NY Jets land new star OL in 7-round 2023 NFL Mock Draft

While the NY Jets continue the search for their next quarterback, the 2023 NFL Combine is just days away from starting. Their attention may be on the quarterback market, but it still very much is draft season around the NFL.

A number of the top prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft will travel to Indianapolis this week to take part in one of the draft cycle's most notable traditions. Jets head coach Robert Saleh won't be in attendance, but the organization will still be paying close attention to the event.

The Jets came away with what many believe to be the best draft class in last year's edition of the NFL Draft. From Sauce Gardner to Garrett Wilson to Breece Hall, the Jets added plenty of star power in the 2022 draft.

It was a crucial draft for general manager Joe Douglas after a pair of very underwhelming classes in his first two offseasons with the franchise. The success of the team's 2022 draft class was a big reason why the Jets exceeded expectations throughout most of last season.

The pressure is on again this offseason, however, for Douglas and the Jets to nail another draft class. After all, if the Jets fail to make the postseason in 2023, there's a decent chance that Douglas won't be around for next year's draft.

It's a make-or-break offseason for Douglas and the Jets.

We've explored different mock draft scenarios related to the Jets trading for Aaron Rodgers or Lamar Jackson. In this scenario, the Jets don't trade away any of their draft capital, instead signing Derek Carr in free agency.

With the help of Pro Football Network's mock simulator, here is our latest seven-round Jets mock draft.

Round 1, 13th Overall, NY Jets: Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern

General manager Joe Douglas swung for the fences when he drafted Mekhi Becton with the 11th overall pick back in 2020. Becton's talent is undeniable, but the former Louisville star's inability to stay healthy has derailed his career to this point.

If Douglas had an opportunity at a re-do, perhaps he'd consider drafting future All-Pro Tristan Wirfs instead. Or maybe he can rectify his mistake by drafting a very similar prospect this year.

Northwestern's Peter Skoronski is widely considered to be one of the best, if not the best, offensive line prospects in this year's class. He's a technically-sound, three-year starting left tackle who projects as an instant-impact plus-starter in the NFL.

However, like with Wirfs, there are concerns about Skoronski's length and whether he could play tackle in the NFL. Instead of betting on a high physical ceiling as they did with Becton, the Jets bank on a player with a very high floor who should have a lengthy NFL career, whether at guard or tackle.

Round 2, 43rd Overall, NY Jets: Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas

Here comes the high-upside, low(ish)-floor pick. Drew Sanders is a former five-star recruit who played mostly as an on-ball edge rusher at Alabama before transitioning to an off-ball linebacker role at Arkansas.

At 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, Sanders blends ridiculous size with excellent athleticism. His physical ceiling is as high as any linebacker in this class, and he proved last season that he can play in a traditional MIKE linebacker role.

The Jets could use linebacker help this offseason, even if the plan is to bring back Quincy Williams/Kwon Alexander to pair with C.J. Mosley.

Sanders would be perfect for the Jets as a day-one SAM linebacker who plays in the base 4-3 defense and could even contribute as a pass rusher. Ideally, he could take over for Mosley as the starting MIKE linebacker as early as 2024.

Round 3, 74th Overall, NY Jets: Brandon Joseph, S, Notre Dame

I fully expect the Jets to address the safety position in a pretty stacked crop of free-agent safeties, but even if they do, targeting one in the middle rounds of the draft makes sense.

Notre Dame's Brandon Joseph is one of my favorite safeties in this year's class. He was an absolute ballhawk at Northwestern before transferring to Notre Dame, racking up six interceptions and eight passes defended in just nine games in 2020.

He's not the most explosive athlete, but Joseph has good size at 6-foot-1, 192 pounds, and has the instincts needed to be a force in coverage as a traditional free safety.

He's still a work in progress as a tackler in open space, but I can see Joseph being an early starter in the NFL. This was an easy pick for me at this spot in the draft.

Round 4, 112th Overall, NY Jets: Jaquelin Roy, DT, LSU

One of the more underrated needs for the Jets this offseason is at defensive tackle, with Sheldon Rankins, Solomon Thomas, and Nathan Shepherd all set to hit free agency. Drafting one in the middle rounds seems like an obvious route.

LSU's Jaquelin Roy blends great size (6-foot-4, 315 pounds) with impressive athleticism that gives him legitimate Pro Bowl upside in the NFL. His production never quite matched his physical tools, but Roy provides a solid foundation as both a pass rusher and run defender.

He's also a pretty experienced player, having appeared in 31 career games as part of LSU's defensive line rotation. Roy is a more refined run defender at this stage, but his athletic upside leaves plenty of room to grow as a pass rusher.

The Jets need to beef up the interior of their defensive line, and Roy would absolutely accomplish that.

Round 5, 145 Overall, NY Jets: Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati

This year's wide receiver class may not be as top-heavy as recent classes have been, but there's plenty of depth. Cincinnati's Tyler Scott is one of those mid-tier prospects who could prove to be a draft-day steal.

Scott isn't the biggest wide receiver, at just 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, but he more than makes up for it with his speed, explosiveness, and route running. His ability to separate is up there with some of the best receivers in this class, and he's dangerous with the ball in his hands.

On top of that, Scott plays bigger than he is. He has no problem elevating above defenders and high-pointing balls above his head. His catch radius is very impressive for a player his size.

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein compares Scott to former Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, and I can absolutely see him putting together a similar career if he reaches his potential. This is a great value pick in Round 5.

Round 6, 185th Overall, NY Jets: Jerome Carvin, iOL, Tennessee

The Jets might need to replenish some of their interior offensive line depth this offseason with the likes of Dan Feeney and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif set to be free agents, not to mention starting center Connor McGovern.

Tennessee's Jerome Carvin is an experienced, versatile lineman who projects as a long-term backup in the NFL. Carvin started 42 games at Tennessee and has experience playing all three interior offensive line positions.

He lacks the athleticism and raw power to ever be a star in the NFL, but I can imagine him having a very successful career as a fringe starter. He's everything you want in a backup offensive lineman and a perfect replacement for Feeney.

Assuming the Jets find their starting center in free agency, targeting someone like Carvin on Day 3 makes sense for a Jets team that needs offensive line depth.