Grading the New York Jets’ 2010 NFL Draft Class

December 9, 2012; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars fullback Greg B. Jones (33) is defended by New York Jets cornerback Kyle Wilson (20) during the first half of the game at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Rob Foldy-USA TODAY Sports

We all like to give our draft grades prior to the group taking the field. The 2013 draft class has only been on the field for rookie camp so far, but yet we have seen them graded anywhere from a B to a D.

You have probably heard the theory that it takes a good three years to really grade a draft class. These players need time to get their feet wet in the league, you know? Someone could be a flash in the pan their first year, and fade away. A player could take three years to develop.

Well our friends at With the First Pick subscribe to this theory, and have gone back to take a look at the 2010 NFL Draft Class.  They have gone through each team, and given them a grade.

Here is our class of 2010, in case any of you forgot:

• Kyle Wilson
• Vladimir Ducasse
• Joe McKnight
• John Conner

Not exactly an honor roll of classes is it.  The gang at With the First Pick didn’t think so either.  First, before you look at their grades, take a look at how they came up with the grading.  Once you have read that, here is the grading of the AFC East.  Here are the Jets grades, courtesy of With the First Pick:

• Total Raw Score: 40.82 (31st)
• Total Weighted Score: 48.86 (31st)
• Average Raw Score: 10.21 (10th)
• Average Weighted Score: 12.22 (11th)
• Total Draft Value: -115 (28th)
• Average Draft Value: -28.75 (29th)

Analysis:  The Jets only had four picks and needed to make them count.  Unfortunately this draft yielded one starter in Kyle Wilson, two role players, and one FB who now plays for the Cincinnati Bengals.  And even more unfortunately, the jettisoned player is the only one that lived up to his draft slot.  Wilson was forced into the starting role due to a Revis injury.  Ducasse has yet to live up to his enormous potential.  McKnight is a change of pace type of back and offers little more.  While the Jets manage to avoid drafting any “busts” they also avoided getting much value with their picks.  When a team has so few chances to make an impact they can’t afford to miss that impact every time.  Now three years later the Jets are in salary cap hell and many have pegged them to finish last in their division.  Perhaps this draft gives an interesting view into how exactly that began to happen.

There are no real surprises here.  We know that this group did not exactly produce a group of Hall of Famers.  Mike Tannenbaum basically struck out with this entire group, and the grades here are well deserved.

2010, not a good year for the Jets and the NFL draft.