New York Jets Set To Turn Franchise Around With Newly Acquired Draft Assets

By Weston Loving

The New York Jets went into the 2020 NFL Draft with a lot of holes to fill in both their defense and offense.

General Manager Joe Douglas and Head Coach Adam Gase had their work cut out for them to create a team that can compete for nothing more than a playoff spot. That is all they need at this point to appease the Jets’ fanbase.

The team’s biggest problem was their left tackle position. They filled this need in the first round of the draft, selecting Mekhi Becton with the 11th overall pick. Becton is an interesting prospect, to say the least, he moves people like they are nothing more than a hollow exoskeleton, throwing 300-pound men around as if they are nothing more than a fly. Then there are the videos of him pushing and pulling a two ton truck up an incline that must be at least thirty degrees.

The most stunning athletic feature that he possesses is his forty yard dash time. Weighing in at 364 pounds, Becton ran the dash in a mere 5.1 seconds. That alone caused heads all around the NFL to snap and focus on Becton. Overall, Becton is a prospect that will start immediately based on talent and sheer athletic ability alone. Hopefully, he will anchor the offensive line for years to come as the Jets continue to build their offensive line.

Following the offensive line, the biggest need for the Jets was a wide receiver. After the departure of wide receiver Robbie Anderson, the Jets’ best offensive playmaker, the team needed a player who was going to be able to mimic that playmaking ability. The Jets got their playmaker in the second round with Denzel Mims. Mims may not have that ability right away, but he should be able to be a productive piece by the end of his second season.

Right now, scouts question his lack of urgency off of the line of scrimmage, and on top of that he is not the best route runner and does not have much fight in him as a player. His size and speed alone are skills that cannot be taught, but with time everything else will come together for him. Right now he is a developing talent that will be watched with much scrutiny over the next two years.

After filling these holes in their offense, the Jets’ front office spent their two third-round picks bolstering their defense with drafting safety Ashtyn Davis and then with Jabari Zuniga. Zuniga is a 1st round talent who was plagued with injuries in his college career, which allowed him to fall to the Jets in the third round. Regardless, he will more than likely have an immediate impact on a defensive line that is already stacked with talent. The same goes for Ashtyn Davis, who will join a respectable safety squad.

In the fourth round, the Jets stacked up on backups for their backfield, by adding running back La’Mical Perine and quarterback James Morgan. They also added more talent to their offensive line by adding offensive lineman Cameron Clark.

Both Morgan and Perine are backup caliber players that could develop into major talents within the next few years. Perine is a receiving back that also has the power to be a goal-line threat as well as a decent third-down back. Morgan is unlikely to see much playing time, barring any injury to star quarterback Sam Darnold, but he is viewed as one of the only talents who has more room to develop in this draft.

That brings us to Cameron Clark. Clark played at Charlotte, a mid-level school, and that likely hampered his draft stock. His overall size, athleticism, and football knowledge are proven, and he is likely to move to LG to help bolster blind side protection for Sam Darnold.

In the final rounds of the draft, the Jets picked defensive back Bryce Hall and punter Braden Mann. These two picks are generally regarded as throwaway picks but Hall and Mann are also likely to make immediate impacts in their respective squads. Hall lacks quickness off the snap but will help stack the depth chart. Mann needs little explanation to be given, he will start immediately. He is the type of punter with corner kick capability, and routinely backed offenses back deep in their territory.

The Jets did well overall in this draft, and Douglas should be proud of his first draft as a general manager. The Jets have a lot of developmental talent that should pan out overall.