18 players the NY Jets can target on Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft

The NY Jets came away as one of the undisputed winners of Day 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft. When the lights shut off at the Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, the Jets were left with three players who they believe will become franchise cornerstones.

Sauce Gardner and Jermaine Johnson will hope to revitalize a Jets defense that has seen better days. Meanwhile, the addition of Garrett Wilson gives the Jets another weapon for young quarterback Zach Wilson to utilize.

It's hard to have imagined the draft going any better for the Jets on night one. Yet, their work is far from over. The Jets still hold two picks on Day 2 including one at the top of the second round at pick 38.

This article will focus primarily on players the Jets could target with that 38th pick. Which prospects are still available? Who should the Jets target? Let's take a look at 18 top names.

18. NY Jets target: Boye Mafe, EDGE, Minnesota

Surely the Jets wouldn't draft another edge rusher, would they? With Jermaine Johnson in the fold, the Jets are now legitimately six deep at defensive end with Carl Lawson, John Franklin-Myers, Johnson, Bryce Huff, Jacob Martin, and Vinny Curry.

Still, Minnesota's Boye Mafe is one of the best players still available and someone many believed could go on Day 1. Mafe has a high athletic ceiling and represents another high-upside edge rusher if the Jets choose to go in that direction.

17. NY Jets target: Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington

How about another cornerback? The strength of this draft class is undoubtedly at both pass rusher and cornerback so it isn't a surprise that many of the top names available play those positions.

Washington's Kyler Gordon is another player who many believed could be drafted on Thursday. Although overshadowed by Trent McDuffie in college, Gordon is a talented player, although it might be wise to invest draft capital elsewhere at this point.

16. NY Jets target: Arnold Ebiketie, EDGE, Penn State

We still have a couple more edge rushers on this list, just as a forewarning. Penn State's Arnold Ebiketie is an explosive pass rusher who's a work in progress against the run, but whose athletic traits give him a high ceiling.

Once again, it's hard to see the Jets drafting another edge rusher this high, but if they want to shoot for the stars, Ebiketie would be an exciting pick.

15. NY Jets target: Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State

Now we get to a position the Jets could feasibly target. Michigan State's Kenneth Walker III is a plug-and-play instant contributor and arguably the best running back in this class.

Pairing the 2021 Doak Walker Award winner with former fourth-round pick Michael Carter would give the Jets one of the best young running back duos in the NFL as they look to continue bolstering their supporting cast around Zach Wilson.

14. NY Jets target: Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan

Even after adding Garrett Wilson on Day 1, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see the Jets draft another receiver. If they're looking to do so at 38, their best bet might be Western Michigan's Skyy Moore.

Moore is undersized at just 5-foot-9, but he's a physically and mentally tough receiver who has no issues making catches over the middle of the field. If the Jets want to go five deep at wide receiver, Moore could be an intriguing target.

13. NY Jets target: Cam Jurgens, C/OG, Nebraska

38 might be a little early to target a player like Nebraska's Cam Jurgens, but he certainly makes sense for the Jets. Seen as probably the second-best center prospect in this class behind Tyler Linderbaum, Jurgens is a potential day-one starter who projects best in a zone-blocking scheme.

Would the Jets consider cutting Connor McGovern to make way for Jurgens or would they have Jurgens sit on the bench for a year? That much is unclear. Either way, he's someone to at least keep an eye on.

12. NY Jets target: David Ojabo, EDGE, Michigan

I know, I know, another edge rusher. But there's reason to believe that David Ojabo makes more sense for the Jets than any other pass rusher on this list.

Ojabo is a traits-based, high-upside edge rusher who is recovering from a torn Achilles suffered in March. He won't be around for much of his rookie season, but given how deep the Jets are at defensive end, they wouldn't need him to contribute immediately. This would be a pick for the future.

11. NY Jets target: Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson

Clemson's Andrew Booth Jr. was once seen as a potential top-15 pick in the draft, but his stock fell quite a bit over the last few weeks. Still, in such a talented cornerback class, I'd expect Booth to go very early on Day 2.

Booth is a fluid athlete who, at just 21-years-old, still has plenty of room to grow. Again, the Jets don't need another cornerback, but Booth is undoubtedly one of the top talents still available. For that reason, he makes the list.

