Analyzing 6 scenarios the NY Jets could explore with the No. 4 pick

Will the NY Jets throw a curveball at pick No. 4?

This scenario hasn't been talked about much. What if the Jets draft a wide receiver at No. 4? Or a cornerback? Or what if another name that was attached to the Jets, in the early days of draft speculation, Notre Dame safety/linebacker hybrid Kyle Hamilton is selected by New York when they are on the clock.

Let's walk through each scenario.

Could Garrett Wilson or Drake London be the NY Jets' selection at 4?

It depends on who the player is and if the Jets think that pass-catcher will be there when they get back on the clock at 10. Let's assume that the Jets have Ohio State wide receiver Garrett Wilson or USC wide receiver Drake London as their favored choices at the position.

There's no guarantee that either will be there when New York is back on the clock six picks later. This is where opposition scouting and teams internally doing mock drafts comes into play.

At first glance, the team picking behind the Jets at four and ahead of them at 10 with a desperate need at the receiver spot is the Atlanta Falcons picking at eight. But the Falcons' focus and perspective may have changed now since trading away Matt Ryan. 

The teams picking directly behind the Jets at picks 5-9 don't appear to have wide receiver high on their list of priorities. The Giants, at 5 and 7, could use a star receiver. Still, they are currently saddled with the overpriced Kenny Golladay and another oft-injured but promising young player in 2021 first-round pick Kadarius Toney.

The Panthers at six, like Atlanta at eight, and Seattle at nine, could all be looking at QBs in the draft. However, many experts feel that selecting Malik Willis or Kenny Pickett would be a reach at this area of the draft.

However, it's plausible that these quarterback prospects are over-drafted because of need and value. The caveat is that the Panthers could address their starting QB in the coming days with Baker Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo still being shopped.

The overwhelming feeling is that Carolina will address offensive line with their first pick if they obtain a new starting QB before the draft arrives.

Even though the teams picking directly behind the Jets at four and in front of them at 10 don't have a clear need for a wide receiver, what mock drafts don't account for is the possibility of teams moving up to select a player at the position. Some teams like the Green Bay Packers could be ultra-aggressive in moving up to select a desired target at wide receiver.

Teams like Washington at 11, the Eagles at 15,16, and 19, or the Saints at 18 also all have pressing needs at wide receiver. There's a strong likelihood that these teams could be jostling to move up the board for Wilson or perhaps London.

The hot spot to trade up and select a coveted receiver is in front of the Jets. A team like Seattle, in a rebuild and stockpiling mode, could easily slide down from 9 and accumulate more picks in the draft. 

To prevent that from happening, the Jets could draft the No. 1 wide receiver they want at pick No. 4, and most would rule that out or are not considering that possibility. But if the Jets have their eyes on selecting a receiver high, they are going through this scenario in their war room.