Follow us:

Given Joe Douglas's preference to build through the trenches, will he begin his Jets' tenure with a first-round offensive lineman in three consecutive drafts? George Fant played well in the absence of Mekhi Becton, who missed all but Week 1 last season, and Robert Saleh said at the Senior Bowl that drafting a left tackle and having Becton compete at right is on table.

Neal didn't work out in Indianapolis, but he weighed in at (a svelte) 337 pounds and he should remind us of his elite athleticism at Alabama's pro day later this month. Especially depending on how the Becton situation plays out, Neal would offer the Jets plenty of positional versatility with experience starting at guard and both tackle spots at Alabama.

After transferring from Georgia to Florida State before the 2021 season, Johnson led the ACC in both sacks (11.5) and tackles for loss (17.5) en route to being named ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Since then, Johnson has aced the predraft process, as he followed up a strong week at the Senior Bowl with an impressive performance at the combine. Not only did Johnson run a 4.58 40-yard dash but he posted a 1.55 10-yard split, which is even more important for a pass rusher.

Given what I've seen of Robert Saleh's defenses in San Francisco, Thibodeaux strikes me as the kind of player he'd love to have. I don't get the questions about Thibodeaux's motor. Maybe you can question his endurance at times, but I don't remember seeing him not giving everything he had. He's immensely talented, versatile, and an intelligent defender. He could become a perennial All-Pro at a value position.

With their two first-round picks in this mock, the Jets are walking away with the player I believe to be the best edge rusher in the class and the guy I believe to be the best corner in the class. I don't do draft grades, but I'd be giving the Jets an "A+" if I did.

The Jets haven't had a cornerback in the Pro Bowl since Darrelle Revis in 2015. Gardner made it through the playoff loss to Alabama unscathed. He finished his collegiate career with 1,100-plus snaps, nine interceptions and zero touchdowns allowed. Gardner's combine was flawless.

The success of Robert Saleh's defensive scheme is predicated on creating pressure on the quarterback without blitzing. Johnson is capable of being three-down player as a potentially elite run defender and an underrated pass rusher.

The Jets made a prime investment into Mekhi Becton not that long ago, but that pairing hasn't necessarily built momentum in the way the team likely envisioned. As a result, the team would be wise to double down at tackle, as the development of QB Zach Wilson heavily depends on it.

The original thought here was to land Sauce Gardner for the Jets (a perfect scheme fit) after a run of pass rushers. But with Denver no longer taking Johnson, I'm taking another trench player to help the Jets load up on defense.

With Morgan Moses headed toward free agency and Mekhi Becton having trouble staying on the field, the Jets could certainly stand to add to the offensive line here. I thought about an edge rusher or cornerback, but the value is better for Neal at No. 4. (The Jets can address one of those other positions with their second top-10 pick.) Quarterback Zach Wilson saw pressure on 32.5% of his rookie-season dropbacks (seventh most), and the Jets' 60.5% pass block win rate was middle of the road in 2021. Even so, New York is probably one solid lineman away from a very good starting unit, with or without Moses in the fold. Neal has versatility, he is a dominant run-blocker, and he's a powerful pass protector with a quick first step. He allowed just one sack in 621 pass-block snaps last season.

We know this pick has to be on defense after the Jets went offensive tackle at No. 4 (and spent all of their high picks on offense last April), and Gardner still being on the board makes it an even easier decision -- though Florida State edge rusher Jermaine Johnson II would make sense, too. Last season, Gardner gave up just 60 total yards, surrendered zero touchdowns and picked off three passes, whereas the Jets allowed 8.0 passing yards per attempt and managed just seven interceptions. Gardner ran a 4.41 in the 40-yard dash on Sunday, and he smothers receivers off the line. The Jets like their young duo of Bryce Hall and Brandin Echols, but he is too good to pass on.

Hamilton didn't run a fast 40-yard dash (4.59), but the rest of his testing was great -- and his versatility and football character are off the charts. The Jets land a very good football player.

Sauce is a long, competitive ballhawk with press-man and Cover 3 talent to fit into a variety of schemes as a rookie starter.

The New York Jets added Carl Lawson to bolster their defensive front last season, but losing him to injury illuminated needs along the defensive line. They look to upgrade that unit by adding the Heisman Finalist, and pairing him with Lawson immediately improves the Jets' pass rush.

With Sauce Gardner off the board, the Jets again look to the defensive side of the football and select Andrew Booth Jr. out of Clemson. Booth has good movement skills and is comfortable playing both in press alignments, and also in off coverage whether in zone or off-man. His ability to explode downhill and disrupt at the catch point, even starting from an off alignment, makes him a fit for what the New York Jets do on the defensive side of the football.