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New York Jets: Re-analyzing the 2014 NFL Draft class

By Kenneth Teape

Aug 11, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Quincy Enunwa (81) gains yards during the first half of the preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 11, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Quincy Enunwa (81) gains yards during the first half of the preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports /
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The New York Jets had a disastrous 2014 NFL Draft and Sports Illustrated took a look re-analyzing it.

The New York Jets are set to embark on yet another rebuild. After winning 10 games in 2015, the team took a big step backward in 2016. They won only five games, causing the organization to undergo yet another facelift.

The Jets have moved on from a ton of veterans in recent seasons. Gone are players such as Darrelle Revis, Nick Mangold, D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Nick Folk, and Brandon Marshall. There is a youth movement underway for the Jets. Mike Maccagnan and Todd Bowles will have their hands full, but rebuilding is the right call.

This rebuild would not have to be so drastic had the last regime not messed up so badly. The pairing of John Idzik as general manager and Rex Ryan as head coach was never a good one. Idzik had a long-term approach, while Ryan needed to win games to save his job. The end result was both being fired, with Maccagnan and Bowles being brought in.

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A big reason that Maccagnan and Bowles are facing such an uphill battle is because of the barren roster they have. 2015 seemed to be fluke success with veterans. Maccagnan spent big in free agency to fill holes. Those holes wouldn’t exist, at least not be as big, had the previous regime drafted well.

Idzik bombed as general manager in the draft. Sports Illustrated recently broke down the 2014 NFL Draft. They re-analyzed the selections made, picking who was the best player and worst player selected. This was the last one that Idzik ran as the Jets general manager, and with good reason.

During the re-analyzing of the draft, SI’s Chris Burke gave the Jets a D-. Wide receiver Quincy Enunwa was selected as the best player. He was a diamond in the rough for Idzik as a sixth-round pick, 209th overall. Jace Amaro was selected as the worst pick. Amaro was selected in the second round, 49th overall.

Receiving a D- may even seem high when breaking things down. The Jets had 12 selections that year. Two of the selections didn’t even make the roster that season. Another two were gone after their rookie years. Two more were gone after 2015.

That leaves the Jets with only a third of their selections on the roster just three years later. That is part of the reason Burke gave the Jets the grade he did.

"The Jets made 12 selections during the 2014 draft. Just 33% of those players remain on the current roster, and a mere one—Enunwa—should be considered completely safe headed into OTAs. The remaining three: S Calvin Pryor (No. 14), DB Dexter McDougle (No. 80) and G Dakota Dozier (No. 137). All could fall victim to the numbers game in the coming months. Amaro did catch 38 balls as a rookie, but an injury the following preseason effectively ended his Jets career. Noteworthy among the other picks: IK Enemkpali (No. 210), most infamous for breaking Geno Smith’s jaw with a punch."

The Jets have to be embarrassed about how things turned out. When you make as many selections as they did, you are hoping you find a handful of useful players. The Jets look like they have one in Enunwa.

Pryor’s time with the team will come to an end sooner or later as the Jets used their first two selections in 2017 on safeties. Dexter McDougle has been incapable of staying healthy. The offensive line is one of the areas the Jets are looking to overhaul, so Dozier will get a shot but he will have to earn it.

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Had the Jets hit on more of those selections they would not be in the position they are now. The roster does not have many building blocks currently on the roster. They are hoping to add more from this year’s draft class. If they miss as much as they did in 2014, this rebuild will take much longer than anyone wants it to.

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