Todd McShay Mock Draft: The New York Jets Select………

Todd McShay has been a draft expert on ESPN for many years. Who does he have the Jets taking in his latest mock draft?

Anybody who has followed the NFL draft knows the name Todd McShay. He has covered the draft as an insider for several years now on ESPN, alongside Mel Kiper Jr. It’s that time of year, with the Super Bowl in our rear view mirrors, that across the board, the mock drafts start coming out.

So, who did Todd McShay select for the Jets at number 18?

Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State. Here is what Todd had to say about him (available through ESPN Insider):

Drafting any of the available receivers here is a reach with Watkins, Lee and Evans off the board, but we could see an early run on receivers in this draft, and despite his lack of ideal size, Cooks is a proven playmaker with great burst, good top-end speed and very strong route-running instincts. Davante Adams, Odell Beckham Jr. and Kelvin Benjamin are other WRs who could be drafted in this range, although I’m not as quite as high on Benjamin as some others after studying him on tape. Ebron would have been a good fit here, and Oklahoma State CB Justin Gilbert would have been a good value pick, but wide receiver is the Jets’ top need.

There is no doubt that the Jets’ top need is at wide receiver. We know all too much about the lack of weapons on the offensive side of the football. But who is this Brandin Cooks? Let’s take a closer look, first with some highlights:

He measures in at 5’10”, 186 pounds. Here are his stats while at Oregon State:

Receiving & Rushing

PROS: The first thing that jumps out is his game speed. Whether he was taking the ball on an end around or making the catch, he can break away from a defender with the snap of fingers. He runs great routes, he seems to always have separation. Brandin also, for a guy of his slight stature, can use his body excellently well. The young man has a lot of talent.

CONS: Brandin has not played his senior season. It always begs the question, would a player be served better by completing his college career with a senior campaign? His size is also a question. 5’10” is not a large build for a wide receiver by NFL standards. He could get eaten alive by larger NFL cornerbacks. He also catches the ball with his body once in a while, which is never good, right, Stephen Hill?

This player is certainly an interesting one. His performance at the Combine will certainly tell us a lot.