JetNation Mock Draft 1.0; When Should They Take a QB?

With the NFL draft now just 28 days away, we thought it would be a good time to put out the first JetNation mock draft of the offseason.  What should the Jets do with their two picks in round 1, and when should they grab a quarterback?  Let’s take a look.

Round 1, pick 2 overall: LB/Edge Arvell Reese, Ohio State:

Reese is probably the player most frequently projected player to the Jets in this spot and it’s not without reason.  A physical specimen who absolutely dominates against the run as an off ball linebacker while displaying impressive pass rush skills, Reese has drawn comparisons to all-world edge rusher Micah Parsons.  If he can be 80% of what Parsons is, he’s more than worth the pick.

TRADE:

Looking to recoup a third-round pick, we offered pick sixteen to multiple teams in hopes of staying in the top 25 and adding a third round pick.  The Steelers agreed to swap picks 21 and 85 for pick 16.

Round 1, Pick 21 overall: OG Vega Ioane, Penn State:

The Jets add the best offensive lineman in the class to an already talented young group.  Ioane’s presence means the Jets have, at worst, a top five young unit in the league.  The Jets added guard Dylan Parham this offseason but this may kick him inside to center where he’ll compete with Josh Myers.

Round 2, Pick 33 Overall: Edge Malachi Lawrence, UCF:

We’re not quite sure why Lawrence isn’t universally viewed as  first-round pick and were more than happy to grab him when he fell to 33.  An explosive presence off the edge with an off-the-charts motor, there’s a reason why Lawrence racked up 28 TFL’s and 19.5 sacks over his past three seasons.  If the Jets can get him to play just a bit more under control, the sack numbers could explode.

Round 2, Pick 44 overall: WR Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee: 

Not your typical Tennessee wideout, Brazzell has a bit more to his route tree than most of Josh Heupel’s pass catchers in the past.  Yes, his blinding speed will mean plenty of “go” routes, but you’ll also see impressive footwork on whip routes, comebacks and more.  The speed just provides the cushion to make his life easier underneath.

Round 3, Pick 85: CB Malik Muhammad, Texas:

The Jets need at cornerback hasn’t generated as much conversation as it should.  Trading Sauce Gardner meant adding premium picks, but losing a premium player.  Azareye’h Thomas played well in limited snaps and Brandon Stephens played better than expected, but the Jets don’t have enough firepower at corner and Muhammad would give them a potential starter.

Round 4, Pick 103: S Bud Clark, TCU:

A six-year college player, Clark has been a ball hawk during his time at TCU and really appeared to open some eyes with a fantastic week of practice in Mobile for the Senior Bowl.  A fundamentally sound tackler who can cover plenty of ground with his 4.41 speed, this would be a big get for Aaron Glenn’s defense.

Round 4, Pick 140: QB Carson Beck, Miami: 

The Jets are bound to take a quarterback at some point outside of the first round.  This was a coin flip between Beck and Tayle Green out of Arkansas.  We would have gone with Ty Simpson at 33 had he been there, but that wasn’t the case.  So instead it’s Carson Beck at 140.  He gives Frank Reich the tall pocket passer he covets with what will hopefully be a shorter learning curve given his age and experience.  Beck logged 1,390 career pass attempts for two major programs in Georgia and Miami.

Round 5, Pick 179: LB Taurean York, Texas A&M.

A heady linebacker with a rep for being a great leader, York should be able to play special teams early on with an eye on developing into an interior ‘backer in Aaron Glenn’s scheme.  Is he good enough to be the eventual replacement for DeMario Davis?  It’s unlikely, but stranger things have happened.

Round 7, Pick 228: RB J’Mari Taylor, Virginia: We expect the Jets to go running back earlier than this on draft day but based on hwo the board fell, Taylor made the most sense at this point.  A good runner who has excellent hands out of the backfield, Taylor will need to work on his pass pro but has the ability to be a nice weapon on offense.

Round 7, Pick 242: DL Aaron Hall, Duke:

With the swap to a 3-4 scheme, the Jets would be well served to add an interior defensive lineman in 4-man fronts who can also line up as a disruptive 3-4 defensive end which Hall has the potential to be.  Having collected 19 tackles for loss over his final two college seasons, Hall could offer good value at this point.

What do you think of our Mock Daft 1.0?  Log in to the JetNation forums right here to let us know.

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