New York Jets: Ready…Set…Draft!

Ever see Draft Day staring Kevin Costner?

In the movie, Kevin Costner gives up three years of first round draft picks to obtain the number one pick in the current year’s draft.  The head coach, played by Denis Leary, states he can’t coach a team with no future.

With the countdown to the NFL Draft quickly approaching, the New York Jets hold the sixth pick in the first round, coming off a 4-12 season.  But, will that be high enough to get the player they want?  Or will they mortgage away the future to move up?

They’ve already made some prominent moves during free agency.

But, there are still needs within the team to be addressed.  Mike Maccagnan, the Jets general manager, didn’t reveal any potential targets in the draft during his pre-draft conference, but he did say that he would reach out to the five teams ahead of the Jets to gauge the cost to trade-up.  Unfortunately, the Jet aren’t the only team interested in trading up and the cost could be more than they are willing to pay.  As Maccagnan stated:

“Its almost like a portfolio.  Do you pick one stock you think is going to give a big return, or do you pick three stocks that may not hit the ceiling but, in terms of overall value, gets a higher yield.”

Its no surprise that the Philadelphia Eagles head coach, Chip Kelly, has his eyes set on quarterback Marcus Mariota, particularly with his connection to Oregon.  And if the rumors are correct, Kelly’s not willing to gamble that Marcus Mariota will slip to the Eagle’s twentieth pick.

The Eagles aren’t the only ones interested in Mariota.  With Philip Rivers, the San Diego Chargers quarterback, losing confidence in the Chargers management and objecting to the potential move to LA, the organization is considering offering Rivers and their seventh overall pick to the Titans for their second pick so as to draft Mariota.

What are the Jets willing to give to get Mariota? And, should they? You can decide.

Four CBS analysts predict the Jets will select Brandon Scherff (OT), Shane Ray (DE), Marcus Mariota (QB) or Vic Beasley (OLB) with their sixth pick. Only one analyst believed that Mariota would fall far enough to give the Jets an opportunity to draft the quarterback. Whether that will happen is anyone’s guess, but it’s probably unlikely.

Do the Jets Need a Quarterback?

On April 30th, it seems unlikely that Rodger Goodell will be reading…”In the sixth pick of the 2015 NFL Draft, the New York Jets select Marcus Mariota, quarterback.”  Mariota is just not likely to slip that far.  Most NFL analysts believe it’s a forgone conclusion that Mariota will go second overall, and that the only question is who will hold that pick.

During free agency, the Jets signed Ryan Fitzpatrick to compete for the starting quarterback position.  This will be Fitzpatrick’s (age 32) sixth team in his eleven seasons in the NFL, having had the most success with the Buffalo Bills.  Fitzpatrick is inconsistent in his accuracy and struggles outside the pocket.  But with a passer quarterback rating falling consistently average or above, Fitzpatrick may fill the teams need in the quarterback position for the 2015 season, giving the Jets the option to select a quarterback in a later pick.

What if Marcus Mariota is available? 

The Jets need a quarterback for the 2015 season.  Can Mariota be that quarterback?  It’s possible, but not probable.

Analysts believe Mariota has a high floor, securing a basic level of production.  Unfortunately, Mariota’s learning curve to be NFL ready is steep.  His athleticism, size and ability to scramble outside the pocket will help.  But, Mariota will need to learn to play under center in a pro-style offense, as well as work on his foot work and confidence within the pocket reading the field (for defensive set up and pass coverage).  The question remains — how fast can Mariota be NFL ready?  Mariota has the potential to be the Jets future.  A mentoring relationship like Brett Farve with Aaron Rodgers would best suit the development of Mariota into an NFL quarterback, while rushing him into the position could potentially cut short his career.

Of course, the other question is whether Ryan Fitzpatrick would fit that mentoring role.

Could the Jets Use A Wide Receiver?

In 2014, the Jets drafted three wide receivers, two in the fourth round and one in the sixth.  Currently, Quincy Enunwa (6th round pick) is the only wide receiver still on their depth chart.  Enunwa played one game in the 2014 season with no receptions.  Last year, the Jets signed Eric Decker (age 28).  Unfortunately, Decker wasn’t the play maker the Jets were expecting, but still a better option than Jeremy Kerley (age 26), a fifth year veteran with little production.  With minimal options for potential play makers on their depth chart, the Jets signed Brandon Marshall (age 31) this March to fill the gap.  Will it be enough?

The Jets could really use an impact player for the future.

With the sixth pick, either Amari Cooper or Kevin White will likely be available and could fit the bill.  And Maccagnan would have to give up absolutely nothing.

Should the Jets Secure the Defense?

With the Jets exercising their fifth year option with linebacker Quinton Coples (age 24) and linebacker Calvin Pace (age 34), entering his 13th season in the NFL, the Jets have good reason to select an outside linebacker, like Dante Fowler Jr. or Vic Beasley.

Maccagnan stated the importance of a quality outside linebackers in a 3-4 defense rather than converting a defensive end into the position in his recent pre-draft conference:

“If your a 3-4 team, you’d like to have a young one (outside linebacker) every year because they take time to develop.”

And the good news about drafting a linebacker in the sixth pick, like getting a wide receiver, Maccagnan will give up nothing to get it.

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Everyone knows that free agency is mostly unpredictable, and the draft is expected to be the same, particularly this year with all the rumors circulating around Mariota and where he’ll end up.  There’s always uncertainty in the draft as some teams will just take the best available player, while some will be practical and pick the best available that fits their needs, and yet others will seek to make last minute deals to get who they want. What’s certain is that once the dust clears, some fans will be smiling while others might be crying.

We know that the Jets have a favorable position with the sixth pick and several options in front of them.  But whether Jets fans will be smiling or crying?  We won’t know that until April 30th.

By Joanne Kong

Twitter: @kongfu4u