NY Jets 7-round 2023 NFL Mock Draft after missing out on Odell Beckham Jr.

Round 5, 143rd overall, NY Jets: Brandon Joseph, S, Notre Dame

The Jets' first defensive pick comes in the fifth round with safety Brandon Joseph. The Jets traded for Chuck Clark and still have Jordan Whitehead on the roster, but there is still room for someone who can play more of a free safety role.

Joseph is a ball-hawking safety with 10 interceptions over three collegiate seasons, including an impressive 2020 year at Northwestern, where he racked up six interceptions. It wouldn’t hurt to add a developmental free safety to a room that lacks someone with this skill set.

Round 6, 207th Overall, NY Jets: Lonnie Phelps, EDGE, Kansas

The Jets don't add an interior defensive lineman here, having already brought back Solomon Thomas and signed Quinton Jefferson. According to SNY’s Connor Hughes, they are looking to bring in Al Woods or A'Shawn Robinson. Instead, they take a developmental edge prospect.

Edge rusher is a sneaky need for the Jets, with Carl Lawson and Bryce Huff in the final year of their contracts. Lonnie Phelps could be someone who could take on a Huff-style pass-rush specialist role.

He is a smaller edge at 6-foot-2 and 244 pounds, but he has great speed and athleticism. Phelps ran a 4.55 40-yard dash at the Combine with a 1.62 10-yard split. Phelps had 25 sacks over his last two seasons at Miami University and Kansas.