Mel Kiper has Jets taking a cornerback in mock draft

Mel Kiper’s first mock draft of the offseason has the New York Jets going in a completely different direction than many expect in the 2018 NFL Draft. It looks like the Jets might go cornerback.

In an article written by Rich Cimini of ESPN, he broke down the direction Mel Kiper has the New York Jets going with their No. 6 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. In Kiper’s first mock draft of the offseason, he has three of the top quarterbacks already off the board before the Jets are even on the clock.

That’s right, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, and even Sam Darnold have already been selected and the Jets have a tough decision that awaits at No. 6. It’s hard to tell what the needs of the Jets will be after free agency hits but one huge area of need at this point in time is at cornerback.

Too many times last season, the cornerback situation left much to be desired. From blown assignments to missed tackles, the Jets need to infuse better talent at cornerback. Morris Claiborne was a pleasant surprise considering how well he played before injury, but again, beside him, the depth behind him is very concerning. Plus it should also be noted, Claiborne is an unrestricted free agent which means there is no guarantee he’ll even be back next season with the Jets.

Buster Skrine is at best a No. 2 cornerback and would do better in a backup/situational role. Unfortunately, he’s not starting material as it clearly showed last season. From racking up a plethora of penalties to several bad games, the Jets need to replace him with someone better.

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This is where Kiper’s draft makes a ton of sense. He has the Jets taking cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick out of Alabama. In his collegiate career, Fitzpatrick totaled 171 tackles, five sacks, nine interceptions, and 24 passes defended.

The only concern on Fitzpatrick is if he can be a consistent cornerback since he spent a lot of time at Alabama playing a hybrid role between that and safety. Either way, his talent is superb as head coach Todd Bowles would love a hybrid defensive back that can be used in different schemes and situations.

Assuming the Jets have their quarterback situation figured out before this year’s draft, Fitzpatrick would be a solid first-round selection that would not only fill an immediate need but he would easily be a Week 1 starter. If this is the route the Jets take, their defensive secondary could potentially be one of the best in the NFL after all is said and done considering how great their safety situation is.