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2015 NFL Draft grades: New York Jets

By Patrick Schmidt

Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Leonard Williams (Southern California) poses for a photo with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected as the number sixth overall pick to the New York Jets in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Leonard Williams (Southern California) poses for a photo with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected as the number sixth overall pick to the New York Jets in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /
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The New York Jets fans didn’t get a chance to boo this year’s first round pick to break a yearly tradition, but how well did the rest of the 2015 NFL Draft go for Todd Bowles’ team?

The Jets only made six draft picks but they may have made the best draft pick of the entire draft when they took USC defensive end Leonard Williams with the No. 6 pick.

Williams was arguably the best prospect in this year’s draft and could have gone anywhere between the second and fifth pick but there he was for the Jets to take after the Titans, Jaguars, Raiders and Redskins passed on him after Jameis Winston went to the Buccaneers.

They could have gone with West Virginia wide receiver Kevin White in the first round but after trading for Brandon Marshall and signing Eric Decker last year, the Jets went with the defensive line to give the Jets a fearsome front. With Williams joining the team he joins Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson in what will challenge for the league’s best defensive line.

New York came back in the second round with another great value pick when they took wide receiver Devin Smith out of Ohio State. He brings a speed element that Marshall and Decker don’t have and after averaging 28.2 yards per catch his final year for the Buckeyes, he should be a nice weapon for Geno Smith or whoever is the quarterback for the Jets moving forward.

In the third round they reached a bit for Louisville outside linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin, but if he can develop into a solid pass rusher in Bowles’ system, it’ll be worth it because they need it with Calvin Pace, Quentin Coples and Jason Babin not good enough, plus he’s a former team captain, which is nice.

The Jets addressed the quarterback position in the fourth after trading up one spot to take Baylor’s Bryce Petty so be prepared for about Petty being ready to start should Smith struggle this year. He has a nice arm but could be best served sitting for a year.

Fifth round pick Jarvis Harrison has a lot of upside at guard if he is willing to put the work in to be a great pro. He has the size and the tools to be great, but it’s just a matter of putting it all together and showing a strong work ethic. He’s got starting potential as a rookie if he does.

Seventh round pick Deon Simon was a team captain at Northwestern St. but has durability concerns after a knee injury ended his season and he’s 25 so how much room is there for growth? He projects as a nose tackle so if healthy he could offer some depth along the line.

The Jets also used the seventh round pick they got from Chicago in the Marshall trade to trade for St. Louis Rams running back Zac Stacy who requested a trade after the Rams drafted Todd Gurley. The Jets have a crowded backfield and the competition in the preseason will be interesting.

Grade: B+

Next: Every NFL Team's Best Draft Pick of All-Time

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