How did the New York Jets 2017 NFL Draft get graded by Mel Kiper?
TheNew York Jetscame into the 2017 NFL Draft with as many needs as any team in the NFL. The most glaring need if a franchise quarterback, but the roster as a whole is void of many talents or building blocks. The only area of the team that looks set is the defensive line; everything else could use an upgrade.
The Jets have arguably the best defensive line in the NFL withLeonard Williams,Muhammad Wilkerson, andSheldon Richardson. The rest of the defense could use some help, and they got some in the 2017 NFL Draft.
The Jets used their first two selections on safeties. With the No.6 pick, they had LSU safetyJamal Adamsfall into their laps. In Round Two they found him a partner in crime, selecting Florida safetyMarcus Maye. Both will be foundation pieces in a revamped secondary.
More fromNew York Jets
- Caesars New York Promo Code: Win $250 Bonus GUARANTEED on ANY Bet!
- New York Jets: It’s Time to Move on from Sam Darnold
- How Adam Gase and Joe Judge Can Succeed in 2020
- New York Jets Still have Elite Talent in Running Back Le’Veon Bell
- New York Jets: C.J. Mosley Opts Out of 2020 NFL Season
After Round 2 is when Mike Maccagnan got to work. Maccagnan would execute five trade downs, stockpiling picks later in the draft; he even picked up a fifth-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft from the Dallas Cowboys.
Maccaganan hit on a number of needs the remainder of the draft, doubling up on wide receivers and cornerbacks like he did with safety. The Jets added a ton of talent to their roster, making nine selections in all. They got more athletic on both sides of the ball and should come away feeling good.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper also thinks they did well. He gave the Jets aB+for their 2017 NFL Draft, one of the highest grades in the NFL. Here is what he had tosayabout their draft class.
"Jamal Adams is simply a fantastic player and value at No. 6 overall, and Marcus Maye at the top of the second round is right where I thought he’d go. This puts the roster spots of Calvin Pryor and Marcus Gilchrist in tenuous positions, but New York is at least willing to see its flaws and try to correct them. ArDarius Stewart, Chad Hansen and Jordan Leggett all should help the passing game — and whoever’s throwing them the ball. Leggett, in particular, could be a starter when the season begins.Credit general manager Mike Maccagnan, too, for trading down and acquiring extra picks four times, and picking up an extra fifth-round pick in 2018. He knows the roster’s deficient, and this isn’t a one-year fix."
As Kiper alsonoted, the Jets stuck to their board and he can respect that. Arguably the most glaring needs for the Jets is at quarterback and offensive line. They didn’t land either but still received a strong draft grade because they upgraded the talent on the roster as a whole.
Possibly landing three starters in the draft is impressive. The Jets should receive contributions right away from a number of their draft picks.
Adams and Maye could be the new starting duo at safety, while Leggett has very little competition at tight end. Stewart and Hansen could see expanded roles withDevin Smithannounced out for the season andEric Deckerpossibly being on the chopping block.
Next: Complete 2017 NFL Draft First Round Grades
The Jets still have ways to go on their rebuild, but the 2017 NFL Draft was a good step in the right direction. The youngster will receive plenty of playing time this season to gain experience, which is key to evaluating which players could be building blocks for the future.
Add us as a preferred source onGoogleLoading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations