2018 NFL Mock Draft: New York Jets 3-round mock
By Sean Dyer
Da'Shawn Hand. 3. player. 30. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. DE. Alabama
It appears to be inevitable that Muhammad Wilkerson has played his last game with the New York Jets. Therefore, it’s time for Gang Green to find his replacement with their third-round pick in 2018 (No. 72 overall).
The Jets have Leonard Williams entrenched at one defensive end spot but without Wilkerson, they’ll need to add bulk on their defensive line. That’s where Da’Shawn Hand comes in.
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Hand’s statistics are unimpressive but that’s more a testament to the depth he played with at Alabama. Hand played on a defensive line that included Jonathan Allen, Dalvin Tomlinson, Tim Williams, and Ryan Anderson, all of whom are now playing on Sundays. He also played alongside Da’Ron Payne this past season and Payne could be a first-round pick this April.
Overall, Hand registered nine sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss in 34 career games.
Perhaps Hand should have accepted one of the other 90 scholarships he received as the No. 1 high school recruit in the nation in order to get more playing time. The positive of playing for Alabama, however, is having the chance to play under Nick Saban, who churns out NFL talent like nobody’s business. Hand is also a two-time national champion.
Daniel J Norman of NFL Draft Board believes Hand has the strength and versatility to make it at the next level:
"Can play multiple positions on the defensive line … Freakish strength … As an Alabama freshman benched 225 over 40 times … Only been done at NFL combine once from 2012-2016 … Does 600 pushups a day … Can do 200 in one set … Good bull rush, but can get tied up with a blocker if he doesn’t keep his shirt clean … Good pursuit to the ball … Nice change of direction … Able to set the edge with his strength … He uses his upper body strength to hold the blocker off at arm’s length while reading the play."
Hand would be perfect as a 3-4 defensive end and could occupy blockers, allowing Harold Landry to come around the edge.
The talent is there with Da’Shawn Hand. He just hasn’t had enough reps to realize his potential yet.
If the New York Jets draft Hand in the third round and give him time to develop, they could end up with another impact player on their defensive line and an eventual draft day steal.
Next: New York Jets Free Agent Target: Ziggy Ansah
Another 2018 NFL mock draft is in the books! What did we think?
As I said, I will switch things up as the offseason progresses. I’ll use different strategies and see how many different three-round combinations I can come up with.
Be on the lookout for my next installment of a New York Jets NFL mock draft! But until then, let me know what you thought of this one in the comments below!