It seems as if Adam Gase was out of coaching for less than a day and the Jets brought him in as their head coach. Gase is familiar with the AFC East as he was the coach for the Miami Dolphins for the past three seasons. Now, it is time to see if Gase can do with the Jets what he was unable to do with the Dolphins.
Before last year’s NFL Draft, the Jets traded up with the Colts to the No. 3 overall pick so they can select their quarterback of the future, Sam Darnold. Darnold started off the season hot, but cooled off in the middle. By the end of the season, he was able to right the ship. With the third pick in this year’s draft, it is time for New York to build around Darnold.
Team needs for the Jets: Running Back, Wide Receiver, Tight End, Offensive Tackle, Center, Defensive End, and Linebacker
Picks made with The Draft Simulator.
Pick 3: Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida
The Jets need to improve up front to protect Darnold and also improve in the run game. Looking back at Gase’s history with his first pick in Miami, he drafted an offensive lineman with two of his four first-round picks.
Taylor has been an up-and-coming prospect through the draft process. He had solid film this past season but was inconsistent the season prior. Reports came out that the change in coaching staff at Florida really helped develop Taylor. He is a beast in the run game and can hold his own against power and speed rushers at the edge.
Pick 68: Jaylon Ferguson, DE, LA Tech
Last season,, the Jets were 16th in the league in sacks, and are now looking to improve on that. Creating pressure on the quarterback will also help with their takeaways. They play in a division where Tom Brady has been tossing the football all over the field and it is proven that if you can create pressure on Brady, it can throw him off his game.
Ferguson has a proven track record that he can get to the quarterback, as this past season he set the record for most sacks in a season. It may have been against lower competition, but no one at the level produced the numbers he did.
Pick 93: Antoine Wesley, WR, Texas Tech
When a team drafts a young quarterback, they will need to find weapons for him. They have solid options for Darnold, which allowed him to begin building chemistry with Robby Anderson at the end of the season. Yet, it is important to get more assets to help Darnold develop.
Wesley was a running back who transitioned to a receiver, meaning he is still learning the position. He was constantly improving, has good hands, and is great after the catch. The Texas Tech product will need to learn how to run route trees and understand holes in zone coverage when he makes the transition to the NFL, but he does have a solid foundation.
Pick 105: Khalen Saunders, DT, Western Illinois
Saunders is a freak athlete and, interestingly enough, is able to do standing backflips, despite weighing over 300 pounds. He shows a good motor on the field and never gives up on plays. He will need to work on maintaining gap integrity because he tends to shoot gaps when he sees an opening, which can leave cutback lanes for the opposing running backs.
Pick 140: Lamont Gaillard, C/G, Georgia
Last offseason, the Jets tried to improve depth at this position, but it did not work out. Gaillard needs to continue to work on balance, but he does have the versatility to play center or guard at an NFL level.
Pick 217: Elijah Holyfield, RB, Georgia
Holyfield had solid stats at Georgia, showing glimpses that he can play at a high level. He has good size and has the ability to be a force at the goal line. His 40-yard-dash at the NFL Combine killed his chances to be a mid-round pick, meaning he will likely fall near the end of the draft.
