Grading the NY Jets' last 10 first-round draft picks

2018, 3rd overall: Sam Darnold, QB, NY Jets

Grade: C+

With the third pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Jets took quarterback Sam Darnold out of USC. Darnold might be the toughest player to grade on this list because of how disappointing his time with the Jets was, but also because of how badly the organization let him down.

It's well known that the 2018 draft was supposed to be the year of the quarterback, and the Jets moved up in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts to ensure they got the guy they wanted.

The trade cost them a lot of draft capital and the Colts selected perennial All-Pro Quenton Nelson with the Jets' original pick. Darnold flopped badly in New York.

He finished with a record of 13-25 across three seasons of play, completing under 60 percent of his passes and a touchdown to interception ratio of 45 to 39.

Darnold did lead three fourth-quarter comebacks and engineered four game-winning drives, but the talent he displayed came and went too often.

One thing that must be said is that Darnold never had a supporting cast around him that helped Darnold in the slightest.

His best receiver was Robby Anderson, an undrafted receiver from Temple, and the prized free-agent signing for Darnold was running back Le'Veon Bell who is one of the biggest free-agent busts of all time. He always said the right things and always answered every question asked him. That earns him some brownie points.

Darnold was traded to the Carolina Panthers after his third season with the Jets. He was recently signed by the San Francisco 49ers to compete for a backup job.