The end of mock draft season has arrived. It is time for the real thing.
The Jets moved around a little in the 2024 NFL Draft this week when they traded Zach Wilson to the Broncos. They acquired a sixth-round pick (No. 203) and sent a seventh-round pick (No. 256) with Wilson to Denver.
It is not a seismic change but jumping up nearly 40 spots could help the Jets land a player who can contribute down the line.
We’ve been over every scenario with the Jets and it will come down to whether the team thinks it is more important to take a lineman who could possibly help in 2024 but more likely helps in the future or a pass catcher who could contribute immediately.
Everything about this Jets offseason has screamed “win now” so we’re sticking with that formula here and we took not one, but two pass catchers early in this mock draft.
We used the Pro Football Network mock draft simulator to help us through it and here is our fourth and final stab at the Jets’ 2024 mock draft:
Previous Picks: Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State; Rome Odunze, WR, Washington; Trade to 20 and draft OL Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington
There has been a lot of smoke around the Jets and Bowers in recent weeks and I’m buying it. Jets owner Woody Johnson has repeatedly mentioned how the offense needs to improve this offseason and I don’t think he’s talking about getting a tackle. The Jets needs players who can score touchdowns and Bowers will give them a dynamic weapon they can line up all over the formation.
It may be tempting for GM Joe Douglas to trade back and we considered a few trade offers to move back. The Raiders could look to jump the Vikings and get to 10 if there is a quarterback they like there.
Previous Picks: Devontez Walker, WR, North Carolina; Jaden Hicks, S, Washington State; Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas
Even with Bowers on board, the Jets still could use a slot receiver. Corley scored 29 touchdowns in college and averaged 9.2 yards after the catch over his last two seasons. The Jets offense gets a boost with these first two picks.
Previous Picks: Audric Estime, RB, Notre Dame; Matt Goncalves, OT, Pittsburgh; Michael Hall JR, DT, Ohio State
The Jets need to inject some youth into the interior of their defensive line. Carter is a plugger in the middle who can be part of the defensive line rotation as a rookie and possibly develop a bigger role later. He is a two-time team captain, something Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh value.
Previous Picks: Jordan Travis, QB, Florida State; Braelon Allen, RB, Wisconsin; Jarvis Brownlee Jr, CB, Louisville
The Jets need another running back to play behind Breece Hall and Israel Abanikanda. Estime would give the Jets a big back who can be a short-yardage specialist to start with. He ran for 1,341 yards and 18 touchdowns last season at Notre Dame.
Previous Picks: AJ Barner, TE, Michigan; Justin Rogers, DT, Auburn; Kimani Vidal, HB, Troy
This is the part of the draft where you start thinking about special teams. Williams had a blocked punt and a blocked extra point in college and could be a core special teamer for the Jets and coordinator Brant Boyer.
Milton has one of the strongest arms you’ll ever see but he lacks consistency. He is 24 years old and only started one full season in college. In other words, he is a project but the Jets can afford to take a quarterback project on with Aaron Rodgers and Tyrod Taylor as their top two quarterbacks.
Previous Picks: Dallas Gant, LB, Toledo; Taulia Tagovailoa, QB, Maryland; Austin Reed, QB, Western Kentucky
He led UCLA in tackles in each of the last two years after transferring from Hawaii. Mr. Irrelevant will give the Jets an athletic backup at linebacker who can play special teams as a rookie.