ESPN’s Mel Kiper has posted his latest draft draft, and he has interesting options for the Jets with their top two tens.
4. New York Jets
Drake LondonBP, USK
The Jets got off to a good start with free agents, filling in gaps at tight end (CJ Uzoma and Tyler Conklin), safety (Jordan Whitehead), cornerback (DJ Reid) and defenseman (Laken Tomlinson). However, they haven’t yet added an external receiver to help Zach Wilson, which means they may be eyeing one of their top 10 picks. Here they could choose the best receiver in their class, and really, if they want to take it, they don’t have to wait.
London, 6-foot-4 and my best latter, had 88 catches for 1,084 yards in eight games in 2021 before his season ended with a broken right ankle. It can be a weapon in the red zone. With London and Corey Davis outside, and Elijah Moore and Braxton Berrios working outside the slot, New York will have a young and talented host body for Wilson’s second season.
10. New York Jets (across SEA)
Ahmad “Sauce” GardnerCB, Cincinnati
I think the Jets would be delighted if they got a corner with their second pick in the first round, improving on a secondary record that allowed the quarterbacks to put in 53.5 QBR last season, which ranked 31st in the league. Signing with DJ Reed will help, but I still think a cornerback is needed. They also need a fuse, but I don’t have another one with a first lap score after Kyle Hamilton.
Gardner is a corner of a closed business with outstanding tools. In the college football playoff against Alabama, he showed he could hold his own against elite talent. I’m a big fan.
London is a player who was often bullied by the Jets. Usually these mokari pick him as the 10th pick, not the 4th. After a quiet period of freedom as a wide receiver, this position is at the top of the Jets’ list of needs. Perhaps this will force them to take that step with their early picks.
Gardner is another player the Jets made fun of during the off-season, but that was before signing with DJ Reed. This removes the defender from the list of needs. However, a pairing of Gardner and Reid would give the Jets an impressive corner group, a huge zone of power in a superior defensive position. Bryce Hall would also be great depth in this scenario.