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Ranking the New York Jets' Last 10 First-Round Picks, Worst to Best

Despite the overall failure, the Jets have had a rather great run of draft selections with their ten last first-round picks.

By Nicholas Rome

Feb 28, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas speaks at a press
Feb 28, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas speaks at a press / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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8. Mekhi Becton -11th Overall

East Rutherford, NJ December 3, 2023 -- Mekhi Becton of the Jets coming off the field in the
East Rutherford, NJ December 3, 2023 -- Mekhi Becton of the Jets coming off the field in the / Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA

The "Big Ticket" when healthy looked like a potential franchise cornerstone at tackle especially after his rookie season.

The issue was injuries as he'd play just one game in 2021 while missing the entire 2022 season. The time off clearly took a toll on Becton as he struggled in 2023 allowing 12 sacks, causing the Jets to move on from him. Becton will be a massive "what if" in Jets history as he could've been one of the best tackles in the league before injuries derailed his career.

7. Will McDonald IV - 15th Overall

Oct 29, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets Will McDonald IV (99) at MetLife
Oct 29, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets Will McDonald IV (99) at MetLife / Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

The Jets 2023 first-round pick had a solid rookie season as a rotational piece in a loaded edge rush room with three sacks, 14 tackles, and a forced fumble. McDonald will be a vital piece for the Jets in 2024 after the departure of Bryce Huff.

McDonald IV will be a rotational piece with Haason Reddick and Jermaine Johnson in 2024 as the Jets look to win the AFC East. McDonald has all the tools to become a top-tier edge rusher, so we'll see how high of a ceiling he'll have over the next few seasons. It's too early to rank McDonald any higher than seven but, a good 2024-25 could see him rise up in the rankings.

6. Jermaine Johnson - 26th Overall

Dec 3, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets linebacker Jermaine Johnson (11) reacts
Dec 3, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets linebacker Jermaine Johnson (11) reacts / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Jermaine Johnson gets severely overshadowed due to being picked in the same first round as Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson but, he's been solid through two seasons in New York. After spending his rookie season mostly as a rotational piece, Johnson took a massive jump in 2024, recording 7.5 sacks with 55 tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and an interception.

Thanks to an incredible season, Johnson made his first career pro-bowl, another step in his journey towards stardom.

The 2024 season will be a vital year for Johnson, with the team moving on from Bryce Huff. If Johnson takes another jump in 2024, the Jets will have a truly special building block at a valuable position in edge rusher.

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