NY Jets 7-round 2023 NFL Mock Draft with Aaron Rodgers trade

The NY Jets are going to trade for Aaron Rodgers. It's a matter of when not if, at this point. And when they do, they're going to surrender some sort of draft capital. Exactly how much they give up depends on who you talk to.

Still, it's reasonable to suggest that the Jets will not have all six of their current draft picks at their disposal in the 2023 NFL Draft. That's why crafting mock drafts before the Rodgers trade becomes official is a little tricky.

How many draft picks will the Jets have to use? Which draft picks will they give up? Those questions remain unanswered. For the purpose of this mock draft, we constructed our own potential Aaron Rodgers trade.

With the help of Pro Football Network's mock draft simulator, let's take a look at the results from our latest seven-round 2023 NFL mock draft. But first, a closer look at our projected Rodgers trade.

The Aaron Rodgers trade

It's nearly impossible to accurately predict what Rodgers will be traded for, and the entire "leverage" debate has been repeated ad nauseam. So let's just go back to the originally conceived trade proposal, shall we?

Months ago, this was the trade package that seemed to make the most sense for everyone involved. The Jets sent the No. 43 overall pick in the second round to the Packers as well as a 2024 conditional pick that could become a first.

Those conditions will be based on how the team and/or Rodgers performs in 2023. If the Jets want to add a conditional pick with roster status ties, that pick would have to come in 2025.

The condition could be that a Jets Super Bowl win makes it a first-round pick, a playoff appearance makes it a second-round pick, and the Jets failing to reach the postseason makes it a third-round pick.

We're not here to debate Rodgers trade proposals, but that seems reasonable to me. Now let's get into the actual mock draft.

NY Jets trade down with the Giants

But first, another trade! The Jets trade down 12 spots with the New York Giants, of all teams, and move back into the second round while also picking up a future first-round pick in the process.

The Jets lose their third-round pick but regain a second that they lost in the Rodgers swap. In this proposal, the Giants traded up for South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith, while the Jets fell to the latter half of the first round.

This trade was done with the idea of moving back to select a center, very likely Minnesota's John Michael Schmitz. As you'll see in a moment, that's not exactly what happened.

The value wasn't there at pick 13, so the Jets recoup a future first-rounder and move back into the second round. I really like this trade.

Round 1, 25th Overall, NY Jets: Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern

Despite the goal being to move down and select Minnesota's John Michael Schmitz, Northwestern offensive tackle Peter Skoronski was surprisingly still available. Not only that, but he was the top player remaining on PFN's big board.

The goal was to target Schmitz, but the greater goal was to upgrade the offensive line. Skoronski is the best way to do that.

Considered perhaps the most technically refined, NFL-ready offensive lineman in this class, Skoronski was a Unanimous All-American and the recipient of the Rimington–Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2022.

There are concerns about Skoronski's length and his ability to hold up as a tackle in the NFL, but his addition gives the Jets some serious flexibility along their offensive line, whether the plan is to play him at tackle or guard.

Round 2, 57th Overall, NY Jets: John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota

Yup. You read that right. I initially traded down from 13 to 25, eyeing Minnesota center John Michael Schmitz. By some miracle, he was still on the board by the time the Jets selected again at pick 57. Much like Skoronski, he was the top player remaining on PFN's big board.

I doubt the Jets get this lucky in real life, but I wasn't going to pass on the opportunity to add Schmitz here at the end of the second round. Schmitz is widely considered to be the top center in this year's class.

He's an older prospect at 24 years old, but Schmitz comes with an NFL-ready skill set and is someone who can very easily start from day one.

The Jets have already met with Schmitz three times, including an official top-30 visit, so there's clearly interest from their side. With no starting center currently on the roster, this was an obvious pick and fantastic value.

Round 4, 112th Overall, NY Jets: Jammie Robinson, S, Florida State

The Jets don't seem to be very willing to invest significant resources into the safety position. Barring the addition of someone like Kevin Byard or even John Johnson III, I would expect the Jets to address the position in some way in the draft.

Florida State's Jammie Robinson is an intriguing mid-round prospect in an overall weak safety class. The two-time All-ACC selection is a versatile defensive back who projects best as a free safety/nickel hybrid in the NFL.

Robinson lacks ideal size for the position at just 5-foot-11, 191 pounds, but he's a high-motor, energetic safety who has a knack for being around the ball at all times.

I don't think Robinson would thrive in a single-high free safety look, but he's a better fit in that role than anyone currently on the Jets' roster. Adding him to a safety room that also features Chuck Clark and Jordan Whitehead would give the Jets a different kind of skill set.

Round 5, 143rd Overall, NY Jets: Zacch Pickens, DT, South Carolina

Defensive tackle has quickly become a pretty sizable need for the Jets following the departure of Sheldon Rankins and Nathan Shepherd in free agency. The Jets are desperately in need of some interior depth.

They might not find a day-one starter in Round 5, but they could certainly add someone to provide the depth they're looking for. I really like South Carolina's Zacch Pickens as a developmental project with a high physical ceiling.

A former five-star recruit, Pickens' production never quite matched his raw talent at South Carolina, but he showed noticeable improvement every year. At 6-foot-4, 305 pounds, Pickens is an excellent athlete with impressive power who is in need of technical refinement.

He's someone I can see playing a rotational role early in his career with the hope that he puts it all together by year three. The Jets need the depth, and his skill set is worth taking a chance on at this stage of the draft.

Round 6, 207th Overall, NY Jets: Kearis Jackson, WR, Georgia

The Jets are expected to part ways with two wide receivers this offseason. They already said goodbye to Braxton Berrios, and Corey Davis is expected to depart as well.

The Jets got their Davis replacement in Allen Lazard, but they don't have anyone to fill that Berrios role yet. That's where someone like Georgia's Kearis Jackson could come into play.

Jackson never occupied a featured role at Georgia, instead thriving as a backup slot receiver and return man. At 6-foot, 200 pounds, Jackson is shifty in open space and found some success as a manufactured-touches gadget player in Georgia's offense.

The Jets could target Jackson as a direct replacement for Berrios as a WR4/WR5 who doubles as a return specialist. That's fair value in the sixth round.