JOE DOUGLAS’ TACKLE BOX
What Jets GM should do if top OTs go quickly in NFL draft
Joe Douglas is fully aware that his stated desire to fortify a wall around Sam Darnold took a hit at the NFL Scouting Combine last week. The Jets are no longer guaranteed to land one of the projected top four tackles in the draft, prompting the Jets general manager to potentially pivot.
What happened?
It appeared for months that Gang Green was destined to draft Alabama’s Jedrick Wills , Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs, Georgia’s Andrew Thomas or Louisville’s Mekhi Becton with the No. 11 pick. Douglas’ plan to upgrade a substandard line was sure to have at least one young bedrock to protect his young quarterback.
However, the top quartet had flashes of brilliance during combine testing, leaving scouts to conclude that it’s at best a 50-50 proposition that one will be available when the Jets are on the clock. The
6-4, 320-pound Wirfs put on a show by setting or tying combine records in the vertical and broad jumps to go along with his 4.86 40-yard dash. The 6-7, 357-pound Becton left talent evaluators in awe by running a 5.1 40. Thomas and Wills put their athleticism on display, too.
So, what will Douglas do if all four are off the board?
“There are quite a few guys that kind of fit the mold of what we’re looking for,” Douglas said of the offensive linemen class at the combine last week. “Smart, durable, tough, explosive, guys that can play multiple positions. The versatility, that’s a big thing. You’ve got to be able to play multiple positions. So there’s quite a few guys who fit that bill.”
The Jets told people in Indianapolis that they aim to sign two top-end free-agent offensive linemen. The team also hopes to resign guard Alex Lewis. Center Jonotthan Harrison, who started 10 games after the Ryan Kalil experiment quickly flamed out, is under contract for one more year.
But Douglas still wants to add at least one foundation piece in the draft who can protect Darnold for the next decade. Although missing out on Wirfs, Wills, Becton and Thomas isn’t ideal, there are potential alternative pathways to help Douglas get what he wants.
Houston’s Josh Jones, USC’s Austin Jackson and Boise State’s Ezra Cleveland are viable alternatives. It’s possible that the Jets could take a cornerback or edge rusher at No. 11 (Scouts were throwing bouquets at Florida corner E.J. Henderson last week).
The smarter course would be trading down to land Jones, Jackson or Cleveland.
It takes two to tango, of course, so which player would teams want to trade up for at No. 11? Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy could make sense as a target for receiverneedy teams looking for an explosive weapon. Gang Green could add another premiumround pick and still land a building-block offensive lineman.
Cleveland is a sneaky good option. He flashed his athleticism by dominating drills last week. Only two linemen clocked a faster 40 than his 4.93. He posted the best 3-cone drill and short shuttle, which is valued by NFL scouts for linemen. Cleveland’s athletic profile appears better suited for a zone-blocking and play-action system than Adam Gase’s quick passing offense. However, passing on a quality player simply because he isn’t optimal for a head coach whose future remains murky would be myopic.
SHowever, it’s more likely that a quarterback-needy club would want to jump up. So, keep an eye on Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert or Utah State signal-caller Jordan Love. If a team falls in love with one of them, the Jets might have a trade partner.
ome teams view the 6-6, 311-pound Cleveland as a second-rounder, but he’s the type of player that GMs will be aggressively trying to trade up for at the start of Day 2 if he slips past the first round.
Regardless, all hope is not lost if the Jets miss out on the four most coveted tackles. It’s not ideal, but Douglas will have options if he gets creative.