Boy am I happy about this Jets draft! New York solidified its position as my second favorite team by now being the home of THREE former TCU players (LT, Drew Coleman, and Jeremy Kerley). The sky is the limit for the Jets this year if they can get everyone back. They didn't have any glaring positional needs, but they needed some depth in their defensive front seven, which they added, and in the receiving core for insurance. The Jets are in a position talent-wise and experience-wise to make that run at the Super Bowl that Rex has been talking about these past few years.
Round 1
Pick 30 (30): Muhammad Wilkerson, DE, Temple
Wilkerson was who the Jets were hoping for from the start. Not only does he have nice speed and containment ability, but he has great size (6'4", 315) and could grow some more. This is the kind of Defensive End prospect that every NFL team, except maybe the Colts, salivates over. His strength is his pass rushing ability, and that was were the Jets needed the most help. Shaun Ellis is great, but getting old, and Muhammad will give him some much needed help outside. Consider Wilkerson to be a solid replacement for Vernon Gholston, who has turned out to be a bust in recent years.
Round 3
Pick 30 (94): Kenrick Ellis, DT, Hampton
It was clear by their first two picks where Rex Ryan felt his defense needed the most help. He could have a stout franchise player in Ellis for years to come. The way I see it, Kenrick could be a boom or bust prospect. On the positive side, this guy has outstanding speed and quickness to complement his great size. This makes him a legitimate pass rushing threat from the Nose Tackle position, which is fairly rare. However, I've heard that at times he can lack motivation, take plays off, and is notorious for eating more than he can burn off in workouts. If he keeps his head on straight and works hard, he will provide much needed depth at NT that Kris Jenkins' injury showed did not exist in NY.
Round 4
Pick 29 (126): Bilal Powell, RB, Louisville
Personally, I think that there were better RBs on the board that this pick could have been spent on, but regardless, it could be a while before Powell sees the field, so he'll have time to develop. I'm sure that he was drafted to supplement the Jets' two-headed rushing monster once LT retires, since Joe McKinght has been less than impressive. The most impressive thing I've seen with Powell when I've watched him is that he has nice vision. He waits for the hole, sees it, and hits it without hesitation. He's also good in pass protection, which is always a great asset, and if you ask me, Sanchez can always use any help he can get. My concern with Powell is his agility. He has good speed in the open field, but I don't know if he's quick enough to evade blocks and succeed in the NFL.
Round 5
Pick 22 (153): Jeremy Kerley, WR, TCU
Do I need to say that I loved this pick? Kerley is a fantastic athlete and will provide great depth to an already strong receiving core and be a spark-plug on special teams. The issue that most scouts had with him was that he is fairly short for an NFL receiver, but there have been plenty players his height and shorter who have succeeded at the position and he has the skills to do the same. His strongest point is his route running skills, which are crisp and fast. Kerley has all of the skills to make a great impact right away in New York.
Round 7
Pick 5 (208): Greg McElroy, QB, Alabama
The Jets are clearly in love with Mark Sanchez, so Greg has been drafted to be a competent backup, a role which he will fill with ease. Greg is a quality QB with great character, football IQ, and leadership skills. Don't tell Rex Ryan, but I think he might actually prove more talented than Sanchez, shh.
Pick 24 (227): Scotty McKnight, WR, Colorado
I can't say that I saw this guy play very much, but from what I've heard, and considering he's a white guy from Colorado, he is a good possession receiver without fantastic speed. Go figure. Don't expect him to crack the starting lineup, but he'll provide good depth.
Coming up Next: A breakdown of all the former Frogs in their new homes!
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