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Jets Mock Draft 3.0: New York targets the trenches as NFL Draft Day looms

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh.
New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh.
AP Photo/Steven Senne

The NFL Draft is just over a week away and the New York Jets still have been mum surrounding their potential plans throughout the big three-day weekend. 

New York has a total of six picks in the draft with three of them coming in the first 100 selections. With the Aaron Rodgers saga still unclear as of this moment, the Jets have plenty of options to help improve the team from their 7-10 mark last season. 

Let’s look at the third potential scenario that leaves the Jets with plenty of help on both offense and defense. 

New York Jets Draft Capital

  • Round 1, Pick 13 overall
  • Round 2, Pick 42 overall
  • Round 2, Pick 43 overall
  • Round 4, Pick 112 overall
  • Round 5, Pick 143 overall
  • Round 6, Pick 207 overall

Round 1, Pick 13 overall – Broderick Jones – OT, Georgia

The Jets need depth along the offensive line, and while Peter Skoronski and Paris Johnson are considered better, Jones will probably be the only one available for New York at 13. Jones is super athletic which is a necessity for the modern tackle and could very well replace a player like Duane Brown later in the season. For the Jets, they can’t go wrong with either of the three tackles on the board but Jones is likely to be the top one left. 

Round 2, Pick 42 overall – Jack Campbell – LB, Iowa

New York let Kwon Alexander walk in free agency this offseason and while the former 49er hasn’t found a home yet, the Jets might be better off bringing in the best linebacker of the current class instead. While the 2023 Draft core of linebackers is one of the weakest in years, Campbell is considered the most NFL-ready and could be a top starter should he be given the chance. Campbell is an old-school type of linebacker and would be a welcome addition to New York’s fast and physical approach. 

Round 2, Pick 43 overall – BJ Ojulari – DE, LSU

The Ojulari brothers stay in New Jersey – just in different homes. The young brother has already visited the Jets who need more pass rushers to stay afloat in a highly competitive division like in the AFC East. Ojulari has good speed and athleticism to be a high-rise pass rusher in the NFL. For New York to win, securing the trenches in this draft will be a key point of focus in Kansas City. 

Round 4, Pick 112 overall – Sydney Brown – S, Illinois

The Fighting Illini had one of the best overall secondaries in college football last season and a big reason why was because of the play of their safeties. Sydney Brown may be considered a below-average starter in the NFL due to his lack of overall athleticism in man coverage, but he’s a physical box safety that could be perfect for what the Jets want to do on defense. That, plus the help he could provide on special teams would be a major addition to Gang Green. He may not be available in the fourth round but he’s also a candidate to fall considering how poor the safety class is this year, to begin with. 

Round 5, Pick 143 overall – Kobie Turner – DT, Wake Forest

Speaking of filling out roster holes, the Jets use their fifth-round selection to bolster the depth along their defensive tackle spots. Turner defends the run very nicely and has the speed and quickness to develop into a plus-size pass rusher. While he will be more of a project this late in the draft, New York needs depth around Quinnen Williams to keep him rested for a potential playoff run. 

Round 6, Pick 207 overall – Mohamed Ibrahim – RB, Minnesota

Breece Hall is recovering from an ACL surgery and while some believe he should be back to 100% this season, it would be smart for the Jets to at least find other players who can take the load off of the feature back. Ibrahim is a powerful runner who doesn’t have the best speed but makes up for it with raw power. He can catch out of the backfield as well. This would be a luxury pick that ends up providing the Jets with more offensive weapons for when Rodgers ends up coming to the fold. 

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