Empire Writes Back
Fansided

New York Jets Receive Strong Grade From Mel Kiper For 2017 NFL Draft

By Kenneth Teape

Apr 27, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Jamal Adams (LSU) hugs with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell (right) as he is selected as the number 6 overall pick to the New York Jets in the first round the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 27, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Jamal Adams (LSU) hugs with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell (right) as he is selected as the number 6 overall pick to the New York Jets in the first round the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

How did the New York Jets 2017 NFL Draft get graded by Mel Kiper?

The New York Jets came 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 with Leonard Williams, Muhammad Wilkerson, and Sheldon 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 safety Jamal Adams fall into their laps. In Round Two they found him a partner in crime, selecting Florida safety Marcus Maye. Both will be foundation pieces in a revamped secondary.

More from New York Jets

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 a B+ for their 2017 NFL Draft, one of the highest grades in the NFL. Here is what he had to say about 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 also noted, 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 with Devin Smith announced out for the season and Eric Decker possibly 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.

Home/New York Jets