NY Jets: 4 draft prospects who are a perfect fit in Mike LaFleur’s offense

The NY Jets are just nine days away from the start of the 2021 NFL Draft, at the time of writing. With 10 total picks, including five inside the top-90, the team will be given the chance to do some serious damage in just a few days.

It will be Joe Douglas’ second draft as general manager of the Jets and his first paired with the new coaching staff. The Adam Gase era is over in New York and in will step former San Francisco 49ers’ head coach Robert Saleh.

Saleh will look to spearhead a new era of football for the Jets, and he brought over a few friends from San Francisco to help him with that cause — most notably new offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur.

LaFleur and Saleh will work hand-in-hand with Douglas as they look to identify which 2021 NFL Draft prospects the team should target. As per usual, a lot of this will be dependent on the scheme the Jets plan to employ.

LaFleur’s scheme is still a bit of an unknown given that this will be his first opportunity to put together an offensive system. But given his time under Kyle Shanahan with the 49ers, the assumption is that his scheme will be similar to that of his former head coach.

That means expect a zone-blocking scheme that emphasizes quick passes, yards after the catch, and most importantly speed on offense. That’s the Kyle Shanahan way, and the assumption is that LaFleur will bring a similar flavor to the Jets’ offense.

With that in mind, which prospects are ideal fits in such an offensive system? Let’s take a look at four reasonable draft targets who are perfect fits in Mike LaFleur’s scheme.

Next: 4. Jaylon Moore

4. NY Jets draft target: Jaylon Moore, OT, Western Michigan

Starting off with a bit of an unheralded prospect, Western Michigan’s Jaylon Moore is hardly one of the most high-profile offensive linemen in this class. But he happens to be my favorite Day 3 sleeper.

And he’d be a perfect fit for what the Jets are looking for in an offensive tackle.

At 6-foot-4, 311 pounds, Moore brings good size to the table and he combines that with excellent athleticism — something that should become a common theme on this list.

Moore was actually a two-star tight end recruit coming out of high school, but switched to the defensive line as a freshman. It wasn’t until the 2018 season that he started his first career game at offensive tackle, and he wouldn’t look back.

The Detroit native started 32 consecutive games at left tackle for the Broncos taking over for former third-round pick Chukwuma Okorafor. He earned second-team All-MAC honors in 2019 and 2020 despite little experience at the position.

Want your voice heard? Join the The Jet Press team!

Write for us!

Moore is an athletically gifted lineman with excellent lateral mobility and a flexible lower body. That allows him to remain square with defenders in pass protection which is likely the biggest strength of his game.

Moore is never going to be a scheme-versatile prospect which will likely cause him to fall to Day 3 in the draft. He’s not a people-mover opting to block with finesse and technique more than raw power.

But in a zone-blocking scheme that emphasizes linemen who could move and block in space, Moore could thrive.

He’s a developmental project, but someone who makes sense as a Day 3 target for the Jets and someone who could eventually take over for George Fant at right tackle.

Next: 3. Michael Carter

3. NY Jets draft target: Michael Carter, RB, North Carolina

Michael Carter isn’t going to be the only running back we talk about on this list. And in all honesty, you could easily throw a handful of others in here too given how running-back-friendly the Shanahan system is.

But few could serve to benefit more from this type of scheme than the former North Carolina standout.

Carter helped form college football’s most dynamic backfield duo alongside fellow 2021 draftee Javonte Williams. One of the most dynamic players in the country, Carter topped 1,000 rushing yards in both 2019 and 2020 despite splitting touches with Williams.

At 5-foot-7, 201 pounds, Carter is never going to be a three-down running back in the NFL. But as part of a committee, he could be a dangerous offensive weapon.

Carter is a patient runner, but his excellent vision allows him to quickly find open running lanes and explode into the second level. He might not be the fastest player in the class, but Carter’s blend of vision, footwork, and agility give him sky-high upside in a zone-blocking scheme.

The 21-year-old was a chunk-play machine at North Carolina racking up 23 plays of 20 yards or more in 2020 due in part to his quick-cut ability and elusiveness.

