NFL Networks Daniel Jeremiah 'Loves' the Second Round; CBS Analyst Leger Douzable Believes There Are 3 Generational Talents

Eric Allen

No. 7 Is a Good Spot

There are 32 first-round picks, but this is a draft where teams possibly have draft boards that don't have even 16 first-round grades. If the Jets stay at No. 7, they're going to get first-round value with their selection.

Who Will Be There?

Let's assume that Miami QB Cam Ward, Colorado athlete Travis Hunter and Penn State edge Abdul Carter are off the board, and many believe they'll ultimately go to No. 1 to Tennessee, No. 2 to Cleveland and No. 3 to the Giants, respectively.

ESPN's Peter Schrager said this week that teams have made calls to the Browns and the Giants, and the two clubs haven't been "immediately slamming down the phone.". The Patriots could address the offensive line with LSU T Will Campbell at No. 4 and chalk up DT Mason Graham (Michigan) to Jacksonville at No. 5 and RB Ashton Jeanty (Boise State) to the Raiders at No. 6. If that scenario were to play out (and the draft is never chalky), the Jets would be choosing from a group that includes Ts Armand Membou (Missouri), Kelvin Banks (Texas) and Josh Simmons (Ohio State);, TEs Tyler Warren (Penn State) and Colston Loveland (Michigan);, WR Tet McMillan (Arizona); and Georgia defenders Jalon Walker and Walter Nolan.

Tackling Needs

GM Darren Mougey said this week he "feels good" about where the Jets roster is heading into the draft. In terms of needs, the Jets could use the draft to attack the OL, TE, DT, S and WR position groups. After addressing their offensive line in free agency with the additions of C Josh Myers and T Chukwuma Okorafor, tackle could be considered at No. 7 and there isn't consensus among teams at the top.

"Teams are not universal in the slotting of these tackles," NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah said during a predraft conference call. "In fact, I've talked to -- in the last 24 hours -- I've talked to three teams who aren't in the range to take tackles so they can give me an honest answer of how they stack these guys. And I had one team that was Will Campbell at the top, I had one team that was Armand Membou at the top, and I had one team that was Kelvin Banks at the top."

D-Line Dominance

Among his top 100 prospects, The Athletic's Dane Brugler has 17 edges, 12 wide receivers, 11 defensive tackles, 7 tight ends and 6 safeties. In Brugler's mock draft, he had the Jets taking Armand Membou in the first round, LSU TE Mason Graham in the second round and WR Kyle Williams (Washington State) in the third round. After that offensive run, Brugler flips to the defensive side with the Jets' next two picks, going with Kentucky DT Deone Walker (Round 4, No. 110) and Texas/Clemson DB Andrew Mukuba (Round 5, No. 145).

"Overall, Walker is a unique athlete with impressive balance and movement skills for a 330-plus-pounder, but his technique and pad level must catch up with his physical talent for the flashes to become consistent," Brugler writes of Walker in The Beast. "If he adapts to pro coaching, he has the skill set to become an NFL starter."

Value in Round 2

The Jets currently are set to pick ninth in Round 2 (No. 42) and 10th in Round 3 (No. 73).

"I love the second round," Daniel Jeremiah said. "Second day really to me is the best bang for your buck because the cost is significantly less, and I don't know that the odds are that much worse in terms of finding guys that can start for you and can have an impact. So, it's literally a value. In a draft like this, I would love to be maintaining a lot of shots there in the second and third round. I think you're going to find steady guys. I don't know there's that much difference in those numbers to what you're looking at there in the teens in this year's draft."

Jeanty Jump

Since 2015, four running backs have been taken within the first 10 picks of the draft. Dane Brugler ranked Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty the No. 3 overall player and said he "displays exceptional contact balance, run instincts and versatility in the passing game, reminiscent of LaDainian Tomlinson."

The Jets have a talented offensive backfield but things would get very interesting if Jeanty is still on the board at No. 7.

"I guarantee Ryan Poles would be on the phone with Darren Mougey right after that pick at 6 if Ashton Jeanty is still on the board at 7," said CBS Sports analyst Leger Douzable on "The Official Jets Podcast." "It will be interesting to see what Carolina does because yes, they just paid Chuba Hubbard but again Jeanty is a different type of talent when you talk about generational running back and we've seen how good Bijan Robinson has been and also Jahmyr Gibbs with the Detroit Lions. I think a few teams would call, maybe Denver calls and tries to move up. But I know that team right behind the Jets at 8 [Carolina] would definitely call and maybe it's a similar trade that they did last year when the Minnesota Vikings moved just one spot up to get J.J. McCarthy."

Dance Partner

While trade-downs are fun in theory, you need two teams to dance.

"People are so quick to say we should trade down -- you got to have a partner that is willing to trade up for you to trade down," Leger Douzable said. "And usually, teams only trade up mostly for quarterbacks or generational talents. And literally to me right now in this draft, there are probably three generational talents it's Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter and Ashton Jeanty. And all three of those guys most likely will be gone by the time the Jets are picking at 7."

WR2

Garrett Wilson is a special talent and the Jets addressed the room in free agency with the signings of Josh Reynolds and Tyler Johnson, plus Allen Lazard's recent contract restructuring. But wide receiver could be in play with either their Round 2 (No. 42) or Round 3 (No. 73) selections.

"I think it is an area they'll target in the second or third round and I think that's where the really great value for receivers is," Leger Douzable said. "People haven't been as high as this receiver class. I'm telling you right now that in that second, third round there is going to be some really good value and there are going to be guys who are going to be solid No. 2s for a long time in the NFL."

Trades in Round 1

There were six Round 1 trades in 2023 followed by five Round 1 trades in 2024. The hunch here is there won't be a lot of movement early, but activity could pick up in the back half. If Cam Ward goes No. 1 overall to Tennessee and the Browns and the Giants take defensive stars, then all eyes will be on New Orleans at No. 9. Would the Giants or Browns be interested in moving back in Round 1? The Vikings have just four picks, so a trade-back out of No. 24 would not be a surprise. Atlanta (No. 15) and Washington (No. 29) own five picks apiece and they might also want to acquire more capital. There always seems to be movement at the end and the Bills (No. 30), the Chiefs (No. 31) and the Eagles (No. 32) will likely field calls before the curtain comes down on Thursday night.

Developmental QB

The Jets have their starter in Justin Fields and they have a competent backup in Tyrod Taylor. Neither Jordan Travis not Adrian Martinez have thrown a pass in a regular season game, so could the Jets add a developmental QB to the mix? They own eight selections and one dual threat has become one of the most polarizing prospects in this entire class -- Alabama QB Jalen Milroe.

"I think it makes a lot of sense especially if he's there in the third round," Leger Douzable said before adding, "but again he got invited to the draft party, so he may be gone. His traits are out of this world when you talk about the athletic ability. He is an elite athlete. Like you turn on the Georgia game, you turn on the LSU game and in both of those games -- a lot of those players are going in the first round -- he might have been the best player on the field that day in both of those games, which says a lot about Jalen Milroe. But that's the thing. His highs are very high, but his lows are very low when you go to that Michigan game it just wasn't good. That Oklahoma game just wasn't good at all. And he has a big arm. He can throw the ball down the field really well. We saw that with the freshman phenom Ryan Williams, blowing the top off the defense, down there at Alabama. But he struggles with the layer throws and the intermediate throws."