New York Jets full 2018 NFL mock draft

The New York Jets will have eight picks to get better as a football team in the upcoming 2018 NFL Draft. Here is the latest NFL mock draft for the Jets.

Much will be made about how the New York Jets address their offseason. New York may have overachieved as a team last fall, but the Jets still find themselves picking in the top-10 of the upcoming 2018 NFL Draft. Do the Jets go quarterback here or will have they addressed this already in free agency?

New York will have an absurd amount of cap space to throw at a guy like soon to be Washington Redskins free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins. The Jets will have $92,083,128 to spend this offseason, which makes them one of the front-runners to land a player like Cousins. Obviously how the Jets handle free agency will determine their course of action in the draft. So what picks do they have and what needs must be addressed?

New York has eight picks in the 2018 NFL Draft. The Jets have all of their own in each round, plus the Seattle Seahawks’ second-round pick at No. 49. This is part of the Jermaine Kearse for Sheldon Richardson trade made shortly before the start of the season. New York will have four picks inside of the top-75 this spring.

Primary needs for the Jets are at quarterback, cornerback and out on the edge. Secondary needs include wide receiver, offensive tackle and at safety. Tertiary needs are tight end, running back and guard. Here is the latest NFL mock draft for the Jets. Will they make the right picks to get back to contention in the AFC?

First Round

For the sake of simplicity, let’s say that the Jets aren’t able to win the Cousins sweepstakes, as he signs with the Minnesota Vikings or some other quarterback desperate team. Regardless, the Jets will address the quarterback position appropriately this offseason. They will have a semblance of a franchise quarterback for the first time since taking Mark Sanchez out of USC in the top-10 back in 2009.

It’s doubtful that he’ll fall this far to No. 6, but what if the Jets are able to draft Sam Darnold out of USC? How would that even happen? Well, the Cleveland Browns picking at No. 1 and No. 4 could take one of the other franchise quarterbacks in this draft at No.1. They could also do dumb Browns things like they tend to do. The New York Giants may not want a quarterback at No. 2. With Andrew Luck coming back, the Indianapolis Colts don’t need a quarterback at No. 3. Let’s say that John Elway takes the closest thing to him at No. 5 in Josh Rosen coming to the Denver Broncos.

It’s slim, but there is a way. If the Jets can’t get Cousins, then Darnold would be the greatest consolation prize of all time for Gang Green. Darnold played two years at USC, where he completed 64.9 percent of his passes for 7,229 yards, 57 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. He is the ideal size to play in the NFL at 6-foot-3, 221 pounds. His arm talent will succeed at the next level.

Though his right arm is strong enough to thrive in the harsh northern climates of the AFC East, Darnold does have up-and-down mechanics as a passer. If he ends up being Ben Roethlisberger, Luck, or Carson Wentz, then he is well worth the No. 6 overall selection. Should he be Blake Bortles, well, then he’d be good enough to lead your team to an AFC Championship Game. Sounds like another former USC quarterback the Jets took in the top-10 just a few years ago, right?