2013 New York Jets NFL Draft Grade Roundup

Apr 26, 2013; Florham Park, NJ, USA; New York Jets first round selections cornerback Dee Milliner (left) and defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson (right) answer questions during a press conference at the New York Jets Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

We are now four days past the NFL draft. The Jets have made their choices, and the “experts” have spoken. I wanted to bring you today, a cross-section of opinions/grades of the Jets draft from around the web. What did the experts have to say? Let’s find out…..

Sports Illustrated, Chris Burke

The first round was disappointing. DT Sheldon Richardson is kind of miscast in the Jets’ current defense, and CB Dee Milliner broke the rule that you don’t try to replace a player you just traded away by drafting someone at the same position. G Brian Winters has a nasty streak and Rex Ryan will like that. But, of course, the spotlight will shine brightest on QB Geno Smith. Is he the answer New York needs at that position? Or are there ample reasons to justify his drop into Round 2? Grade: C

Nate Davis, USA Today

New York Jets: If you purely judge this draft off the selection of QB Geno Smith in Round 2, alarm bells sound — though given Smith’s talent, at least they didn’t overreach. Still, his presence creates yet more distractions, and his arrival came at the cost of patching other holes on offense. But he wasn’t the only player new GM John Idzik picked. Two potential impact defenders came via Round 1 (CB Dee Milliner, DT Sheldon Richardson), and needed O-line depth was selected in Smith’s wake. Idzik also acquired 25-year-old RB Chris Ivory for a fourth rounder then signed him to a very reasonable three-year, $10 million deal — all things considered, a fairly deft stroke. GRADE: B

I disagree with Burke here. Well, like we said yesterday, Richardson is not a fit with the defense as we have seen it in the past. But, if they are moving to more of a 4-3 base, Richardson fits absolutely. And thinking that Milliner is going to replace Revis really isn’t how it works, that’s a bit of a surface way to look at it. Antonio Cromartie is actually the one replacing Darrelle Revis, Milliner will, at least at the start, fill the second cornerback role and move Wilson back to nickel.

My thoughts more align with the reporter from USA Today. The biggest concern for me, as he felt as well, was the Smith pick. I actually felt they overreached for him a bit, as I didn’t even consider him a second round talent. Let’s turn the page and see some views from around the web.

Apr 26, 2013; Florham Park, NJ, USA; New York Jets first round selection cornerback Dee Milliner answers questions during a press conference at the New York Jets Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News

Grade: D

New York Jets: Their entire draft will ride on just how good West Virginia’s Geno Smith will be as their starting quarterback, and there’s reason to believe the pairing will be quite bumpy. In essence, they swapped out Darrelle Revis for Alabama’s Dee Milliner at cornerback, but wasted the No. 13 they got for Revis by taking Sheldon Richardson, a tackle better suited for the 4-3, not Rex Ryan’s 3-4. It was a shaky start for John Idzik.

Harsh stuff from Iyer. Again, here is a guy assuming that the Jets are going to remain in the 3-4 base. Why can’t they be moving to more of a 4-3 feature set? Like we talked about yesterday, it’s possible, isn’t it?

Pete Prisco, CBS Sports

New York Jets

Best pick: He doesn’t look like a fit in their current defense, but Sheldon Richardson, their second first-round pick, is a heck of a player.

Questionable move: Taking Dee Milliner in the first round. Milliner has a lot of injury concerns and they had other needs.

Third-day gem: Fifth-round guard Oday Aboushi is a college tackle who will have to move inside on the next level.

Analysis: They took solid players with their two first-round picks and then came back to take Geno Smith in the second round. Smith will push for a job as the starting quarterback, so he will be the key to grading this down the road.

Grade: C

C is still a rough grade in my opinion, but his concerns about the players chosen are a bit more legitimate than some of the other concerns I have read so far.

And finally, Fox Sports

Floyd Engel: (B) Anybody who thinks the Jets’ objective should have been getting help for Mark Sanchez did not watch Mark Sanchez last year. They needed a QB, and Geno Smith in the second round is solid. If he fails, get another next year.

Marvez: (C+) The talk of this draft wasn’t the two first-round picks (Alabama cornerback Dee Milliner and Missouri defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson) but Smith, who took an unexpected tumble deep into the second round. Even with their awful quarterbacking situation, the Jets must mitigate pressure to prematurely play Smith because he may need a year of seasoning while adjusting to a West Coast-style offense after playing in a spread system at West Virginia.

Schrager: (C+) They wanted Tavon Austin and didn’t get him. Smith, to me, is not a good fit for this team and situation, either. The Jets had a circus already and I’m not convinced Geno can start in Year One. Other than Geno Smith, the Jets did add guys who can help the defense on Day 1 in Milliner and Richardson and an offensive lineman I really like in Brian Winters out of Kent State.

It’s interesting to note how there isn’t a clear view on this draft. The grades range from B-D, rather than being close together. How do you guys feel about what these experts have to say?