NY Jets land No. 1 overall prospect in 2023 NFL Mock Draft

The NY Jets may still be a couple of months out from the start of the 2022 season, but it's always fun to look ahead and talk about the draft.

ESPN's Matt Miller recently published a complete first-round 2023 NFL Mock Draft that saw the Jets land arguably the top overall prospect in next year's draft, Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson.

Of course, to do so, the Jets had to land the No. 1 overall pick. Miller's draft order was based on projections from ESPN's Football Power Index, so it's not as if he was the one predicting the Jets to finish with the worst record.

Anderson is a fantastic prospect and the early favorite to be the top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, although most Jets fans would probably prefer the team to select outside the top-5 if possible next year.

Will Anderson would be a massive coup for the NY Jets pass rush

Anderson would have likely been a consensus first-round pick (likely top-10) had he been eligible to enter the NFL in this year's draft. Instead, he'll have to wait another year to secure his NFL payday.

The 20-year-old was awarded the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (given to the nation's best defensive player) in 2021 after racking up 17.5 sacks and 34.5 tackles for loss — both of which led the FBS.

He was also named SEC Defensive Player of the Year and received Unanimous All-American honors. By all accounts, Anderson was one of the best players in college football last season.

At 6-foot-4, 243 pounds, the former five-star recruit is explosive and quick off the snap, and while he may not have the prototypical size of a true 4-3 defensive end, he more than makes up for it with his athleticism and flexibility.

Miller went on to explain that the Jets could consider drafting another quarterback if they actually do finish with the worst record in the league, although he predicted that the team's front office would be patient with Zach Wilson "barring a complete unraveling."

While the Jets would certainly love to continue building their front seven with an elite prospect like Anderson, they probably wouldn't like it to come at the expense of securing the worst record in the NFL.

Still, Will Anderson would be quite the consolation prize for the organization.