NY Jets make surprising 1st-round pick in 7-round 2021 NFL Mock Draft

The NY Jets are less than three weeks away from the start of the 2021 NFL Draft. And now with 10 total picks to make later this month, general manager Joe Douglas will have the opportunity to change the fortunes of this franchise for the foreseeable future.

Douglas’ first draft with the organization remains a work in progress. While he managed to hit a home run with his first-round pick of Mekhi Becton, the future of the draft class is still undetermined.

As is to be expected after just one season.

Guys like Denzel Mims, Ashtyn Davis, and Bryce Hall will likely be counted on in starting roles in 2021. Their success, along with the likes of La’Mical Perine, Cameron Clark, and Jabari Zuniga, will determine how successful the draft class is.

It’s clear, however, that going into 2021, the Jets need to land a few impact players in the draft who could not only provide value from day one, but serves as foundational pieces for years to come.

Fortunately, Douglas will have the draft capital to ensure that happens.

With two first-round picks and five selections within the top-90, Douglas has the ammunition. Now, he just needs to make sure his shots are on target.

The most important of those picks will undoubtedly be the first one he makes, likely landing the Jets’ quarterback of the future. But just as important will be the picks he used to fill out the roster and add additional building blocks.

As usual, we used The Draft Network’s Mock Machine to determine one possible scenario. Let’s take a look at our latest seven-round 2021 NFL mock draft.

Next: 1. A franchise QB and a risky pass-rusher

Round 1, 2nd Overall, NY Jets: Zach Wilson, QB, BYU

Following the trade of Sam Darnold, this pick seems like a given at this stage. Right? The rumors surrounding the Jets’ interest in Zach Wilson aren’t exactly “rumors” anymore.

They’ve transitioned into Joe Douglas outright hinting that Wilson will be the pick at No. 2 overall.

The Jets decided to move on from Darnold after three years of lackluster play. And his replacement will be the player they select with this pick. If it’s Wilson, the Jets will be landing a high-upside, dynamic quarterback with elite potential.

His combination of natural arm talent, mobility, accuracy, and improvisation skills give him sky-high potential. The injury concerns are valid and his frame isn’t ideal for that of an NFL quarterback.

But Wilson is about as good of a quarterback prospect as you’re going to get in any given year — in a normal draft class, he’d be the consensus QB1.

Wilson is the pick here as the Jets usher in a new era at quarterback.

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Round 1, 23rd Overall, NY Jets: Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami

The plan was always to address the offensive line or cornerback with this pick. But with all of our top targets off the board, and Miami’s Jaelan Phillips sitting right there, we didn’t have much of a choice.

Phillips is the most naturally talented pass-rusher in this class. He’s a former five-star recruit who possesses the athleticism, talent, and pass-rush traits to be an elite edge-rusher in the NFL.

However, injuries nearly ended his career in college and essentially forced him to transfer from UCLA to Miami. He has just one full year of tape after ankle, wrist, and head injuries tanked his career at UCLA.

The concussions are a major concern, and perhaps after taking Wilson this isn’t the safest of selections, but Douglas has shown that he’s not afraid to swing for the fences in the past.

All three of his top picks in last year’s draft were boom-or-bust prospects. Douglas seems to value traits/athleticism over floor/polish.

Phillips fits that bill and an already scary Jets pass-rush gets even scarier with the best edge-rush talent in the class.

Next: 2. Day one starters at OG and CB

Round 2, 34th Overall, NY Jets: Wyatt Davis, OG, Ohio State

After taking a pass-rusher in Round 1, we had to go offensive line with this pick. Fortunately, we were still able to add a player who should immediately step in and be a day-one starter at guard.

A two-year starter at right guard, Davis was named first-team All-American in each of his two seasons as a full-time starter. He was also named Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year following a dominant 2020 season.

As such, he’s widely considered to be one of the best interior offensive line prospects in this class. His powerful anchor, mean streak, and technical refinement give him All-Pro upside at the next level.

There are mild injury concerns given that he suffered a left knee injury in December and re-injured it again the following month. He could also stand to become a little more patient as a blocker rather than relying on his raw power — an issue that Mekhi Becton had coming out of college as well.

But Davis is an all-around rock-solid guard prospect who can immediately take over for Greg Van Roten at right guard. The Jets add a day-one starter at guard without needing to spend a first-round pick.

Round 3, 66th Overall, NY Jets: Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB, Syracuse

Aside from the interior offensive line, no position is as weak heading into the draft as cornerback. That’s why we managed to land one of the most physically gifted cornerbacks in the entire class in the form of Syracuse’s Ifeatu Melifonwu.

The brother of fellow athletic freak Obi Melifonwu, it’s clear that physical gifts run in the gene pool. Melifonwu is more consistent and technically sound than his older brother.

At 6-foot-2, 204 pounds, the 21-year-old has rare physical traits that should make him a lock for Day 2 of the draft. His long legs allow for excellent recovery speed, and it’s not as if he needs it either after running a 4.48 40-yard dash at his pro day.

Melifonwu has the size, length, and athleticism you look for in a future superstar cornerback. That said, he tends to get a little overaggressive at the top of routes which gets him in trouble with the officials.

On top of that, he’s only been playing the position for a few years, as evidenced by his lack of overall instincts. He needs some technical work, but the foundation is there for a future star at cornerback.

