NY Jets finish dead last in 2019 NFL Draft rookie report card rankings

The NY Jets finished dead last in the 2019 NFL Draft rookie report card rankings. Here are all the details and why this is the root of Gang Green’s issues.

With NY Jets fans preparing themselves for the 2020 NFL Draft, let’s take a quick look back at 2019.

Gennaro Filice and Nick Shook of NFL.com recently did a column ranking the 2019 NFL Draft classes of every NFL team.

8 teams received As, 15 teams received Bs, 7 teams received Cs, and only two teams received Ds. The NY Jets finished dead last among all NFL teams as it pertains to its 2019 NFL Draft class.

The team had six selections in the 2019 NFL Draft:

First round: Quinnen Williams, DL, No. 3 overall, Alabama

Third round: Jachai Polite, EDGE, No. 68 overall, Florida; Chuma Edoga, OT, No. 92 overall, USC

Fourth round: Trevon Wesco, TE, No. 121 overall, West Virginia

Fifth round: Blake Cashman, LB, No. 157 overall, Minnesota

Sixth-round: Bless Austin, CB, No. 196 overall, Rutgers

Here is the reasoning behind the “D” grade and why the NY Jets finished dead last per NFL.com:

“Fresh off a breakout redshirt sophomore season at Alabama, Williams was viewed as a slam-dunk selection when the Jets came on the clock at No. 3 overall. But his first campaign with New York was quite underwhelming. A penetrating, game-wrecking force of nature with the Tide, Williams was reduced to a block-eating space-filler on the Jets.

Now, Gang Green didn’t exactly put the rookie in a position to put up numbers — routinely deploying him as more of a two-gapping defensive tackle, as opposed to putting him in a playmaking role — but you can bet that everyone will expect more than 2.5 sacks and six QB hits in 2020.”

In addition to the minimal impact from the team’s third overall pick, things only got worse from there.

Jachai Polite will go down as one of the worst draft picks in NY Jets history and that’s saying something. The talented, albeit immature, rookie Jachai Polite didn’t give enough of a crap and was cut in final roster cutdowns.

Third round picks are supposed to be borderline starters or at the very least role players and Jachai was neither.

Chuma Edoga showed promise at offensive tackle, Blake Cashman stepped up when injuries ravaged the linebacker spot but his troublesome shoulder issues from Minnesota followed him to the team and ended his season prematurely.

Gang Green found a local diamond in the rough in Bless Austin who has been injured his entire career and can build upon an intriguing rookie season.

In addition to the draft picks, the team deserves credit for its UDFA find of defensive lineman Kyle Phillips. He started in four games this past season and played in 15 contests overall as a rotational lineman.

Despite some of the late magic in the draft, the NY Jets once again spit out an underwhelming draft class which is the primary reason the team was terrible last year.

If the Jets ever want to get back into the playoff discussion they’re going to need to hit on its draft picks. General manager Joe Douglas will get his first in 2020, let’s see what he’s made of.