5 players Jets should draft in the first round

1. Players the New York Jets should draft in Round 1 – Ikem Ekwonu

The number one focus for Douglas since he took over as the Jets’ GM has been to rebuild the offensive line. New York has spent first-round picks on the line in each of the past two years, adding Mekhi Becton and Alijah Vera-Tucker to the fold, but the Jets still could use help at several positions.

One of the best offensive line prospects on the board is NC State’s Ikem Ekwonu, who has emerged as a lock to get picked inside the Top 5 of this year’s draft. Ekwonu is a big man at 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds and has experience playing all along the line, which is a good fit for the Jets since they still aren’t sure of how they want to deploy their personnel.

Becton missed nearly all of 2021 and isn’t guaranteed his job back at left tackle so Ekwonu could potentially be a plug-and-play option at either tackle spot, pushing George Fant back to a swing tackle role. New York could also leave their current tackles alone and draft Ekwonu to play at guard now with an eye towards kicking outside when Fant’s contract expires after the 2022 season.

Improving the offensive line is another way to help Wilson’s development since better protection would give him more opportunities to grow as a passer. Alabama’s Evan Neal or free agent pickups could address this need as well but the best-case scenario for Douglas would be for Ekwonu to slide down to the Jets at No. 4.