After months of anticipation, it’s finally draft day.
With the 2020 NFL Draft less than 24 hours away, we at the Jets Wire have one last mock ready to go. This projection focuses on the Jets and what they can do through all seven rounds, as well as a look at how the entire first round could play out.
The Jets find themselves in an interesting position with the 11th pick. At this point, they seem destined to take a tackle or a receiver. What they do in the first round may telegraph their plans for the rest of the draft.
In this mock draft, New York adds protection for Sam Darnold, two big-bodied weapons at wide receiver, a potential starting EDGE and cornerback, Le’Veon Bell’s backup and a late-round defensive line flier.
Let’s take a look at who we think the Jets could take in Douglas’ first draft as the team’s general manager in Jets Wire’s fifth and final mock.
First Round
1. Cincinnati Bengals — Joe Burrow | QB | LSU
2. Washington Redskins — Chase Young | DE | Ohio State
3. Detroit Lions — Jeff Okudah | CB | Ohio State
4. New York Giants — Mekhi Becton | OT | Louisville
5. Miami Dolphins — Justin Herbert | QB | Oregon
6. Los Angeles Chargers — Tua Tagovailoa | QB | Alabama
7. Carolina Panthers — Isaiah Simmons | OLB | Clemson
8. Arizona Cardinals — Tristan Wirfs | OL | Iowa
9. Jacksonville Jaguars — Derrick Brown | DL | Auburn
10. Cleveland Browns — Jedrick Wills Jr. | OT | Alabama
11. New York Jets — Andrew Thomas | OT | Georgia
With Becton, Wirfs and Wills Jr. off the board, Thomas becomes the logical selection for the Jets at No. 11. He might not come with the hype that the other three had throughout draft season, but Thomas is arguably the most-pro ready tackle of the bunch. He is a plug-and-play starter for New York and has the potential to become a leader in the locker room from day one.
12. Las Vegas Raiders — CeeDee Lamb | WR | Oklahoma
13. San Francisco 49ers (via IND) — Jerry Jeudy | WR | Alabama
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Josh Jones | OT | Houston
15. Denver Broncos — Henry Ruggs II | WR | Alabama
16. Atlanta Falcons — CJ Henderson | CB | Florida
17. Dallas Cowboys — K’Lavon Chaisson | EDGE | LSU
18. Miami Dolphins (via PITT) — Javon Kinlaw | DL | South Carolina
19. Las Vegas Raiders (via CHI) — Patrick Queen | LB | LSU
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (via LAR) — Austin Jackson | OT | USC
21. Philadelphia Eagles — Justin Jefferson | WR | LSU
22. Minnesota Vikings (via BUF) — Jeff Gladney | CB | TCU
23. New England Patriots — Yetur Gross-Matos | DE | Penn State
24. New Orleans Saints — Jordan Love | QB | Utah State
25. Minnesota Vikings — A.J. Epenesa — EDGE | Iowa
26. Miami Dolphins (via HOU) — Isaiah Wilson | OT | Georgia
27. Seattle Seahawks — Xavier McKinney | S | Alabama
28. Baltimore Ravens — Kenneth Murray | LB | Oklahoma
29. Tennessee Titans — Zach Baun | EDGE | Wisconsin
30. Green Bay Packers — Denzel Mims | WR | Baylor
31. San Francisco 49ers — Jaylon Johnson | CB | Utah
32. Kansas City Chiefs — Trevon Diggs | CB | Alabama
2nd Round
48. Michael Pittman Jr. | WR | USC
Jamison Crowder, Breshad Perriman and Quincy Enunwa are a solid trio at wide receiver, but the Jets need more at the position. Well aware of this, Joe Douglas pegs USC wideout Michael Pittman Jr. as his second-round selection.
At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, Pittman Jr. is the big-bodied receiver the Jets need on the outside. He is a sharp route runner for a player his size and has both the hands and ball skills to make plays in traffic down the field.
Pittman Jr. has played with Sam Darnold before. Both players are familiar with each other and have a solid rapport from their college days. If nothing else, this puts Pittman Jr. above any wideout on the board when it is New York’s turn to pick.
3rd Round
68. Curtis Weaver | EDGE | Boise State
The Jets get the edge rusher they desperately need with their first pick of the third round, landing Boise State’s Curtis Weaver.
Billed as a high-character workhorse with an endless motor, Weaver has all of the intangibles Joe Douglas is looking for as he reshapes the Jets roster. Factor in his elite levels of production (52 tackles, 13.5 sacks) and you have a player that can make an immediate impact in New York.
3rd Round
79. Troy Pride Jr. | CB | Notre Dame
With New York’s second pick of the third round, Joe Douglas adds an outside cornerback who can line up opposite Pierre Desir in Notre Dame’s Troy Pride Jr.
Pride Jr. is 5-foot-11 but plays with physicality. He loves mixing it up at the line of scrimmage and is adept at playing in man coverage. His technique could use a little work, as he sometimes gets caught looking in the backfield. That should not be too difficult for defensive coordinator Gregg Williams to fix, though.
4th Round
120. Shane Lemieux | OG | Oregon
Joe Douglas has vowed to do everything in his power to protect Sam Darnold. He lived up to his word by selecting Andrew Thomas 11th overall. He does so again by drafting Oregon guard Shane Lemieux.
Remember, Alex Lewis and Greg Van Roten are essentially on one-year deals with the way their contracts are structured. If one struggles in 2020, Lemieux could be waiting in the wings to take over at either guard spot. He has the potential to develop into a starter at the next level. He just needs a little bit of seasoning first.
5th Round
158. Tyler Johnson | WR | Minnesota
The Jets circle back to wide receiver in the fifth round, selecting a potential sleeper in Minnesota’s Tyler Johnson.
Like Pittman Jr., Johnson is a big-bodied wideout at 6-foot-2, 215 pounds. NFL scouts are concerned about his ability to gain separation and his lack of speed, but at this point in the draft, it is tough to pass up on a receiver who was as productive as Johnson was playing against Big 10 secondaries last season.
6th Round
191. Patrick Taylor Jr. | RB | Memphis
Le’Veon Bell needs a backup. Considering his skill set, Patrick Taylor Jr. is the perfect fit to fill that role.
Taylor Jr. is a powerful rusher that can get the job done in short-yardage situations. He does not have much experience catching passes out of the backfield, but the Jets don’t need him to do that with Bell in the mix.
Memphis has produced good running backs recently. Taylor Jr. might not be the talent that Rams running back Darnell Henderson was coming out of college last year, but he has the ability to fill an important role for the Jets.
6th Round
211. Raequan Williams | DL | Michigan State
With the way injuries tend to stack up on the defensive line, you can never have enough depth at the position.
Raequan Williams’ production was lacking at times at Michigan State, but the raw tools for him to develop into a rotational defensive lineman are there. He will have to fight for a roster spot with the Jets and it might take a standout training camp for him to stick, but Williams is definitely worth a late-round flier compared to some of the other players on the board at this point in the draft.
