NY Jets land franchise LT in 7-round 2023 NFL Mock Draft

It's mock draft season! The NY Jets put together arguably the most impressive draft in football a year ago with the additions of players like Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson, and Breece Hall.

While matching that haul with significantly less draft capital might be a tough ask, the Jets still have the picks to do some serious damage in the 2023 NFL Draft. This is a crucial draft for the organization as well.

If general manager Joe Douglas and company don't play their cards right, this could be their final draft with the Jets. That's why nailing this draft class is so important for Douglas and the entire regime.

We utilized Pro Football Focus' mock simulator to run through one possible scenario in this seven-round 2023 NFL Mock Draft. Here are our results.

Round 1, 13th Overall, NY Jets: Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State

It's always difficult to gauge what direction a team will take in the draft before free agency starts, but the consensus for the Jets right now is that they will address their offensive line early.

Ohio State's Paris Johnson Jr. is my favorite tackle in this year's class at the moment, and the Jets are very fortunate that he's still available at No. 13 in this scenario. This was an easy pick for me.

Johnson is a former five-star recruit who started at right guard for the Buckeyes in 2021 before shifting over to left tackle in 2022. At 6-foot-6, 310 pounds, Johnson has an excellent blend of size and athleticism with the polish and technique to be a plus-starter from day one.

He may not have quite the ceiling of someone like Georgia's Broderick Jones, but he also possesses a much higher floor. Johnson is going to be a long-term starting left tackle in the NFL, with the potential to become an All-Pro in a few years.