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Matt MillerESPN
In a year in which six teams hold multiple first-round picks in the 2022 NFL draft, it’s the New York Jets that have the best draft capital of any team. General manager Joe Douglas is rich with four selections in the first two rounds and five total in the first 70 selections.
No team is in as good of a position to make an immediate impact on the roster in this draft. And that’s great news for the Jets, as they find themselves looking up (again) at the rest of the AFC East.
To catch the Buffalo Bills, and to compete with the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins, the Jets need second-year quarterback Zach Wilson to stay healthy and take a step forward. They also need to surround Wilson with the type of supporting cast that helped young quarterbacks such as Joe Burrow ascend in their second seasons. That will be the focus of the 2022 draft, while also filling in key needs on the defensive side of the ball.
But not to worry — we are here to help. Running through all nine selections the Jets own in this draft (as of now), we lay out the perfect — while realistic — mock draft.
First, some rules:
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There are no trades projected in this mock, even though the Jets are in a great position to potentially slide back in Round 1.
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We’re keeping this realistic with each selection by drafting players who are ranked near the selection number on my overall Big Board. Sorry, Jets fans, you can’t steal Ikem Ekwonu or Aidan Hutchinson in Round 2.
Scroll to the bottom to see what ESPN Jets reporter Rich Cimini thinks of my mock draft for the team he covers. Let’s start with the No. 4 overall pick:
Round 1, No. 4: Travon Walker, DE, Georgia
With their first pick, the Jets need a difference-maker. Yes, they could make a safe pick and invest along the offensive line in case offensive tackle Mekhi Becton doesn’t work out, or they could draft one of the top wide receivers in the class. But neither pick presents the Day 1 impact plus future upside of pass-rusher Walker.
After losing free-agent signee Carl Lawson to an injury before the 2021 season began, the Jets’ pass rush was exposed. Even with Lawson back in 2022, an edge rusher opposite him is a “must-have” for Douglas. Walker might scare some Jets’ fans as a “one-year wonder” or “workout warrior,” but his play in the College Football Playoff and the tools he brings from a physical standpoint are impressive.
Against Michigan and Alabama, he totaled two sacks and five tackles while being asked to primarily set the edge against the run — but those two games showed the power and speed he brings to the table as a pass-rusher. Walker backed up his tape with an impressionable combine performance, turning in a 4.51-second run in the 40-yard dash at 6-foot-5 and 272 pounds, while also jumping 36 inches in the vertical and 10-foot-3 in the broad to show off his explosiveness. His 6.89-second three-cone drill is good for one of the best times I’ve seen at the position given his size.
Walker is a work in progress, but he has a rare combination of size, speed, strength and a relentless pass-rushing mentality. With Hutchinson already off the board and no wide receiver valued this early, Walker is the best pick the Jets can make.
Round 1, No. 10 (via SEA): Drake London, WR, USC
Were it not for a broken ankle in late October, London likely would have taken home some postseason hardware and have been a much hotter name heading into draft season. As it stands, the 6-foot-5 and 210-pound wideout left a mark on scouts’ minds with his performance on a bad USC team throughout the first two months of the season.
London, unlike so many of the receivers in this class, has elite size. He also knows how to use it, dominating cornerbacks in 50/50 situations and in the red zone. In just eight games, he caught 88 passes for 1,084 yards and scored seven touchdowns despite USC’s quarterback situation being unsettled. And maybe most importantly for Wilson’s development, London gives the young thrower a much bigger strike zone as a passer. London’s ability to high-point and extend for passes that are close but not pinpoint accurate should make him the quarterback’s new best friend.
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Watch the best plays from former USC wide receiver Drake London ahead of the upcoming NFL draft.
Round 2, No. 35: Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington
The University of Washington has become a must-stop for scouts in recent years, especially when considering the cornerback position. In this class, there are two potential top-50 picks — Gordon and Trent McDuffie — and both have scouts excited. With McDuffie expected to be a first-round selection, Gordon remains a great scheme fit for the Jets’ defense on Day 2.
Gordon didn’t quite test up to his reputation at the combine — he ran a 4.52-second 40 — but his tape shows a high-level cover man with the speed and instincts to make up for his lack of size (slightly over 5-foot-11) and length (31 inches). Many expect the Jets to draft for the kind of length that coach Robert Saleh had in San Francisco, but the signing of D.J. Reed seems to indicate they’ll favor technique and coverage ability over sheer size. If that’s the case, Gordon fits the bill perfectly.
The Jets could roll with C.J. Mosley and Quincy Williams as starters for 2022, but the opportunity to upgrade and/or add depth with their fourth selection of the draft should be tempting. With Harris on the board, Douglas can give Saleh the type of speedy, rangy linebacker he had in San Francisco that has been lacking in New York.
