NY Jets land Kayvon Thibodeaux and a star WR in 7-round 2022 NFL Mock Draft

It's Sunday, you know what that means. It's NY Jets mock draft time — aka my favorite time of the week.

What is there to say that hasn't already been said before? The Jets have nine picks in this year's draft including two top-10 selections and four inside the top-40. No team is better equipped to build through the draft than they are.

This is a crucial offseason for general manager Joe Douglas as he will look to put together a roster that can compete for a playoff spot in 2022. Much of his work could come in the 2022 NFL Draft.

With the help of The Draft Network's Mock Machine, let's take a look at our latest seven-round 2022 NFL Mock Draft.

Round 1, 4th Overall, NY Jets: Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon

With Evan Neal, Kyle Hamilton, and Aidan Hutchinson off the board, we had our choice between players like Kayvon Thibodeaux, Ikem Ekwonu, and even the late-rising Jermaine Johnson. We opted for the more traditional pick adding Thibodeaux.

One thing this Jets defense is sorely missing is an elite pass rusher. They hoped they were landing that when they signed Carl Lawson last offseason, but a torn Achilles halted any chances of that happening in 2021.

The Jets can't bank on a healthy Lawson dominating again in 2022 which is why they add a player with one of the highest upsides in this draft class. Thibodeaux has all the physical tools necessary to be an All-Pro at the next level.

He's not a perfect prospect and reported personality concerns (most of which seem to be overblown) have dropped his stock a little. But if the Jets are looking for a high-upside pass rusher prospect, they aren't going to do any better than Thibodeaux at this spot.

Round 1, 10th Overall, NY Jets: Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas

The Jets bolstered their wide receiver room last offseason adding the likes of Elijah Moore and Corey Davis, but it's clear there's still work to be done. Arkansas' Treylon Burks could help fill that need.

Burks is a physically-imposing receiver who stands at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds. But this isn't your typical 50/50 X receiver, though. Burks thrives with the ball in his hands and was used everywhere from outside receiver to in the slot to even in the backfield at Arkansas.

He has some of the softest hands in this class and might just be the best pure YAC receiver in this draft as well. He'll draw comparisons to Deebo Samuel given his versatility and it sure would be fun to see what Mike LaFleur can do with him in the Jets' offense.

With Jamison Crowder and possibly Braxton Berrios departing, the Jets need another high-volume slot receiver and Burks could fill that role and provide the Jets with a very promising trio of receivers alongside Moore and Davis.

Round 2, 35th Overall, NY Jets: Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn

The Jets may not see the cornerback position as the same dire need that some fans do, but that doesn't mean they're going to ignore it altogether.

Auburn's Roger McCreary has the upside of a Day 1 pick who could fall to Day 2 in such a stacked cornerback class. At 6-foot, 190 pounds, McCreary is an exceptional athlete who is one of the best man cover corners in this class.

He isn't lacking as a zone defender either with the instincts and awareness to read the quarterback's eyes and jump into throwing lanes. He's a rock-solid cornerback prospect who can compete for a starting job early in his career.

Adding McCreary to a young cornerback room already featuring the likes of Bryce Hall, Brandin Echols, and Michael Carter II would be very intriguing.

Round 2, 38th Overall, NY Jets: Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota

Ideally, I would've liked to address the offensive line before this, but with Ikem Ekwonu and Charles Cross gone by pick 10, there really wasn't a better option. Still, Daniel Faalele is quite the consolation prize.

Faalele might just be the largest player in the NFL this season. At 6-foot-8, 380 pounds, Faalele is a mountain of a human being who may be a little rough around the edges, but who also has all the physical gifts necessary to be a star at the next level.

A native of Australia, Faalele didn't start playing football until 2017, but he's taken to the game much quicker than most would have expected. If he continues to develop, this could be another Jordan Mailata-type situation.

