The Most Questionable Jets’ Draft Ever
The NFL Draft Weekend is right around the corner, and I couldn’t be less interested. Don’t get me wrong — I’m ready and willing to accept any and all new Jets with open arms. It’s like the first day of school when you wonder what the new kids are like; there’s an air of excitement with all the potential question marks. Questions like: Are we going to stay with our number 6 pick? If we do, is the number 6 pick going to cost us a fortune? Will he ever get to see Hawaii in February? Will he even matter? The most recent Pro Bowler we’ve drafted was Justin Miller who went as a kick returner, so pardon me if my adrenaline isn’t as active as it should be this time of year.
The Free Agent period got our green blood pumping harder than it has in years. The concrete-cracking steps we made in early March made this draft even tougher to predict as a Jets’ fan. We solidified our offensive line and added quality depth to our pass rush. Problems solved? Our quarterback should have more time to pass the ball, and our running back should have larger holes to gallop through. Our defense should actually be able to stop plays and no longer make guys like Kyle Boller look like John Elway. If we play as well as we look on paper, then drafting at number 6 is simply a luxury pick.
I’ve read the mock drafts and the expert analysis; I’ve watched the TV shows and the YouTube highlight reels, and there’s no one player I’m truly lobbying for our Jets to select. But in the same vein, there aren’t any players that I’d hate to see holding up a Jets’ jersey either. Obviously what the Jets do on April 26th is contingent upon what the five teams ahead of us do. While it seems as if Miami is looking to lock up Michigan OT Jake Long before the clock starts ticking, the needs of the teams before us are too unpredictable to know who will still be available at number 6.
Of the top 3 that most Jets’ fans are hoping fall to where we pick, I see no true necessity in any of them. They are exciting prospects, without a doubt; but will they catapult this team to where we want to be? Darren McFadden looks like the gamebreaker we need. But we live in a world of comparisons, so will he be a Reggie Bush who excited at the collegiate level but can’t find consistency in the NFL? What about Vernon Gholston? Will he be able to dominate at the next level, or will he find himself disappearing more often amongst tougher competition? More importantly, where will he fit with a number 6 overall contract among Bryan Thomas and the mountain of cash given to Calvin Pace? It’s not smart to draft for depth in the Top 10. And then there’s Chris Long, the son of a Hall of Famer that seems to make it look easy out there — but do we want to draft a guy that high that is going to have to play out of position to accomodate our 3-4 defensive scheme?
Questions. None of which inspire definitive answers. All I can do is place my faith in the Jets’ front office, and trust their desire to pick the right players to fit our team’s needs.
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you sound like you know the game 1st hand.