Who Do You Want? BAP!

The New York Jets are in a good position heading into the 2008 NFL Draft. They are in position to take the best available player or at this time of year more commonly referred to as BAP. Sometimes the Jets are so riddled with holes that they have to pick out of desperation (See: Ferguson, D’Brickashaw) but this year — in a year where there is no clear cut top pick — the Jets can sit there at the 6th pick and see what the Draft offers up to them.

If you want to get caught up in the mock draft frenzy by all means just type in any random web address and I’m sure you’ll find a mock draft on the site. Martha Stewart’s mock draft is heavy on the players into Feng Shui. But what do Jets fans want their team to do with their first two picks? The only consistent aspect of each mock draft is their wild inconsistency. The Jets have been linked to drafting Chris Long, Jake Long, Matt Ryan, Darren McFadden, Vernon Gholston, Leodis McKelvin, and Sedrick Ellis among others. All are fine players and some would be a home run for the Jets but others like Ryan and Ellis just don’t seem to make sense so you have to wonder just how much the mocker knows about the team’s needs.

One consensus fan favorite is Vernon Gholston who could go anywhere from first to the Miami Dolphins or slip to the Jets at 6. He might even be there at the seventh pick for the New England Patriots if Darren McFadden is still on the board when the Jets pick. I believe he will be the Jets top choice if available at 6 if not necessarily the top choice on their draft board. That could be Chris Long or Glenn Dorsey.

Here is the latest mock draft from Todd McShay that offers several scenarios for each team. He says the pick is McFadden.

The Newark Star Ledger is convinced who the Jets aren’t going to select and that is Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan. I am inclined to agree with this since I do not see the Jets, who are nearly rebuilt after their free agent acquisitions, pouring more money into a third quarterback who will not play this year. If the Jets plan is to start Matt Ryan they will have to unload either Chad Pennington or Kellen Clemens. I think Clemens deserves a decent shot at showing what he can really do and Pennington right now would be one of the best back-ups in the league. If the Jets love Matt Ryan and would make him start from Day One somebody will have to go because that is an awful lot of money for one position.

I think the Jets have addressed their defense enough to be competitive although who wouldn’t love another pass rusher like Gholston and a top cornerback? That would make our defense a potential top 8 in the league which would allow Jets to contend. If they go the offensive route — which I think they will — it will hopefully be for Arkansas running back Darren McFadden who fills a glaring need for the Jets: homerun offensive weapon. Right now the Jets are sorely lacking in that area even if they have a capable running back group with Thomas Jones, Jesse Chatman, and Leon Washington. None of those names will scare defenses but they can run the ball. The Jets also have two above average wide recievers in Lavernues Coles and Jerricho Cothcery, but that’s about it. They need to add another big target receiver and that could come with their second round pick with the likes of James Hardy.

There are so many scenarios and so man yoptions for the Jets this year at a time when they don’t find themselves up against the wall, with someone twisting their arm, with a gun to their head having to make a draft pick like their life depended on it. No pressure at all.

As Dewayne’s World Turns

In the daily, ongoing saga of Dewayne Robertson it appears the Jets and Broncos are creeping ever so close to a trade. According to ESPN’s Hashmarks it looks like a trade which may consist of two second day draft picks tothe Jets in exchange for Robertson may not happen until Draft Day. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.