The Jets wouldn't need Faalele to start early either with Mekhi Becton and George Fant under contract for 2022. Ideally, the Jets would move forward in 2023 with Becton at left tackle and Faalele at right tackle giving the team likely the largest offensive tackle duo in NFL history.

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

Jeremy Ruckert is probably one of the most commonly mocked players to the Jets in mock drafts this year — and with good reason. The former Ohio State star is everything the Jets need in a tight end and more.

A native of Long Island, Ruckert was underutilized in a stacked Ohio State offense. NFL teams would be foolish to allow his lack of collegiate production at OSU to drop his draft stock like what happened to the likes of Michael Thomas and Terry McLaurin in recent years.

Ruckert has an absurd catch radius with sticky hands and a competitive drive. He's more than capable as a blocker too with an NFL-ready frame and a willing motor.

The Jets need to overhaul their tight end room this offseason, and even if they add someone in free agency, Ruckert should still be a top draft target.

Round 4, 109th Overall, NY Jets: Brandon Smith, LB, Penn State

The Jets have a type when it comes to their linebackers. Robert Saleh and company want fast, athletic linebackers who can cover in space and shoot gaps like speeding bullets.

Penn State's Brandon Smith fits that mold better than most. At 6-foot-3, 241 pounds, Smith has excellent size for the position, especially when you consider his unreal athletic traits.

He isn't on Micah Parsons' level as a prospect, but some of the same physical traits are there. Smith has been credited with running a 4.38 40-yard dash and that speed shows up on tape whether he's in coverage, in run defense, or rushing the passer.

Smith is undoubtedly still a work in progress and NFL teams would have liked to see him take a greater step in 2021 than he did. But he just feels like a linebacker the Jets would try to mold into a long-term starter.

TRENDING: 2022 NFL Mock Draft: NY Jets build around Zach Wilson, 3 QBs in the first round

Round 4, 115th Overall, NY Jets: Alec Lindstrom, C, Boston College

This is probably a pick more for 2023 than it is 2022. Boston College's Alec Lindstrom is essentially a center-exclusive prospect, but someone who can develop into a long-term starter in the NFL.

He has modest length at 6-foot-3, 298 pounds. He isn't overly powerful and while he has very good lateral mobility, you will find better athletes out there. Instead, Lindstrom makes a living by punching above his weight class with technical refinement and a high motor.

The Draft Network's Joe Marino referred to him as "a classic overachiever," but with a strong NFL lineage and a high football IQ, it's easy to see Lindstrom being a long-term starting center.

Connor McGovern has one year left on his contract and the Jets could look to replace him with Lindstrom as early as 2023.

Round 5, 145th Overall, NY Jets: Romeo Doubs, WR, Nevada

You can never have too many quality wide receivers, and with Jamison Crowder, Braxton Berrios, and Keelan Cole all set to be free agents, the Jets need to add depth.

Nevada's Romeo Doubs not only adds further depth to the team's receiving corps, but he provides a new element to the offense. At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Doubs is a vertical downfield threat who can stretch defenses with his speed and tracking ability.

The Jets don't really have someone who can regularly do that on their roster. Elijah Moore can be a vertical threat, but his lack of size often serves as a hindrance in those situations.

Adding Doubs would give Zach Wilson yet another young receiver to develop with while providing the team with the field-stretching wideout they don't currently have.

Round 5, 162nd Overall, NY Jets: Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU

This offseason should be about helping Zach Wilson in every way possible, and what better way to do that than by reuniting him with his former college backfield-mate?

BYU's Tyler Allgeier is an intriguing mid-round running back prospect who runs with a violent approach and a non-stop motor. In many ways, he's a little reminiscent of Michael Carter, although he is quite a bit bigger.

Allgeier is a downhill runner who can serve as a nice complement to Carter as a change-of-pace and short-yardage back. His experience with Wilson at BYU should not be overlooked either.

The Jets need to continue surrounding Wilson with talent and adding his former college running back is certainly one way to do that.