New York Jets: Previewing the final day of the NFL Draft

Looking at the final day of the NFL draft for the New York Jets.

It’s fair to say that the first two days of the draft for the New York Jets have been somewhat surprising. The fact that Sam Darnold was available when they went on the clock with the third pick was a surprise. The idea of going with an interior defensive lineman on Friday night was a surprise as well.

Let’s take a look at the final day of the draft, which starts in three hours. The Jets have one pick in each of the final four rounds. How will Maccagnan handle them? What needs will he look to fill? Here are some ideas.

We will start with a name that has slipped in the draft quite a bit, Maurice Hurst Jr. He is the defensive lineman out of Michigan that was graded as a second round choice. In four years of college he recorded 32 TFL’s and 13.5 sacks. He is only 6-1, 292 pounds so he doesn’t fit the build of an interior lineman but could find himself on the edge. He has a heart condition but if he checks out well enough he would be worth a day three investment.

For a guy graded to go day two he would also be a steal.

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Even if they don’t go after Hurst the Jets should take a shot at improving their edge pass rushing presence. Players like Jeff Holland and Hercules Mata’afa are still available as fourth or fifth round selections. Joe Ostman is also out there as a potential choice later in the afternoon.

It’s not easy to get impact pass rushers on day three but these are some examples of potential exceptions to the rule.

They also could look at running back. Nyheim Hines is on the board and he is a solid dual threat. Bo Scarbrough from Alabama is available, and he has drawn comparisons to Derrick Henry. I am not equating that to Walter Payton, but it would make Scarbrough a valuable asset as a member of the Jets committee backfield.

The Jets would be well-served to look at the offensive line as well, which we have discussed at length. They now have a new quarterback, now go protect him. There are some decent ones still on the board such as Jamarco Jones, Will Richardson and Desmond Harrison. Even if they don’t start quickly, having depth on the offensive line is of the utmost importance. We don’t want players to spend the entire season injured, the way Brian Winters did in 2017.

Next: Reaction to the Shepherd selection

The other position we may see them look at is cornerback. They definitely need depth behind Trumaine Johnson and Morris Claiborne. There are some talented players available, like Holton Hill and Brandon Facyson. With a 4.32 forty yard dash time, Parry Nickerson is another option. However they look at it, the Jets need to add someone as depth in the cornerback room.