Melifonwu would compete for a starting job in year one and could develop into a Pro Bowler by year three.

Next: 3. An exciting RB and early Day 3 upside

Round 3, 86th Overall, NY Jets: Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Memphis

For frequent readers of these mocks, you might have noticed that Memphis’ Kenneth Gainwell is my favorite running back prospect in this class.

The Jets aren’t going to address the running back position early in the draft, but they could start looking to add a prospect by the time Round 3 rolls around. And Gainwell should be at the top of their list of potential targets.

The 22-year-old is a perfect fit for the type of offense the Jets are expected to run. His blend of vision, outside speed, and catching ability gives him a high upside in an outside zone run scheme that new offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur is expected to deploy.

Gainwell would join the likes of Ty Johnson, Tevin Coleman, La’Mical Perine, and Josh Adams in what could be a very effective backfield. Don’t sleep on that unit, and don’t sleep on Gainwell.

Round 4, 107th Overall, NY Jets: James Hudson, OT, Cincinnati

The Jets need to bolster their interior offensive line in this year’s draft, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t start looking to the future at tackle. One mid-round developmental prospect they could target is Cincinnati’s James Hudson.

A former four-star recruit at defensive tackle, Hudson originally committed to Michigan before switching to the offensive side of the ball. He transferred to Cincinnati following the 2018 season, but was forced to sit out in 2019 due to NCAA transfer rules.

His lone season as a starter came in 2020, but he impressed enough to be named first-team All-AAC in his first season as a starter at left tackle.

Hudson has nimble feet, has a solid anchor, and powerful hands that give him the upside to develop into a pretty good starter in the near future. But he’s still a little raw having only been playing the position for a couple of years.

The Jets could allow Hudson to develop for a year before he hopefully takes over as George Fant’s replacement at right tackle. His fit in a zone-blocking scheme is the cherry on top.

Round 5, 146th Overall, NY Jets: JaCoby Stevens, S/LB, LSU

JaCoby Stevens was the No. 1 safety recruit in the 2017 class and a top-20 recruit nationally. Unfortunately, he never lived up to the hype during his time at LSU.

The Jets don’t exactly need safety help, especially after signing Lamarcus Joyner in free agency. But that’s not where I envision a guy like Stevens playing in the NFL.

Stevens is essentially a linebacker in a safety’s body with ferocity in run support to play down near the line of scrimmage on most plays. He’s a reliable tackler with experience playing in the box, in the slot, or even in a deep half.

But his best fit is definitely in a role that will allow him to play near the line of scrimmage. That’s why it makes sense for him to be used in somewhat of a hybrid linebacker/safety role in the Jets’ defense.

After striking out on Keanu Neal in free agency, Stevens could be the team’s developmental project at linebacker and someone who might be able to fill that Neal role in Robert Saleh’s defense.

Next: 4. Adding depth at WR and CB

NY Jets Mandatory Credit: Caitie McMekin-USA TODAY NETWORK

Round 5, 154th Overall, NY Jets: Dazz Newsome, WR, North Carolina

The Jets don’t need to address the wide receiver position early after adding Corey Davis and Keelan Cole in free agency. But this is a deep class, and they would be wise to target a player on Day 3.

Someone who makes a ton of sense is North Carolina’s Dazz Newsome. Newsome is a rock-solid slot prospect who could also double as a returner early in his career as he looks to earn playing time.

Not only is he an explosive YAC threat, but he also shows impressive toughness at the catch point. He isn’t afraid to go over the middle of the field and make a contested grab, just as he’s able to make plays happen after the catch.

Newsome could take over for Braxton Berrios as the primary backup slot receiver and fill Jamison Crowder’s role once the veteran receiver likely moves on after the upcoming season.

This is both a pick for immediate depth and long-term starting potential.

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Round 6, 186th Overall, NY Jets: Shakur Brown, CB, Michigan State

Michigan State’s Shakur Brown is one of the more underrated cornerbacks in the upcoming class. Perhaps overlooked due to his lack of size (standing at barely 5-foot-10, 185 pounds), Brown could become a very productive pro.

The 22-year-old has experience playing both outside and in the slot having started the last two years for the Spartans. He’s feisty, confident, and decisive in coverage playing with excellent ball skills (five interceptions in just seven games in 2020).

Brown lacks top-end speed and athleticism and remains a little too inconsistent with his technique, but he’s exactly the type of player who could emerge as a late-round steal in Robert Saleh’s defense.

Brown could make an impact as both a nickel and outside cornerback and compete for snaps in his rookie season.

Round 6, 226th Overall, NY Jets: Josh Palmer, WR, Tennessee

Josh Palmer doesn’t have the collegiate production that will get him noticed by most scouts. He never topped 500 yards in a season at Tennesse (although he was their leading receiver in 2020) and only managed one career 100-yard receiving game.

Palmer was ultimately the victim of inconsistent quarterback play and a poor passing attack. But he has the traits and ball skills to become a much more productive NFL player.

The Ontario native has some of the best hands in the class and while he isn’t the most explosive athlete, he makes up for it with his competitive toughness and nifty footwork.

He’s a physical receiver standing at 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, and he’s displayed the vertical skills necessary to win over the top.

Palmer will likely never be a star, but he can develop into a very productive player and provide excellent depth from day one.

Certainly a worthy target at this point in the draft.