NY Jets address OL and EDGE early in 7-round 2022 NFL Mock Draft

Round 5, 144th Overall, NY Jets: Damarri Mathis, CB/S, Pittsburgh

Damarri Mathis is an intriguing defensive back prospect who played cornerback at Pittsburgh, but might be a better fit as a safety at the NFL level.

At 5-foot-11, 195 pounds, Mathis is a scrappy, physical defender who thrived in press coverage and run defense in college. The reasons he projects more as a safety in the NFL are twofold.

For starters, he probably lacks the ideal length to be an effective press-man corner in the NFL. On top of that, his lack of recovery speed could lead to him getting burned by better athletes at wide receiver. He's only a modest athlete himself.

But Mathis' combination of toughness, tackling ability, zone instincts, and football IQ give him a pretty high upside at safety. Ideally, the Jets would have to address safety in a big way in free agency given they don't address the position until Day 3 here.

Round 5, 161st Overall, NY Jets: Charlie Kolar, TE, Iowa State

I like Isaiah Likely, but I wouldn't be opposed at all to the idea of drafting multiple tight ends in this draft, especially in such a deep class. That's why we went with Iowa State's Charlie Kolar with the Jets' final of nine picks.

Kolar has a large frame at 6-foot-6, 255 pounds with the size, hands, and blocking upside to be a perfect complement to Likely. His lack of dynamic athleticism probably limits his receiving upside.

However, Kolar's size makes him an immediate red-zone threat and someone who can work the seams. He has soft, reliable hands that allow him to make plays in contested-catch situations.

A duo of Likely and Kolar would give the Jets an excellent pair of tight ends to help build their offense around. Don't rule out the possibility that the Jets draft multiple tight ends.