2018 NFL Draft: New York Jets 7-round mock
By Joe Romano
The New York Jets exceeded expectations this season. Entering 2018 they’ll look to do it again and it starts with the NFL Draft.
Prior to the 2017 NFL season people were talking about the New York Jets in the same breath as the Cleveland Browns. They went out and threw those predictions out the window, finishing the season a respectable 5-11. That is a far cry from a team some predicted to win only one game. Now the team can turn their attention to the offseason and the NFL draft, starting with the sixth overall pick. Here is what the Jets should do with all their picks throughout the seven rounds.
This mock draft was done utilizing Fanspeak’s On The Clock, a fun and informative tool for all NFL draft fans.
Round 1 – Pick 6
Sam Darnold, QB, USC
In this run through the mock draft the New York Jets land another former USC quarterback in Sam Darnold. This could be the best case scenario for the Jets in the draft. A player that many have as the top quarterback available slips to six.
Regardless of what player it is, this pick needs to be on a quarterback. Whether it is Darnold, Josh Rosen, Josh Allen or Baker Mayfield, the Jets need to come away with a quarterback in this draft. All four of those players could be snatched up before the Jets pick in what would be a worst case scenario for the team.
This time around they were lucky and the board favored them. What the team gets in Darnold is a gifted quarterback who can change the fate of this franchise. In his time at USC he has been surrounded by an excellent supporting cast, which some view as a reason for his success. In reality it a mix of that cast and hwo good of a quarterback Darnold is.
The young player still struggles with decision making, evident by his career 22 interceptions. Darnold has all the talent in the world. It will take improvements in his accuracy and consistency in mechanics to turn him into the franchise quarterback some believe he is destined to be.
New York could change the fate of the draft and entire NFL offseason by signing a player like Kirk Cousins. Should the Jets land Cousins their needs shift. Players like Quinton Nelson, Saquon Barkley, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Bradley Chubb all make a ton of sense if the quarterback is already in place.