NY Jets fix OL issues with giant SEC star in 2024 NFL Mock Draft

The NY Jets have some very obvious needs that Joe Douglas must address, as they need more new wide receivers behind Garrett Wilson and an upgrade over Zach Wilson as the backup quarterback behind Aaron Rodgers. Chief among those needs, however, is more offensive line help.

Duane Brown is likely going to retire after this season, Mekhi Becton is by no means a lock to return to the Jets due to his contract situation, and a pair of Day 3 picks in Max Mitchell and Carter Warren haven't shown enough to justify roles as a starter.

The Jets' defense is too good for the team to tank, meaning they will likely miss out on two top 10 pick locks in Penn State's Olu Fashanu and Notre Dame's Joe Alt. That doesn't mean a decade-long starter at tackle is out of reach.

Luke Easterling of Sports Illustrated had the Jets picking Georgia tackle Amarius Mims with the No. 12 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Mims might be the riskiest lineman projected to go in the first round, but his ceiling is as high as any tackle in this class.

NY Jets Mock Draft: Amarius Mims could start at tackle

Mims is a bit of a surprise here, as he barely played this season due to ankle injuries. On top of that, Mims and Alabama lineman JC Latham are both available here, and Douglas is picking the Georgia stud over an equally giant lineman. Mims is also clearly worse as a pass protector than he is as a run blocker right now.

Still, Mims has oodles of talent. At 6-foot-7 and close to 340 pounds, Mims has raw power and a people-moving ability that is equaled by no one in this draft class. Against an elite collection of SEC rushers, the former top recruit has consistently washed them out of games.

Mims and Broderick Jones, a popular Jets selection in the 2022 Draft before the Will McDonald pick was made, share many similar traits. Rodgers might be back next year, but Nathaniel Hackett will always try to pound the rock. Who better to accomplish that goal than Mims?

The Jets have as complete a defense as one could possibly hope for, and now they need to build the offense from the ground up. If he can stay healthy, Mims could establish himself as a future star in this league for years to come.