2022 NFL Draft: New York Jets 7-round mock
New York Jets Mock Draft – Third Round
CB. Martin Emerson. player. 30. Pick Analysis. Mississippi State. 69. Scouting Report
The defensive backfield gets addressed again here for the Jets, who desperately need to find upgrades at the cornerback position. New York opted to go young in 2021, giving plenty of reps to recent picks like Bryce Hall and Brandin Echols, which paid off by developing depth but left the unit in need of a top flight corner.
This spot could be addressed with a free agent splash but there is no such thing as enough corners in the NFL, making the choice of Mississippi State’s Martin Emerson here a wise one. A bigger corner at 6-foot-2, Emerson is a physical player who is effective at breaking up passes and stopping the run, areas that should make him a good fit in Saleh’s defense.
The Jets’ current defense is an off-shoot of the scheme that Seattle rode to the Legion of Boom success in the mid-2010s, which saw their cornerbacks excel in zone coverage to allow the safeties to make plays. Emerson is an effective zone cornerback, making him an excellent fit for this scheme.
Taking a corner here would mark the highest draft pick investment in a cornerback for Douglas, who has primarily used late round selections to add depth to his defensive backfield. The Jets do need a ton of help in the back seven, however, and he has excess draft capital to roll the dice on Emerson here.