The New York Jets are in an unfortunate position. They lack significant talent across the board, but they have limited cap space and only their seven native draft picks. The previous front office mortgaged their future by restructuring multiple contracts, and new general manager John Idzik is tasked with negotiating them back into contention. It won’t be easy, though.
The best players on the team are starting cornerbacks Antonio Cromartie and Darrelle Revis, but the latter is likely on his way out of town, and the former is pushing 30-years-old with two years left on his contract. Second-year defensive lineman Quinton Coples is a solid starter, and third-year defensive tackle Muhammed Wilkerson will play in multiple Pro Bowls. Second-year linebacker Demario Davis will be a reliable starter as well, but no one else on the defensive side of the ball is irreplaceable.
On offense, wide receiver Santonio Holmes is good but older and expensive, while fellow wideout Stephen Hill is young and raw. Their center, Nick Mangold, represents the best combination of age, talent, and contract status on the team. As important as a good center is, they aren’t typically at the core of major rebuilds. So the Jets will be expected to accumulate as many 2013 and 2014 picks as possible, while adding the best impact player available at each draft slot.
1(9): Chance Warmack, Guard, Alabama
Taking a guard in the top ten isn’t sexy, but the key to winning football games is good quarterback play, and building a strong offensive line is one of the best ways to maximize a quarterback’s potential. The Jets are stuck with Mark Sanchez for at least one more year, so they might as well make the best of it.
2(39): Cordarrelle Patterson, Wide Receiver, Tennessee
Many people expect Patterson to be selected in the first round, but his rawness and questionable football intelligence should lead to a bit of a fall into the second round. The Jets can halt that and pair his exceptional athleticism and upside with Hill, last year’s second-round pick, Both receivers are similar, though Patterson is more dynamic with the ball in his hands.
3(72): Tyler Wilson, Quarterback, Arkansas
Mark Sanchez’s time in New York is almost certainly down to a final season. David Garrard and Greg McElroy are not in the team's future and Tim Tebow is not a quarterback. Wilson is as tough as they come, and he has some upside, though his lack of consistency across the board pushes him down in the draft. He’ll start as the third-string quarterback, but given how the last couple of season have gone, he may end up starting halfway through the year.
4(106): Cornelius Washington, Outside Linebacker, Georgia
If they trade Revis before or during the draft, they will need a cornerback capable of starting immediately, so I expect they’ll target someone earlier with one of the picks they acquire for him. They do need help elsewhere on defense, particularly rush linebacker, so they can target someone like Washington. Rex Ryan should love his crazy athletic upside.
5(141): Kevin Reddick, Inside Linebacker, North Carolina
Rex Ryan asks, and Rex Ryan receives. Incumbent starter David Harris is getting long in the tooth, and he’s expensive and under contract only through 2014. Reddick’s talent and production merit a second-day pick, but questions about his motor and effort will push him down a bit. As a rookie, he’ll provide depth and starter upside, and he gives the Jets the option to move on from Harris after 2013
6(178): Luke Marquardt, Offensive Tackle, Azusa Pacific
John Idzik came to New York after several years in Seattle’s system. Pete Carroll and John Schneider have used to the sixth and seventh rounds to target depth players with great physical upside, and Marquardt fits the bill. In fact, he has enough upside that he may not last this far, despite his limited football experience. He’s a massive physical specimen with surprising speed and agility. He could compete to start at right tackle from the get-go.
7(215): Ray Ray Armstrong, Strong Safety, Miami
Armstrong falls into the “impressive physical upside” category as well. He flashed some first-round upside as a sophomore and junior, but a suspension for the full 2012 season put the brakes on that talk. He plays a similar game to Seattle’s Kam Chancellor, and can provide solid depth to the Jets’ secondary.