The 2020 NFL Draft will be held this coming Thursday and the New York Jets have been one of the more interesting teams coming into the draft. The Jets have several notable needs, but have also been rumored to be a team that might trade down. Let’s suspend the belief that the Jets would trade down for a moment. What would a Jets draft look like?
The Jets’ biggest needs…
First, let’s address the Jets’ needs: their biggest positional needs are offensive Line, wide receiver, defensive back, and edge.
Where are the Jets in the 2020 NFL Draft? The Jets have eight picks in this year’s draft at 11, 48, 68, 79, 120, 158, 191, 211.
Who will the Jets take in the 2020 NFL Draft? Drumroll please…
2020 Draft Part One:
If you missed Part One of the projected NY Jets 2020 draft, make sure to check it out.
2020 Draft Part Two:
NFL Draft Round 4, Pick 120: The Jets select…
Curtis Weaver, EDGE, Boise State.
Weaver registered 38 sacks in his three-year career at Boise State. Last season, he had 13.5 sacks, which tied him for sixth overall in FBS and only three sacks behind prospect Chase Young. Weaver is listed with a Prospect Score of 5.99, so he is a borderline development prospect. There is concern that he lacks the athletic ability to be an effective run stopper. However, Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams is a great teacher and he can help Weaver sharpen those skills.
NFL Draft Round 5, Pick 158: The Jets select…
Aaron Parker, Wide Receiver, Rhode Island.
The University of Rhode Island has not had a pick in the NFL Draft since 1986. But Parker has emerged as one of three potential Rams that could possibly go in this season’s draft. Parker led the CAA in receptions and yards in 2019, earning second-team FCS All American honors. He has speed (ran a 4.57 40-yard dash), aggression (an effective run blocker), and can win footballs. Parker lacks the breakaway speed and needs to improve his route running. But he improved in every single season at Rhode Island and that type of work ethic doesn’t go unnoticed.
NFL Draft Round 6, Pick 191: The Jets select…
Zach Sammartino, Guard, Dartmouth.
This offensive lineman has the most recognizable name in the draft; his great uncle is pro wrestling great Bruno Sammartino. Zach Sammartino earned All-Ivy honors this season as one of the best OL in the Ivy League. Don’t let the fact that he was in the Ivy League fool you. Sammartino excels as a run blocker and is an effective pass blocker (no sacks allowed in 2019). He didn’t receive a combine invitation, but he has the physical tools an NFL lineman should have. With the right guidance, Sammartino can be a diamond in the rough.
NFL Draft Round 7, Pick 211: The Jets select…
Kevin Davidson, Quarterback, Princeton.
Let’s be honest: David Fales and Mike White do not strike confidence as Sam Darnold’s understudy. The Jets need a homegrown steady backup and although he would be a development project, Davidson could become one. Davidson led Princeton to a 5-2 record in the Ivy League and an 8-2 record overall. He has NFL-size (6’4”) and possesses the intelligence that head coach Adam Gase wants in a QB. The knocks on Davidson is that he lacks mobility and doesn’t have enough zip on his passes. But he does read his progressions well and shows poise in the pocket. If he quickly picks up Gase’s system, that could earn him a backup job.
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