NY Jets trade for Deebo Samuel in 7-round 2022 NFL Mock Draft

The NY Jets are less than two weeks away from the start of the 2022 NFL Draft. Rumors have been running rampant about the direction the team will go in, and countless mock drafts have attempted to predict exactly what might happen come draft day.

We've done our fair share of mock drafts that fall under that same category as well. This mock, however, is more fantasy than reality. This is a "what would happen if..." scenario.

The Jets have been active in the wide receiver trade market exploring trades for players like Tyreek Hill, Calvin Ridley, and Amari Cooper. Despite the persistent rumors, it does seem rather unlikely that the Jets will be able to land a star receiver in a trade this offseason.

But that doesn't mean we can't still discuss that scenario. What if the Jets were to trade for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel? What would the trade package look like? What would the rest of their draft look like?

With help from The Draft Network's Mock Machine, those are the questions we set out to answer.

NY Jets trade package for Deebo Samuel

Just for the sake of this mock draft, we decided to go with the trade package the Jets reportedly offered for Tyreek Hill — a deal that the Kansas City Chiefs accepted.

Would this be enough for San Francisco to part ways with Samuel? Right now, that seems very unlikely. But it also seems likely that the Jets are willing to surrender one of their first-round picks, especially when they didn't have to for Hill.

So, simply for the sake of consistency and simplicity, this is the trade package we're going to go with. The Jets send both second-round picks (35 and 38) as well as their third-round pick (69) to the 49ers in exchange for their new WR1, Deebo Samuel.

How does that affect the rest of the mock draft? With three fewer picks and one major position of need addressed, what picks do we have the Jets making? Let's take a look.

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

Nothing changes with the No. 4 overall pick as the Jets still go with one of the best players in the entire draft, and a player who fills a major position of need, in Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux.

Thibodeaux remains my top target for the Jets at this spot (assuming Aidan Hutchinson is off the board) due to his blend of speed, athleticism, and length. He offers a higher upside than someone like Jermaine Johnson and a higher floor than someone like Travon Walker.

The 21-year-old pass rusher led Oregon in sacks and tackles for loss in each of the last three seasons, was a Unanimous All-American selection in 2021, and was widely regarded as a vocal team leader at Oregon (despite what other rumors might suggest).

He isn't quite at the level of a Nick Bosa-caliber prospect, but he has the ability to have a similar impact on Robert Saleh's defense. The Jets add a blue-chip talent at one of the most important positions in the game.

Round 1, 10th Overall, NY Jets: Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU

This is where things get a little interesting. With Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner off the board and wide receiver already addressed via trade, there wasn't an obvious target at this spot. In the end, I swung for the fences with LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.

The red flags with Stingley are evident. Following a dominant true freshman season in 2019, Stingley has fallen a bit short of expectations as injuries and inconsistent play have dropped his stock.

The Stingley we saw in 2019 is better than any cornerback prospect in this class, Gardner included. The question is, will he be able to recapture that magic again in the NFL?

If he stays healthy, I'm confident he will. The Jets address their defense in a big way by adding two top prospects at valuable positions. That's one way to fix a defense that ranked 32nd in the NFL last season.

Round 4, 111th Overall, NY Jets: Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State

Without a second or third-round pick, the Jets were forced to wait until the fourth round to make their next selection. We were still able to snag a pretty talented player, however.

Penn State's Rasheed Walker is an ideal developmental swing tackle prospect who can ideally provide much-needed depth for the Jets before hopefully developing into a starting-caliber lineman down the line.

At 6-foot-5, 313 pounds, Walker has great size and length for the position that he blends with above-average athleticism and lateral mobility. The 22-year-old was also a highly-regarded leader and team captain at Penn State making him a perfect Joe Douglas prospect.

Walker has experience playing both tackle spots and would be an upgrade over Conor McDermott/Chuma Edoga in the short-term while providing the Jets with extra insurance at offensive tackle.

Round 4, 117th Overall, NY Jets: Terrel Bernard, LB, Baylor

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Terrel Bernard about the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft (cheap plug, yes) and he revealed that the Jets were one of the teams that he had spoken to the most. That shouldn't come as a surprise either.

At just 6-foot-1, 218 pounds, Bernard is undersized for the linebacker position, but his athleticism, range, and motor make him a perfect target for the Jets early on Day 3.

Bernard was a highly-touted locker room leader at Baylor and someone head coach Dave Aranda referred to as the "heart, soul, and character" of his team.

Though he's undersized, Bernard is always around the football and has the speed and athleticism the Jets look for in their linebackers. Much like Walker, Bernard just has "Jets target" written all over him.

Round 5, 146th Overall, NY Jets: Eyioma Uwazurike, DT, Iowa State

One of the more under-the-radar needs on the Jets' roster is at defensive tackle. Even with three fewer picks as a result of the Deebo Samuel trade, we still made sure to address the position.

Iowa State's Eyioma Uwazurike is a versatile, experienced defensive lineman with 60 career collegiate games under his belt and experience playing all over the defensive line.

Following a few reasonably productive seasons, Uwazurike put together a career year in 2021 becoming only the second player in Iowa State history to record 9.0 sacks in a season.

Uwazurike could compete for snaps at defensive tackle alongside the likes of Jonathan Marshall and Nathan Shepherd as the Jets look to bolster the depth of their interior defensive line.

Round 5, 163rd Overall, NY Jets: Hassan Haskins, RB, Michigan

Another position that seems like a prime Day 3 target is running back. Even after adding Michael Carter in last year's draft, don't be surprised if the Jets return to the running back market later this month.

If they do, Michigan's Hassan Haskins has the skillset they should be looking for. At 6-foot-1, 228 pounds, Haskins is a big-bodied, bruising tailback who consistently finishes his runs.

While he's limited athletically and is never going to be a burner in open space, Haskins is an accomplished pass-blocker and could be an ideal third-down/short-yardage back in the NFL.

The Jets need a running back who can consistently run between the tackles and Haskins fits the bill. He's an ideal target on Day 3 of the draft.