The 2023 NFL Draft is two weeks away and there is plenty of work for the Jets to finish up completing as we get closer to the key event of the offseason.
A trade for Aaron Rodgers isn’t likely to be completed until we get closer to day one, but that doesn’t mean New York hasn’t been busy during the month of draft prep. Gang Green has met with several top players from this year’s draft class to see if they would be a good fit in Florham Park.
And while the meetings have been with players from almost every position on the gridiron, that doesn’t mean they offer the best value at the 13th overall pick when the Jets are on the clock in Kansas City.
Let’s take a look at the five positions that should offer the best value for New York at 13 in two weeks.
Tackle
Mekhi Becton and Duane Brown offer two solid starting tackles while Max Mitchell should be a perfect swing tackle for his career. The issue? All three players are coming off season-ending injuries and all three should not be expected to play a full 17 games. With that, the need for another young offensive lineman that can play on the left and right side is very important. Unlike the center position which isn’t very good value at 13, the tackle position is a high-value spot that makes a lot of sense for the Jets this year.
Wide Receiver
Do the Jets need a wide receiver in the draft? Probably not. Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, Corey Davis, and Mecole Hardman are a solid combination of starters. But when it comes to the best player available, it’s not hard to see why a receiver like Jaxon Smith-Njigba could be the perfect fit for the Jets at 13. Surrounding a quarterback with plenty of weapons allows the ability to max out all the potential the signal-caller can produce. There are certain positions in the first round that teams should consider solely for the fact that they offer insane value when done properly and wide receivers are at the top of that list.
Defensive Line
Both pass-rushing ends and run-stuffing tackles are excellent value with the 13th pick. Luke Van Ness and Brian Breese are all names that could be available that would add to a strength that is already on the Jets. In the modern NFL, rushing the passer has become a chief concern for teams that are trying to incorporate more zone principles on defense. Therefore, the more pass rushers who can win one-on-ones the Jets possess, the harder their defense is to score on. Any player selected here makes a lot of sense.
Safety
In the modern game, the safety position, like the linebacker, has become increasingly devalued with the evolution of the dime defense. Just look at how the safety market looked in free agency as the best example. That doesn’t mean there are players worthy of a first-round selection. Where the Jets select this year is just one pick before the Baltimore Ravens selected Kyle Hamilton in last year’s draft. So would it make sense for New York to solidify their back end with a safety like Brian Branch from Alabama? Devalued positions usually mean that they aren’t worth large contract extensions and they are easily replaceable on a roster. But the way the Jets play defense shows that having a ball-hawking safety could be exactly what solidifies their unit as a top-5 group in the NFL.
Quarterback
Before anyone goes AWOL here, we have to remember, if the Jets and Packers end up coming to terms on a deal for Rodgers, and the 13th pick is involved, that means the Jets valued the quarterback position (via a trade) with a first-round pick. That’s in line with every other team in the league today. If the Jets can get the Rodgers that was an MVP and Hall-of-Famer in Green Bay, then the value of a quarterback at 13 won’t just be correct, but will certainly end a playoff drought that has lasted over 10 years.
