The New York Jets were looking to land play making wide receiver Tavon Austin with the ninth pick in the NFL Draft. Unfortunately he was snagged by the St. Louis Rams with the eighth pick.
It was anyone's guess who the Jets were going to take now, and they went with Dee Milliner, a highly talented cornerback from Alabama. The Jets are hoping Milliner can step in and fill the void left when they traded all-pro corner Darrelle Revis to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The only concern is that Milliner has had multiple surgeries during his athletic career including surgery for a torn labrum that Milliner is confident he can fully recover from.
Gang Green also had the 13th overall pick in this year's draft, and once again they drafted on defense. The Jets took defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson out of Missouri. What was the reason behind this pick? Richardson was graded highly during the draft process, but was it really what the Jets needed to go after? They have Muhammad Wilkerson and Quinton Coples, who they drafted in the first round last year, to fill those spots on the field. If the Jets were looking for defense again, why not an outside linebacker who can get to the quarterback? Alec Ogletree was still on the board when the Jets were picking. Ogletree has the ability to be an edge rusher and a cover guy. Ogletree would have only improved a defense that has finished at the top of the league the past four years.
Hindsight is twenty-twenty we all say, and now it's time to move onto the second round where the Jets must boost their offense. There is plenty of talent in the second and third rounds tonight and the Jets can really help themselves and come out of this draft feeling good.
Zach Ertz,, a tight-end out of Stanford, would be a smart draft choice for the Jets. With Dustin Keller leaving for Miami, the Jets need a tight-end who can get open in the middle of the field and burn defenses with 10-15 yard routes. Ertz can be that guy for the Jets. Forget what he did at the combine. He ran a forty yard dash that didn't wow the scouts. Last I saw, Jason Witten wasn't blowing by linebackers with his speed, he just runs good routes and shows up to play every day. That is what the Jets will get from Ertz if they draft him. Ertz's numbers may not be what Witten's are, Witten is an elite tight end right now, but he can make the big play when needed, and he is always giving 110%.
Eddie Lacey is also still on the board. The running back from Alabama dealt with a hamstring injury during the off-season, but has shown that his mix of size and speed make shim hard to tackle. Just ask any SEC team or Notre Dame. Lacey could be a nice fit for Rex Ryan and his ground and pound game.
The offensive line talent in the draft has dwindled somewhat with nine linemen taken in the first round, but there is still raw talent left for the second and third rounds where the Jets might get a steal.
First year GM John Idzik has some decisions to make in the second round, but they should not be on the defensive side of the ball. It's time for the Jets to get offensive.
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