10. NY Jets target: Christian Harris, LB, Alabama

Linebacker is one of the biggest needs remaining on the Jets roster as we enter Day 2, and this is around the range where you might start to see the team address the position.

Alabama's Christian Harris was a three-year starter in one of the best defenses in the country and has the athletic traits that Robert Saleh and the Jets love at the linebacker position.

9. NY Jets target: Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma

Another position the Jets are very likely to target on Day 2 is defensive tackle. While the Jets are six deep at defensive end, their interior depth is lacking at the moment.

Oklahoma's Perrion Winfrey is a two-year standout at Oklahoma with an impressive blend of size, speed, and motor. He's tailor-made for a Robert Saleh defense if the Jets are looking to bolster their 3-technique depth.

8. NY Jets target: Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State

The only running back with a perceived shot to go on Day 1, Iowa State's Breece Hall would be an exciting pick for the Jets. It would be very anti-Joe Douglas to draft a running back in the top-40, but Hall might just be worth consideration.

At 5-foot-11, 217 pounds, Hall is a powerful running back with outstanding vision and 4.39 speed. He projects as a potential bell-cow back at the next level, but allowing him to share touches with Michael Carter would keep both guys fresh and add yet another talented skill player to this Jets offense.

7. NY Jets target: Logan Hall, DL, Houston

Logan Hall is a bit of a tweener prospect, similar to John Franklin-Myers and Solomon Thomas. At 6-foot-6, 283 pounds, Hall primarily played inside at Houston, but he has the versatility to play outside on the edge as well.

This pick would have made more sense if the Jets didn't sign Thomas, but Hall could still make an impact as part of a very, very deep Jets defensive line rotation.

6. NY Jets target: Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming

Chad Muma has long been one of my favorite prospects in this draft and an ideal target for the Jets on Day 2. He's someone who can step in and immediately compete for snaps as a rookie before hopefully taking over for C.J. Mosley as the new MIKE linebacker in 2023.

At 6-foot-2, 239 pounds, Muma has an ideal build and set of athletic traits for a Robert Saleh defense, and while 38 may be a little rich for some, not me. Bring me Muma in the second round.

5. NY Jets target: Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State

A late Day 1 run on safeties wasn't ideal for a Jets team that could still use another young face in that room, but there are still a couple of appealing targets available. One of which is Penn State's Jaquan Brisker.

Brisker isn't the most explosive athlete, but he possesses innate toughness and instincts that should allow him to start early in his career. My only concern is that his skill set is a little redundant to Jordan Whitehead.

4. NY Jets target: Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan

The Jets are going to draft an offensive tackle at some point, and it's very likely that will come on Day 2. Most of the top options are gone, but one intriguing target remains in Central Michigan's Bernhard Raimann.

Born in Austria, Raimann is a former tight end who has only been playing offensive tackle for two years. He would be a projection pick and someone the Jets hope can develop into a plus-starter down the line.

3. NY Jets target: Jalen Pitre, S, Baylor

If the Jets are going to target a safety on Day 2, the player atop their list should be Jalen Pitre. A former linebacker, Pitre is one of the most versatile players in this class with experience playing everywhere from slot cornerback to weak-side linebacker to both safety spots.

He's a do-it-all chess piece who, much like Brisker, isn't an elite athlete by any means, but he's still someone who can make a significant impact from day one. Saleh and company would have fun with Pitre.

2. NY Jets target: Travis Jones, DT, Connecticut

Travis Jones is one of my favorite targets for the Jets on Day 2. At 6-foot-4, 325 pounds, Jones is best fit as a nose tackle/1-technique defensive tackle, but he's far from your average big-bodied interior lineman.

Jones has a very high athletic ceiling and could be maximized in a Robert Saleh scheme that demands explosiveness and a high motor. Think of him as a replacement for Folorunso Fatukasi in the form of someone who's a significantly better fit for this defense.

1. NY Jets target: Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia

Nakobe Dean is probably atop many teams' boards as we enter Day 2. It's far from a guarantee that he'll still be there at pick 38, but if he is, the Jets might have a hard time passing.

At just 5-foot-11, 229 pounds, Dean is undersized for the linebacker position, but that's just how the Jets like 'em. He's an incredible athlete with sideline-to-sideline speed and someone who can reach his ceiling in this Jets defense. This would be a home-run pick.