New York Jets: Debating a left tackle vs an edge rusher in the draft

Sam Darnold (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Sam Darnold (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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Jonah  Williams #73 of the Alabama Crimson Tide (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Jonah  Williams #73 of the Alabama Crimson Tide (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

Thoughts on Picking a Left Tackle

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Many of us learned the need for a left tackle when we saw the Joe Theisman injury. More of us understood the concept after the Sandra Bullock movie, The Blind Side.

What all Jets fans can agree upon is that priority number one is to protect the investment. That investment, of course, is one Sam Darnold.

Building an offensive line starts with the left tackle. Kelvin Beachum has not been bad, only allowing 17 pressures so far in 2018 (per Pro Football Focus).

But he will also be 30 years old in 2019. That is typically the beginning of the end for an NFL player. That isn’t the age to build a line around.

It may just be time to go out and draft one this time around.

According to Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports, this is the best offensive tackle class in quite some time. The headliner of the group is Jonah Williams.

He stands at 6-5 and weighs 301 pounds. Sayre Bedinger believes that he is big enough to stop powerful opponents while quick enough on his feet to handle speed.

It’s not unfair to say they could use the draft pick for a lineman and look at the dominant edge rusher via free agency.