2024 NFL Draft Grades: New York Jets

Day 1 grade: B
Day 2 grade: A-
Day 3 grade: B

Analysis: Even after picking up veteran tackles Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses this offseason, the Jets selected Fashanu to help protect Aaron Rodgers. They spent their second-rounder on Rodgers last year and moved up for the tough-running Corley to improve the talent surrounding the future Hall of Famer.

The Jets did well picking up a 2025 third-rounder for one of their fourth-round selections. Adding in the big, nimble Allen to the backfield behind Breece Hall and Israel Abanikanda makes sense given how injuries have impacted depth at the position. I projected the Jets to bring in productive team leader Travis on Day 3, so trading up for him in the fifth wasn't surprising. Stiggers is a fantastic story, coming through the CFL to the NFL, and a competitive athlete outside.

Top needs entering the draft: Wide receiver, offensive tackle, safety

Round 1 was always going to be a delicate balance for Jets GM Joe Douglas, who had to balance his team's short-term championship window alongside 40-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers with the long-term vision of building a sustainable contender. He needed to add a player who could be a star both now and later, someone who could make a significant contribution as a rookie. That's why I thought offensive tackle might be a tough sell to Rodgers -- and to fans -- at No. 10. New York added Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses in March to man those spots in 2024, and a rookie might have to be the swing tackle or move inside to guard for a year.

Instead, Douglas stuck to his board and got his guy with Olu Fashanu (11), a prototypical left tackle who can be Smith's replacement in 2025. It wasn't the flashiest pick, but if Fashanu can hit his ceiling, he could be a stellar player at a premium position for a decade.

Malachi Corley (65) had 29 receiving touchdowns over the past three seasons and makes cornerbacks look silly after the catch. The Jets took two running backs in Braelon Allen (134) and Isaiah Davis (173), who will duke it out to be Breece Hall's backup. Allen is my fifth-ranked back in the class, while Davis lands at No. 10.

Qwan'tez Stiggers (176) is one of the most fascinating picks in the entire draft. He became the third player in the common draft era (since 1967) to be selected without attending college and the first CFL player with no college experience to be drafted. And he can play, too. Quarterback Jordan Travis (171) was tremendously productive at Florida State. Could he be stashed as the Jets' third QB behind Tyrod Taylor this season?

Douglas also executed several trades throughout the weekend, maneuvering up and down the board, including a deal for the Lions' 2025 third-rounder. Corley might be the most important pick of this class in the short term, as I could see him having a role in 2024. Douglas did a nice job getting value throughout.

THE JETS DID THE RIGHT THING, avoiding the siren song of a playmaker like Brock Bowers and instead drafting a position of massive need with my top-ranked tackle, Olu Fashanu, picking up a couple of Day 3 picks next year by trading down one spot with the Vikings. Past that pick, I'm skeptical about the value New York picked up the rest of the draft. Western Kentucky receiver Malachi Corley is in many ways a running back who plays receiver, offering very good run-after-the-catch skills, but he could struggle as a downfield pass-catcher. He has issues with physical coverage, is a work in progress as a route runner, and profiles as a slot option primarily in the pros. The Jets then added another two actual running backs, drafting backup/rotational options in Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis in the fourth and fifth rounds. Jordan Travis is a fine dart throw in the fifth round as a developmental backup.

For a team with a win-now mandate, might it have made more sense to take Georgia TE Brock Bowers at No. 11 and add to the offensive line depth — given its eminent availability in this draft — later? TBD. But coming away with Penn State All-American LT Olu Fashanu in the first round and Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley in the third could also be a winning combo given the latter's ability to make an immediate splash as a pure playmaker between WRs Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams. Fourth-round RB Braelon Allen (Wisconsin) and fifth-round QB Jordan Travis (Florida State) and CB Qwan'tez Stiggers (Toronto Argonauts) are the kind of mid-rounders who have the talent to pay off very handsomely. Though the (tarnished) silver lining of Rodgers' Achilles injury last season was the Jets' retention of their 2024 first-round pick, this season will decidedly determine if he was worth what they surrendered, including this year's Round 2 slot. And give Douglas credit as the Fashanu pick and deal to get a third-rounder in 2025 are the moves of a GM operating as if he'll be on the job a year from now ... though unloading DL John Franklin-Myers to Denver for a 2026 sixth-rounder was baffling.

It was a tough draw that Rome Odunze went at No. 9 — though not unexpected. So the Jets traded down and still added Penn State tackle Olu Fashanu, which made plenty of sense. As good as Tyron Smith is when he's healthy, he's not healthy often. Fashanu will provide much-needed depth at tackle for Smith and Morgan Moses. Brock Bowers might have been tempting because he would instantly start — but I think they'll get more bang for their buck with Fashanu, especially considering how little Aaron Rodgers uses his tight ends. In Round 3, the Jets took a feisty WR in Malachi Corley. New York also added two running backs to their stable — which felt a little unnecessary, but I suppose they went with what the board gave them. —McKenna

Best Pick: Third-round receiver Malachi Corley will come in and immediately help the passing game. He is a strong player after the catch. Aaron Rodgers had to be happy with that pick.

Worst Pick: I didn't like using the fourth-round pick on running back Braelon Allen. They have Breece Hall and could have used it on maybe a tight end or an offensive lineman. They also took a back later in the draft.

The Skinny: By taking tackle Olu Fashanu, the Jets did the right thing. But it sure didn't look like an all-in move for Rodgers since Fashanu is going to likely sit for a year. Corley will be a nice pick, but this wasn't a great draft for immediate help.

Analysis: The Jets maintained an offensive theme for GM Joe Douglas with the intent of making Aaron Rodgers' Year 2 much more promising once he's ready to go again. Fashanu gives them a tackle contingency for aging additions, while Corley and Allen fit well playing off Garrett Wilson as a receiver and Breece Hall as a runner. Travis was a good developmental add behind Rogers and Tyrod Taylor. Stiggers gives them a pro-ready corner from the CFL, to boot. Pretty good for New York, even minus volume.

Analysis: The Jets deserve credit. They could have made the flashy pick of a pass catcher in the first round, but instead took a top-three tackle in a loaded class with Fashanu. Then, in the third round, New York found its receiver in the 215-pound Corley. The Jets are trying to build a contender around the aging Aaron Rodgers and this class did a nice job of helping that cause.

The Jets needed pass protection above all out of this draft, and GM Joe Douglas made the right choice in the person of Olu Fashanu. This draft class was stuffed with more powerful guys who didn't have Fashanu's obvious athletic skills, which makes Fashanu the most obvious left tackle-looking guy.

And while it seems like every NFL team is looking for the next Deebo Samuel, Gang Green may have gotten the closest approximation in Malachi Corley, who can twist defenders in knots at the short and intermediate levels. And I really like Jordan Travis as Aaron Rodgers' backup — had Travis not suffered a brutal leg injury last November, he could have made the second-tier quarterback discussion a lot more interesting.

The New York media will be all over the story of sixth-round cornerback Qwan'tez Stiggers, who dropped out of college and made his way through 7-on-7 football, and wound up with five interceptions in the Canadian Football League last season.