New York Jets: NFL Draft Look Back: 2005

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As we prepare for the upcoming NFL draft, we pause for a few moments this morning to take a look back. It can be interesting to go back and remember what your team did at various points in history, just to see where they have come. We have looked at the 2011 draft, and the 2012 draft so far.

Today, we are going to look back at an anniversary draft, and one with very mixed results.

This morning’s draft is from 2005, the final one before the man above, Mike Tannenbaum, assumed the office of general manager. In this one, the Jets made a bizarre pick early, some decent ones, and some draft choices that I don’t think anyone would remember if they tripped on them.

So, let’s look back at an interesting draft in Jets history, as we go back to the 10th anniversary of the 2005 draft. Here we go…

Next: Mike Nugent

Remember this move? The Jets didn’t have a first round pick in the 2005 draft, so when the second round came around, they decided to draft a kicker. Enter Mike Nugent. The Jets did need a kicker, there was no doubt about it at the time. And Nugent did have two 100+ point seasons in three full years with the Jets. But, don’t you think the Jets could have taken a kicker a little later in that draft?

In that same round, Vincent Jackson came off of the board. The first pick of the next round was Frank Gore. About 10 picks after Gore? Justin Tuck. There were a lot of good players available, where the Jets could have addressed other needs and taken a kicker much later in that draft.

Next: Justin Miller

Later in that round, the Jets chose cornerback/kick returner Justin Miller. Miller was a part-time cornerback, but made most of his impact as a kick returner. For anyone that doesn’t remember, take a look:

Kick & Punt Returns

1,300 all-purpose yards in 2006 earned Miller a trip to the Pro Bowl.  Justin Miller clearly was worth his weight as a special teams player, making him a decent second round pick for the Jets.

Next: Sione Po'uha

The pick of this draft that made the longest impact on the Jets came in the third round, when the Jets chose defensive tackle Sione Po’uha. He took over the Jets nose tackle position in 2009 for Kris Jenkins, and did not relinquish it until 2012, when a back injury curtailed his career with the Jets, and in football.

In three healthy seasons as the Jets starter, Po’uha averaged 53 combined tackles, a stout number for a nose tackle, clogging up the middle so the edge guys would get the notoriety. To me, Po’uha was the finest choice of this draft for the Jets, with Miller a close second.

Next: Kerry Rhodes and the Rest

A lot of fans were quite fond of the Jets fourth round selection, Kerry Rhodes. Rhodes was quite the explosive player during his time with the Jets. Take a look:

Defense & Fumbles

Rhodes was a terrific tackler, and was a ball-hawk, posting 15 interceptions in five years with the Jets.  Unfortunately, he never fit in well with Rex Ryan, and defected for the Cardinals after the 2009 season.

Those were the notable picks, here are the rest:

DB Andre Maddox

RB Cedric Houston

TE Joel Dreessen

WR Harry Williams

The only one who carved out a niche in the NFL was Dreessen, but not with the Jets.  Cedric Houston performed well once in a while with the Jets, but that was it.  The other two, well, who are they again?

That was the 2005 NFL draft for the Jets.  It was a strange year, with excellent highs and very low points as well.

Next: Top Five Jets Inside Linebackers of All-Time

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