. Now, with Kingsbury’s affinity for Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray, there’s a chance the talented Ohio State defensive end makes it to the Jets at No. 3.
Recent reports suggest the San Francisco 49ers prefer Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams over Bosa, which leaves New York in prime position to land the best defensive end in the draft.
Assuming Bosa is still on the board at No. 3, there’s almost no way the Jets pass on him. Many draft analysts consider Bosa the best player in the 2019 draft class. His skill set is elite and he would be an ideal fit in Gregg Williams’ 3-4 defense.
Quinnen Williams — Alabama
If Bosa goes off the board at No. 2 and the Jets still want to take a defensive lineman at No. 3, Quinnen Williams is their guy.
The Alabama product is a freak of nature in the trenches. He has been compared to Los Angeles Rams star Aaron Donald and rightfully so, as he possesses the same traits that made Donald a hot commodity coming out of college. Williams also shined at the NFL draft combine and dominated for the Crimson Tide last season with 71 tackles and eight sacks.
Williams has been rising up draft boards, so there’s a chance by time the Jets pick. However, if he’s still available, New York should waste no time in selecting him if general manager Mike Maccagnan prefers an interior lineman over an edge rusher.
Josh Allen — Kentucky
Edge rusher has been a position of need for the Jets for years now. New York has not had a dominant edge rusher since the days of John Abraham, but that could change on Thursday night if Josh Allen is the pick at No. 3.
In his senior year, Allen registered 88 tackles, 21.5 TFLs and 17 sacks. Producing at that level playing in the SEC is not easy, but Allen managed to play at an elite level on a weekly basis going up against some of the best offensive linemen in the country.
Allen has the potential to develop into an elite pass rusher in the NFL. Could he be the one to solve New York’s long-running pass rush woes?
Ed Oliver — Houston
In recent weeks, he has gained traction as a realistic possibility for the Jets at No. 3. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is a big fan of Oliver’s, which could be enough to land him in New York.
Is the Jets’ interest is in Oliver real? Or, is it a smokescreen to try and get the Oakland Raiders, who are reportedly “in love” with the Houston product, to trade up. That is the question that will be answered on draft night. If New York really is intrigued by Oliver, he has a case to be the pick over an edge rusher like Josh Allen or fellow interior lineman Quinnen Williams.
Oliver is explosive at the line of scrimmage and is adept at using his hands to shed blocks. He is also extremely versatile, which could be the reason for Gregg Williams’ interest. Either way, Oliver is talented enough to go off the board at No. 3.
