New York Jets fans waited with bated breath this past weekend as to how general manager Joe Douglas would fare in his first NFL Draft. Douglas did not participate in the 2019 draft because he was hired prior to the preseason. He had the opportunity to put his mark on the franchise last weekend. So, how did he do? Let’s take a look at what he did on a round-by-round basis.
Round 1, Pick 11: The Jets select…
Mekhi Becton, offensive tackle, Louisville.
As I correctly surmised in part one of my draft projection last week, the Gotham Green took Becton as their first overall pick. I have expressed ad nauseam as to the importance of the Jets rebuilding the offensive line in the offseason. Douglas continued the rebuild in the draft by selecting Becton. The Louisville offensive tackle is charged with protecting quarterback Sam Darnold’s blindside next season and into the future.
Round 2, Pick 59: The Jets select…
Denzel Mims, wide receiver, Baylor.
One of the themes of the draft for Joe Douglas was trades. This was the first of three trades as Douglas sent the 48th overall pick to Seattle for the 59th and 101st overall picks. It was a gamble and many Jets fans and beat writers were having a heart attack when this happened. But the gamble paid off when Mims remained available at 59. Mims adds an element of size. Judging from the phone call Douglas made to Mims after the selection, the young receiver is itching to make the teams that passed him pay.
Round 3, Pick 68: The Jets select…
Ashtyn Davis, safety, Cal-Berkley.
Many speculated that this choice was made because the Jets were making the move to trade safety Jamal Adams. (For those of you living under a rock, Adams wants a contract extension with big money.) But praise the LORD, it is not. Davis was a walk-on to the Cal football and track teams. In four years as a Golden Bear, he was named special teams MVP twice and was second-team All-Pac 12. Davis has played free and strong safety, corner, nickel, and linebacker. His versatility gives the Jets flexibility in the secondary. Oh, and he’s also returned kicks.
Round 3, Pick 79: The Jets select…
Jabari Zuniga, EDGE, Florida.
The Jets have not had an effective pass rusher since John Abraham and Shaun Ellis terrorized opposing quarterbacks in the 2000s. Last year, fellow Gator Jachai Polite was selected in the second round to bring an edge (no pun intended) to the defensive line. Polite was released following a training camp that saw him rack up over $100,000 in team fines. Will the Jets strike gold with Zuniga? Judging from his work off the edge on film, they might. Although Zuniga struggled with injuries in 2019, the Jets hope that he can use adversity as a motivation to make a difference going forward.
Round 4, Pick 120: The Jets select…
La’Michal Perine, running back, Florida.
Perine became the second Gator in a row chosen by the Jets in with the 120th pick. With the uncertainty surrounding Le’Veon Bell, Douglas needed to make a move to take the running back. Polite was a four-year started at Florida, racking up 2,485 rushing yards. He was named Orange Bowl MVP when he ran for 138 yards and two TDs in a victory over Virginia. Polite also caught 40 passes out of the backfield in 2019 for 262 yards and five TDs. He could give a break to Bell, who is expected to improve from 2019 in which Bell saw the lowest numbers of his career.
Round 4, Pick 125: The Jets select…
James Morgan, quarterback, Florida International.
Late Friday night, Douglas traded down for the second time in the draft to *squinting* New England.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsDealin’ again. pic.twitter.com/mroYzqIaDU
— New York Jets (@nyjets) April 25, 2020
(Insert your “What the Hell?!?” here.)
The Jets selected Morgan, who played at a “Group of Five” school but racked up good numbers in leading the Panthers to consecutive bowl games. He threw for 2,560 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2019 while gutting out a leg injury in 2019. Morgan is seen as a development quarterback but could earn a backup spot quickly if he learns head coach Adam Gase’s complicated system quickly.
Round 4, Pick 129: The Jets select…
Cameron Clark, offensive tackle, Charlotte.
For the second time in this draft, Douglas selected another offensive lineman. Clark played both left guard and left tackle at Charlotte but is expected to move to the inside at guard. He joins the aforementioned Becton again as they worked out together prior to the draft. Clark was one of the 49ers’ best players at Charlotte, earning offensive MVP honors in 2017 and was named team captain in his final two seasons. He also earned all-conference honors in Conference USA as the 49ers earned their first-ever bowl berth in 2019.
Round 5, Pick 158: The Jets select…
Bryce Hall, cornerback, Virginia.
Douglas may have landed the diamond in the rough when Hall fell all the way into the fifth round of the draft. Hall was a four-year starter at Virginia, named to first-team All-ACC and second-team All-American honors in 2018. He built a reputation on being a ballhawk as he led the nation in passes defended with 24. Hall returned in 2019 and was projected to be a first-round pick. But an ankle injury forced him to miss the last six games of the season, including the Orange Bowl. Hall could prove to be a draft sleeper if he remains healthy. Which begs the question: could he develop into the Jets’ shutdown corner of the future?
Round 6, Pick 191: The Jets select…
Braden Mann, punter, Texas A&M.
After allowing Lac Edwards to become a free agent, Douglas addressed a need in the draft by selecting Mann. The former Aggie had one of the greatest seasons for a punter in NCAA history. Mann averaged 51 yards per punt and landed 19-of-50 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. He won the Ray Guy Award as the nation’s best punter. Mann was awarded first-team All-SEC and second-team All-American honors in 2019. He and Sterling Hofrichter of Syracuse were the only two punters selected in this year’s draft.
Mann was Douglas’ final pick of the 2020 draft as the Jets’ selection at 211 was traded to Indianapolis for cornerback Quincy Wilson.
How did Joe Douglas Do?
You can’t really grade a draft until the season starts, but Joe Douglas did in the draft what he needed to do. He added depth in key positions, but more importantly, he picked several players with character. One big difference is that unlike general managers’ past, Douglas wasn’t afraid to make moves during draft weekend. Six players (Mims, Perine, Morgan, Clark, Hall, and Mann) were team captains in their senior season. Each one will be tested this season as they face a tough schedule that includes NFC West teams. But going forward, the Jets finally have some depth, especially in key positions.
In my humble opinion, Joe Douglas’ first NFL draft was a solid haul. Let’s see if the fruits of his labor pay off.
Agree? Disagree? Comment below or hit me up on Twitter, @WhoIsRyanMcC.
