Gang Green Top 20: No. 8 Mekhi Becton

The 2020 Jets hope to kick off the new decade by snapping a nineyear playoff drought.

There was plenty of roster turnover this offseason, but the question remains: Does new necessarily mean better?

Tom Brady’s departure ostensibly gives hope to the rest of the AFC East, but will the Jets be the team to knock the Patriots off their perch as division rulers?

I’ll be revealing my Top 20 players on the roster every weekday for the next four weeks in the run-up to training camp.

This list is made up of the players who I believe will have the greatest impact for Adam Gase’s team this season. The ranking isn’t simply based on a player’s resume. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

So, we’re peering into our crystal ball and taking some leaps of faith. There’s some quality young talent on Gang Green’s roster. Some of those guys are poised to take their games to the next level.

Get ready for some surprises.

No. 8: MEKHI BECTON

2019 ranking: N/A Position: Offensive tackle Age at the start of the season: 21

2020 salary cap charge: $3.35 million

Contract status: First year of four-year, $18.45 million rookie deal (plus fifth-year option)

2019 Season in Review: Becton was a force for Louisville, crushing defenders with regularity. He committed a grand total of one penalty last year (a false start). The 6-7, 364-pound mountain of a man displayed his freakish athleticism by running a 5.1 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine.

Becton displayed a rare blend of power and quickness in 34 college starts on the right and left sides.

“The guy moves people like furniture,” assistant general manager Rex Hogan said. “He’s a big, powerful man.”

The three-year starter played in a zone-blocking scheme last season (81% of runs were zone), but has had ample exposure to gap-blocking principles from 2017-18. Regardless of the scheme, Becton’s mentality remains unchanged.

“I think my demeanor is real nasty, honestly,” Becton said. “I like to see the man on the ground stay on the ground.”

The Jets aren’t overly concerned with Becton’s flagged drug test from the Combine, either.

2020 Outlook: Becton is the first Jets offensive lineman to be drafted in the first round since D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold in 2006. He’ll be a Day 1 starter — probably on the left side — with the hope of becoming a cornerstone piece for the next decade. Becton should be an immediate stalwart in the run game though. Pancaking is his specialty.

He will have to sharpen his passprotection skills, but he could turn into Sam Darnold’s best friend for the next decade.

“It doesn’t really matter who’s the quarterback,” Becton said. “I’m going to have to protect him either way. It’s not pressure at all. I’m going to have to protect the quarterback no matter who’s back there. But it’s going to be real fun. I can’t wait to protect (Darnold).”

Becton also has made it clear that he wasn’t particularly pleased with being the third tackle drafted after the Giants scooped up Georgia’s Andrew Thomas with the fourth overall pick and the Browns grabbed Alabama’s Jedrick Wills at No. 10.

“I had some teams that asked, ‘Why does he have a chip on his shoulder? He’s been highly touted,’ ” Becton’s personal trainer Duke Manyweather said. “I said, ‘Though he’s been highly touted, he hasn’t been THE guy. There’s always something wrong with him. People are always picking on this or that. Even (Thursday) night. You don’t think he’s (ticked) that he wasn’t the first tackle taken? He is.”

NEXT ON THE COUNTDOWN:

The Forgotten Man ready to make his mark.