NY Jets land disastrous haul in recent CBS 2022 NFL Mock Draft

Countless NY Jets mock drafts have been put together in the months leading up to the 2022 NFL Draft. On this site alone, we've done well over a few dozen by this point.

But a recent mock draft from Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports might just be the most disastrous first-round haul for the Jets that I've seen this draft season.

Wilson has the Jets selecting Georgia defensive end Travon Walker with the fourth pick (over Kayvon Thibodeaux who fell to the Giants the very next pick) and Northern Iowa offensive tackle Trevor Penning with the 10th overall pick.

Some people out there might be Walker fans. Some Jets fans might even want to target a player like Penning. This article isn't for you. Put simply, this would be a disastrous first round for the Jets, and plenty of others feel the same way.

The NY Jets must land instant-impact contributors in the first round

I recently wrote up an article explaining what I believe the biggest mistake the Jets could make in this year's draft would be. No matter what they do, they must land high-end prospects who can make an impact very early in their careers.

Not 2-3 years down the line. No developmental projects, at least not in the first round. If the Jets want to win more than 4-5 wins in a stacked AFC, they're going to need to significantly improve their roster. They need to hit on these picks.

Walker undoubtedly has a sky-high ceiling, but you can't help but get Solomon Thomas vibes when watching his tape. His physical traits are apparent, but the truth of the matter is that he's just not a very good pass rusher right now.

Despite playing on a stacked Georgia defensive line, Walker had a shockingly low 8.2 percent pressure rate. Compare that to a player like Kayvon Thibodeaux (who the Jets passed on in this scenario) who had almost double that rate last season.

Walker has the potential to be a great player in a few years' time, but it's not going to happen in year one. The Jets have won six games over two years. The clock is ticking for Joe Douglas and even Robert Saleh. They don't have the luxury of waiting around for him to develop.

A similar sentiment can be shared about Penning who would be a reach at this spot, even for a team desperately in need of an offensive tackle. Let alone a team like the Jets where the offensive line isn't a major position of need entering the draft.

They need depth, sure, specifically at the tackle spots. But spending a top-10 pick on a player who wouldn't even be in line to start Week 1 is a bold (read: dumb) approach.

The rest of the three-round mock is fine with the Jets landing Georgia safety Lewis Cine, North Dakota State wide receiver Christian Watson, and Oklahoma pass rusher/linebacker Nik Bonitto. The issue comes in the first round.

Even the author of the mock, Ryan Wilson himself, admitted that Jets fans weren't taking too kindly to the projection.

There will be some serious questions at Florham Park if the Jets go in this direction come draft day. Fortunately, it's hard to see things actually playing out this way.