Harris was a three-year starter at Alabama and bucked some stereotypes about Nick Saban’s linebackers while showing an agility and playmaking ability that most don’t associate with Crimson Tide thumpers at the position. Harris was all over the field the last two seasons as he accumulated 10 sacks, one interception, five passes defensed and 158 total tackles. His film is impressive enough, but a 4.44-second run in the 40-yard dash at 6-foot-1 and 226 pounds should open more eyes to his three-down ability in the NFL.
Harris projects as an early second-round pick, and he has starter traits and would push for immediate playing time in Saleh’s scheme.
Round 3, No. 69: Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington State
The Jets seem to be content to return with Becton at left tackle after a 2021 season that saw him play just one game. Becton — the No. 11 overall pick in the 2020 draft — has potential but must get onto the field more consistently. If he can’t, Lucas is a potential third-round replacement due to his scheme fit and the physical traits he brings to the table.
As a four-year starter in a pass-heavy scheme, he is a bit raw as a run-blocker, but he has the agility to become a force in a zone-blocking scheme like the one the Jets run. His elite combine performance saw him turn in a 4.92-second run in the 40, a 7.25-second three-cone drill and a 4.4-second 20-yard shuttle — all numbers that place him in the 97th percentile in those drills historically.
Round 3 is a great time to take a flier on a player with elite measurables who might be deficient in one area (run blocking) of his game that you believe can be coached up. Considering Becton is a wild card, Lucas becomes a great value and a potential starter for New York.
Round 4, No. 111 (via CAR): Nick Cross, S, Maryland
As a playmaking ball hawk, Cross can be the third option on the back end of the Jets’ secondary with the upside to become a potential starter at free safety, where Ashtyn Davis is the projected replacement for departed free agent Marcus Maye.
Cross’ three interceptions and five passes defensed in 2021 point to his coverage chops, and his 4.34-second time in the 40 and 10-foot-10 broad jump are both elite numbers for the safety position. The 6-foot, 212-pound Cross has been a riser this draft season, and his range and speed in the open field could cause him to be off the board by pick No. 111.
Round 4, No. 117 (via MIN): Dylan Parham, G/C, Memphis
A former tight end, Parham has impressed throughout this draft season with his improvement as a blocker, both in the run and passing games. The Jets seem to have their starting five figured out, but in Round 4, finding a potential third offensive guard who also has scouts believing he can play center is a boost to the team’s overall depth on the offensive line.
Parham ran a 4.93-second 40-yard dash at the combine, which is ideal for the blocking scheme implemented by offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. Depth and future needs on the interior offensive line remain key building points for the Jets. And Parham helps fill one important area of depth.
Round 5, No. 146: Velus Jones Jr., WR, Tennessee
In Round 5, general managers are looking for players who can be a role player and impact special teams in their rookie seasons. We’re not expecting Round 5 players to be rookie starters, even in a “perfect mock draft.”
The Jets can get a speedy pass-catcher here in Jones, who has the skill set to touch the ball as a runner, receiver and return man right out of the gate. The 6-foot and 200-pound senior had eight total touchdowns in 2021 and is one of the best kick returners in the 2022 class. Jones’ ability to be a fifth receiver/offensive chess piece and starting kick returner is a great value this late.
Round 5, No. 163 (via PIT): Cameron Dicker, K, Texas
You might roll your eyes at drafting a kicker, but the Cincinnati Bengals hit a home run when they drafted Evan McPherson in the fifth round last year. The Jets have a need at kicker — they signed veteran Greg Zuerlein, who is coming off a poor season — and can grab the strong leg of Dicker from Texas, a school that has become a special teams pipeline to the NFL.
He hit 86.7% of his kicks in 2021 and had his most successful season as a field-goal kicker. His long of 57 yards also proves that “Dicker the Kicker” has the leg to succeed in the NFL. Rarely are late-round picks instant impacts, but Dicker can be as the Jets’ new kicker right away.
Rich Cimini’s take
It’s hard to quibble with the first two picks. The Jets absolutely need an edge rusher for their 4-3 front. It’s just a matter of “who” and “when.” It definitely could happen with the fourth overall pick. The only question with Walker is the whole “workout warrior” thing. Pardon Jets fans if they’re squeamish; they had to live through Vernon Gholston.
London would address a need because Wilson needs a big body who can win 50-50 balls. They have enough smaller-type players on offense with receiver Elijah Moore, receiver Braxton Berrios and running back Michael Carter. But they need a skyscraper to pair with wideout Corey Davis (6-foot-3).
Gordon is a nice prospect, but the Jets just signed D.J. Reed (5-foot-9), so do they really want another smallish corner? An off-ball linebacker in the second round (Harris) would be a surprise. The coaches really like C.J. Mosley and Quincy Williams, although it’s worth noting the future is cloudy. Williams will be a free agent in 2023, and Mosley could be a cap casualty.
As for “Dicker the Kicker,” why not? Have you watched the Jets’ kickers in recent years? They’ve been the gang that can’t kick straight, and Dicker can compete with Zuerlein.