NY Jets land game-changing WR in 7-round 2022 NFL Mock Draft

The NY Jets season has come to an end following a 27-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 18. But with the regular season now in the rearview mirror, the Jets' real season is set to begin.

General manager Joe Douglas has done a good job laying the foundation for the future of the franchise. But after a four-win season in 2021, it's clear that there's still plenty of work to be done.

Much of that work must take place this offseason with the 2022 NFL Draft being another crucial avenue for Douglas to continue building the roster.

With help from The Draft Network's Mock Machine, we set forth to run through one scenario of how the Jets' draft might look this year. Here are our results.

Round 1, 4th Overall, NY Jets: George Karlaftis, EDGE, Purdue

The Jets are now locked into the fourth overall pick in this year's draft, and they should have plenty of options at this spot. With Kyle Hamilton and the top two edge rushers already off the board, we decided to roll with the player we took with this pick in last week's mock.

Purdue's George Karlaftis could be the key to unlocking the Jets' defense. He won't get the press that flashier prospects like Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux might get, but he has all the tools to be a dominant pass rusher at the next level.

Karlaftis is as skilled and refined as any pass rusher in this class with the power and athleticism to be a regular double-digit sack artist. Think of him as a more athletic Ryan Kerrigan.

Only Karlaftis has the potential to be an even better player than Kerrigan has been. Pairing him up with Carl Lawson and Quinnen Williams could give the Jets the elite defensive line that Robert Saleh has been looking to replicate since his days in San Francisco.

Round 1, 10th Overall, NY Jets: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State

The Jets need playmakers on offense and few players fit that moniker better than Ohio State's Garrett Wilson. Wilson is in the conversation for WR1 in this class after a sensational junior year that saw him rack up over 1,000 yards in one of college football's most exciting offenses.

At 6-foot, 192 pounds, Wilson might be the best catch-and-run receiver in this class with the ability to break any play to the house. He's a dynamic threat on underneath routes and a perfect fit for the type of offense the Jets are trying to run.

Wilson could immediately replace Jamison Crowder as the team's starting slot receiver and give the Jets a talented trio of Elijah Moore, Corey Davis, and Garrett Wilson.

Now locked into the 10th overall pick, wide receiver will be a popular target at this spot in future Jets mock drafts.

Round 2, 35th Overall, NY Jets: Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati

I don't expect Cincinnati's Ahmad Gardner to last this long, but anything is possible in such a stacked cornerback class.

Even with Bryce Hall emerging as a long-term starter and players like Brandin Echols and Michael Carter II showing promise, the Jets still need to address the cornerback position this offseason.

Gardner's combination of size, athleticism, and technique make him one of the best cornerbacks in a loaded class. In fact, you could argue that Gardner has the best tape of any corner in this year's draft.

The Jets land a potential steal here in a player who should immediately give them one of the best young cornerback duos in the NFL.

Round 2, 38th Overall, NY Jets: Zion Johnson, OG, Boston College

It's hard to predict mock drafts in January without knowing the direction teams will take in free agency. The Jets could very well find their starting right guard in free agency, but in this case, they land him in the draft.

Boston College's Zion Johnson is an athletic, zone-blocking specialist who probably doesn't have the length to play tackle at the NFL level, but could be an excellent guard.

Johnson transferred from FCS-level Davidson and immediately forced his way into the starting lineup of one of the most talented offensive lines in football. With three years of starting experience under his belt, Johnson could step in and compete for the Jets' day-one starting right guard job.

The Jets continue to rebuild their offensive line with a young foundation and Johnson could be the latest addition.

Round 3, 69th Overall, NY Jets: Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State

Admittedly, this is one of my early-season draft crushes. Ohio State's Jeremy Ruckert is not only a local product from Lindenhurst High School on Long Island, but he's everything the Jets are looking for in a tight end.

Ruckert is a competitive blocker who, at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, has an NFL-ready frame and the lateral agility to climb up into the second level and play a key role in the run game.

On top of that, Ruckert might just have the best hands of any tight end in this year's class. Despite an overwhelming lack of production in a stacked offense, Ruckert's highlight reel is filled with one-handed grabs and improbable catches.

He could step in and immediately compete for the starting tight end job with another veteran the Jets bring in via free agency. Plus, who doesn't love a good hometown hero story?

Round 4, 108th Overall, NY Jets: JoJo Domann, LB, Nebraska

One of the more underrated needs for the Jets this offseason is at the linebacker position. Nebraska's JoJo Domann fits the mold of what the team is looking for with their linebackers.

A former safety (sound familiar?), Domann is your average modern-day NFL linebacker with the coverage ability to be a three-down player at the next level.

He's a little undersized for the position at only 6-foot-1, 230 pounds, but he makes up for it with sideline-to-sideline speed and experience. That said, his "experience" could cause his stock to drop as he's already 24-years-old.

Still, Domann could step in as a potential day-one starter for the Jets filling the Jarrad Davis role in 2022.

Round 4, 114th Overall, NY Jets: Tykee Smith, S, Georgia

This is another one of those situations where the Jets' moves in free agency could drastically change how they approach the draft. I'm working under the assumption that the Jets add 1-2 starters at the safety position in free agency.

If not, this becomes a much more dire need. But in this scenario, Georgia's Tykee Smith could be a very intriguing target on Day 3 of the draft.

At only 5-foot-10, 198 pounds, Smith is undersized for the position, but size has never been his selling point. Smith is a good athlete with the versatility to excel both at safety and nickel corner making him a valuable chess piece for any defense.

If the Jets go out and sign someone like Marcus Williams, Smith could be an excellent complement to the current New Orleans Saints standout.

Round 5, 144th Overall, NY Jets: Boye Mafe, EDGE, Minnesota

If there's one thing we've learned about Robert Saleh throughout the course of his career and with the Jets this season it's that he loves to have a deep defensive line that he can rotate frequently.

Even after adding George Karlaftis in the first round, we decided to double-up at edge rusher landing a high-ceiling prospect in Minnesota's Boye Mafe. Mafe is a raw prospect who projects as more of a developmental player than anything.

At 6-foot-4, 265 pounds, Mafe blends good size with an excellent first step and burst to give him a rather high ceiling at the NFL level. He's a bit rough around the edges, but Mafe's length and natural athleticism make him worth taking a shot on here on Day 3.

The Jets add further depth to an already deep defensive line rotation.

Round 5, 161st Overall, NY Jets: Zamir White, RB, Georgia

I fully expect the Jets to target another running back in this year's draft with Day 3 being another ideal spot to add a promising young talent. In this case, we went with Georgia's Zamir White.

White is a decisive, athletic runner who hasn't quite lived up to expectations at the collegiate level but has still found plenty of ways to produce in a high-powered Georgia offense.

At 5-foot-11, 215 pounds, the former No. 1 recruit has good balance and rarely goes down on first contact. His lack of elite speed prevents him from being a true home-run threat, but he's still an effective runner nonetheless.

Pairing White with a returning Michael Carter and even Ty Johnson would add more depth to a promising Jets backfield.