New York Jets 2014 NFL Draft Preview

The Jets secondary has had issues this season. will they look to improve it in the draft?

Last week I started off by saying how the draft was not even on the minds of Jets fans after the thrilling overtime win against the Patriots. After last weeks brutal 49-9 loss to the Bengals, it is more evident than ever that the Jets have some holes on the roster that they need to address in the draft next year. Just as I do every week, here are three players who I believe would be good fits for the New York Jets. Since it is impossible to know the draft order at this point, I am not focusing on where each player is projected to be drafted.

CB/S Tre Boston North Carolina Tar Heels ( Sat vs North Carolina State)– So far this year, the Jets secondary has been very disappointing. Antonio Cromartie and rookie Dee Milliner have been very inconsistent, and the safety play has been average, aside from the breakout of Antonio Allen. This is why Boston could be a good fit for the Jets. Boston has played both safety and cornerback in college for North Carolina, and his versatility would be a valuable weapon for the Jets. Boston reminds me a bit of Kyle Wilson. A guy who will thrive in the slot, and can play a little bit of everywhere on defense.

S Ed Reynolds Stanford Cardinals– So far this year, the Jets have gotten by with Dawan Landry and Antonio Allen at safety. Landry is a solid veteran leader, but is not going to be the answer for the Jets long-term. Reynolds would be a good fit in Rex Ryan defense. He has good size and good speed, with the ability to drop back into deep coverage, or blitz and get after the cornerback. Reynolds is a very instinctive player. With the Jets strong defensive line, having a guy like Reynolds would force many more turnovers for a defense that has struggled with takeaways this year.

OLB Jonathan Brown Illinois Fighting Illini ( Sat. vs Penn State) – Last off season the Jets brought back veteran linebacker Calvin Pace on a one year deal. Pace has done a respectable job setting the edge this year, but he is not going to the answer for much longer. A guy like Brown would be a perfect fit in the defense. So far this year, Quinton Coples has s struggled getting to the QB, but my opinion is that he is still not fully healthy. Brown has good speed, and is constantly making plays, whether it is stopping the run, or getting pressure on the QB. A combo of Brown and Coples would be trouble for the Jets opponents for years to come.

This week I decided to focus on the defensive side of the ball. I expect GM John Idzik to look to address the offense early on in the draft, but also look to boost the defense at some point. Remember, the Jets may have 12 picks in the draft. As always, thanks for reading.