On top of that, he was a very efficient pass-catcher in college hauling in 20+ catches in each of his final three seasons at Chapel Hill.

He’s undersized, but Carter has all the tools to be a standout runner in an outside zone scheme. His vision, elusiveness, and outside speed should allow him to find a ton of success with the Jets if they make him a target on Day 2 or 3 of the draft.

Next: 2. Amari Rodgers

2. NY Jets draft target: Amari Rodgers, WR, Clemson

Much like the running back position, there are a dozen receivers in this draft class we could label as fits for a Mike LaFleur offense. Players like Jaelon Darden of North Texas and Iowa’s Ihmir Smith-Marsette immediately spring to mind.

Basically, any wide receiver who is quick and could rack up yards after the catch fits the bill. That’s why Clemson’s Amari Rodgers is a perfect scheme fit.

Next in a long line of star Clemson receivers, Rodgers is a little different than your Mike Williams and Tee Higgins. He’s not so much as a physical, “go-up-and-get-it” jump-ball wideout as he is an explosive, instinctive, run-after-the-catch receiver.

Rodgers is built like a running back at 5-foot-9, 212 pounds — and he plays like it too. The 21-year-old plays with excellent play strength and is incredibly tough to bring down after the catch.

Only Alabama’s Devonta Smith finished with more yards after the catch in 2020 than Rodgers and his strong hands and toughness over the middle of the field make him an outstanding slot option at the next level.

He’s essentially this year’s Deebo Samuel — a player who coincidentally found a ton of success playing under Mike LaFleur in San Francisco.

Not only was Rodgers effective over the middle of the field, but he thrived in the screen game regularly turning plays that should have gone for nothing into lengthy gains.

Rodgers could be the Deebo Samuel of the Jets offense and someone who could replace Jamison Crowder as the primary slot option in the near future.

Plenty of receivers fit the Kyle Shanahan-inspired scheme, but few are tailor-made for it like Rodgers.

Next: 1. Kenneth Gainwell

1. NY Jets draft target: Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Memphis

Perhaps my personal favorite running back target in this year’s class, Memphis’ Kenneth Gainwell is everything you look for in a Mike LaFleur running back and more.

He’s fast, agile, elusive, is an outstanding pass-catcher, and has great vision. If you were to make a Kyle Shanahan-inspired running back from scratch in a factory, it would look a little something like Gainwell.

A one-year starter at Memphis, Gainwell exploded onto the scene as a freshman in 2019 rushing for 1,459 yards and 13 touchdowns on an efficient 6.3 yards per carry. He also added a whopping 51 catches for 610 yards and three touchdowns.

He was Memphis’ do-it-all playmaker finishing with over 2,000 scrimmage yards en route to being named Freshman All-American, first-team All-AAC, and AAC Rookie of the Year.

That would end up being the only season of collegiate ball he’d play, however, after he opted out of the 2020 season citing COVID-19 concerns (four members of his family died from COVID-19-related issues).

More from The Jet Press

• 
  
  NY Jets land Zach Wilson and Kwity Paye in 3-round 2021 NFL Mock Draft
  
  
• 
  
  NY Jets: Oregon CB Deommodore Lenoir talks NFL Draft in interview
  
  
• 
  
  3 hypothetical trades the NY Jets could make on draft night
  
  
• 
  
  NY Jets: Kent State WR Isaiah McKoy talks NFL Draft in interview
  
  
• 
  
  NY Jets: 3 tight ends to target in the 2021 NFL Draft
  
  

Gainwell has all the tools needed to be an instant star in an outside zone scheme. And he comes with very little mileage with just 235 collegiate carries to his name.

That’s a positive for a running back, not a negative. Just look at former Alabama star Josh Jacobs for proof.

Much like Carter, Gainwell lacks ideal size for the position at 5-foot-8, 201 pounds. He’s a tough runner, but he lacks the power and build to be a consistent between-the-tackles running back.

That wouldn’t be much of a concern with the Jets, however, as the same could be said for players like Raheem Mostert and Matt Breida who found considerable success under Shanahan in San Francisco.

If the Jets are looking for a perfect scheme fit at the running back position on Day 2 of the draft, Kenneth Gainwell is probably their best option.