New York Jets could get lucky on draft night says ‘Stick to Football’

ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 26: A video board displays the text "THE PICK IS IN" for the New York Jets during the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium on April 26, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 26: A video board displays the text "THE PICK IS IN" for the New York Jets during the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium on April 26, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

‘Stick to Football’ believes the New York Jets could get lucky on draft night in the first round. Here are all the details and what it all means.

Every week on the ‘Stick to Football‘ podcast, co-hosts Matt Miller and Connor Rogers of Bleacher Report provide an updated full first-round mock draft.

In their latest installment, a situation played out that seems very realistic and could result in the New York Jets getting lucky on draft night:

  1. Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow, quarterback, LSU
  2. Washington Redskins: Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State
  3. Detroit Lions: Isaiah Simmons, linebacker, Clemson
  4. New York Giants: Jedrick Wills Jr, offensive tackle, Alabama
  5. Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa, quarterback, Alabama
  6. Los Angeles Chargers: Andrew Thomas, offensive tackle, Georgia
  7. Carolina Panthers: Justin Herbert, quarterback, Oregon
  8. Arizona Cardinals: Jerry Jeudy, wide receiver, Alabama
  9. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jeff Okudah, cornerback, Ohio State
  10. Cleveland Browns: Tristan Wirfs, offensive tackle, Iowa

Let’s pause the draft for a moment, Connor Rogers at the 21:40 mark of the podcast said something pretty blunt, “the Giants, the Chargers, the Browns, the Jets, the Jaguars are all teams that’ll be gunning this offseason to fill the trenches and someone is going to lose because there isn’t enough offensive linemen to fill those spots.”

Whether you’re talking about free agency or the draft, the supply is low and the demand is very high. Someone is going to lose in all of this.

If the New York Jets want to ensure they aren’t a loser in all of this they should have a contingency plan ready if the board falls this way on draft night.

If the Arizona Cardinals are on the clock with the eighth overall pick and Jeudy, Okudah, and Wirfs are all on the board, the Jets should trade up.

While that seems counterintuitive considering the team needs to acquire more picks, not trade them away it actually makes sense.

According to the latest NFL draft value chart, the difference between 8th overall (1400 points) and 11th overall (1250 points) is 150 points. Which means to move up Gang Green would have to give up a third-round draft choice (79th overall, 195 points), their lesser of 2 third-round picks in this year’s draft.

On top of moving up in the first round, to make up the difference in points the team would also receive a fifth-round pick in this year’s draft.

By moving up the team could grab one of the top three offensive tackles available (Tristan Wirfs out of Iowa) or grab the No. 1 cornerback on the board in Jeff Okudah out of Ohio State.

In other words, this could work out nicely for the Jets in two potential ways.

The team can wait at 11 and hope the quarterback rush allows one of the top players on the board to fall into their laps. Or if one of those tackles falls close enough in their range, they can trade up and go get their guy.

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