Ranking NY Jets’s last 10 first-round draft picks

The NY Jets haven't always had the most success when it comes to draft picks over the years. Nowhere is that more evident than with the team's history of first-round picks.

For every Joe Namath, there's a Vernon Gholston. For every Darrelle Revis, there's a Blair Thomas. And for every D'Brickashaw Ferguson, there's a Dee Milliner.

Every NFL team has a mixed history with their draft picks, but the Jets certainly seem to have more notable busts than most other organizations. That doesn't necessarily apply to recent years, however.

The Jets have been able to find some core building blocks in the first rounds of recent drafts. The vast majority of the Jets' current core is built on the back of successful draft picks, many of whom were taken in the first round.

For the sake of this article, we're going to take a look at the 10 most recent Jets first-round picks. That ranges from the 2017 NFL Draft through last year's draft that netted the Jets Will McDonald.

Let's establish some criteria first. Only what the player did as a member of the Jets will be taken into account. Length of tenure matters as do accolades, team success, and individual stats. It's a balancing act.

The good news for the Jets is that many of the top players on this list remain integral parts of the roster at the time of writing. The bad news is there are quite a few who have fallen short of expectations.

Let's start things off with a player who is not only the worst Jets first-round pick of the last decade but one of the worst picks in franchise history.

10. Zach Wilson, QB, NY Jets - 2nd overall (2021)

This was the easiest placement on this list. Zach Wilson is not only one of the worst draft picks in Jets history, but he might very well go down as one of the biggest busts in the history of the NFL Draft.

The Jets used the second overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft on Wilson with the hope that he could become the team's long-awaited quarterback savior. Instead, he's very likely the worst QB bust the Jets have ever had.

Wilson is statistically one of the worst quarterbacks in modern NFL history and is expected to be shown the door any time now. There's a very good chance the Jets are forced to outright release Wilson, prompting comparisons to similar infamous draft bust, JaMarcus Russell.

The Zach Wilson era will go down as one of the darkest in Jets history, and it will take a near-historic turnaround for the former BYU star to salvage any sort of NFL career moving forward. This was as bad as it gets.

9. Will McDonald, DE, NY Jets - 15th overall (2023)

The Jets' most recent first-round pick is also their most unproven. It's difficult to know where to rank Will McDonald as the former Iowa State star has played just one season with the Jets.

Since we're basing it solely on what he has done already with the team, his ranking has to be low. McDonald played just 19 percent of his team's defensive snaps in 2023 — the fewest snaps by a Jets first-round pick since Vernon Gholston. No first-round pick in McDonald's class played fewer snaps as a rookie.

Of course, part of that is due to a stacked position group that didn't offer many opportunities to the young pass rusher. McDonald was decently efficient in his snaps, but his lack of playing time tanks his ranking.

There's a very good chance that McDonald will climb this ranking in the coming years. However, he first needs to get on the field consistently.

8. Sam Darnold, QB, NY Jets - 3rd overall (2018)

Sam Darnold is the perfect example of how quarterback development is a nuanced discussion. While Darnold ultimately failed in New York, much like his successor, his track record is a little better.

Darnold was bad with the Jets, that much shouldn't be disputed. The 2018 third-overall pick started three seasons with the Jets, throwing 45 touchdowns and 39 interceptions while completing under 60 percent of his passes.

Of course, the Jets did Darnold no favors, surrounding him with a putrid supporting cast that featured the likes of Adam Gase, Frank Gore, a shoddy offensive line, and an underwhelming defense.

Darnold has found a career as an NFL backup in his post-Jets stint, and he had more promising moments than Wilson (and McDonald to this point), but he's ultimately another failure in a long line of Jets quarterback busts.

7. Mekhi Becton, OT, NY Jets - 11th overall (2020)

The Jets believed they had landed a franchise cornerstone and offensive building block when they used the 11th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft on Louisville offensive tackle Mekhi Becton.

The early results were promising. Becton started 13 games as a rookie, establishing himself as one of the best young offensive linemen in the NFL. The future was bright, but that was before injuries derailed his career.

Becton played just one game over the following two seasons as a result of two separate knee injuries. By the time he returned in 2023, Becton was a shell of his former self. His Jets tenure will forever be a story of what could've been.

6. Jamal Adams, S, NY Jets - 6th overall (2017)

Jamal Adams is an interesting evaluation, seeing as the former sixth-overall pick did accomplish quite a bit during his time with the Jets. Adams was a multi-time All-Pro and Pro Bowler, becoming the first Jets played to be named first-team All-Pro in almost a decade.

The LSU product appeared to be a part of a shifting culture in Florham Park and was widely seen as the new face of the franchise. Unfortunately, a contract dispute and subsequent falling out erased all of that.

Adams was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in a package that netted the Jets multiple first-round picks (more on that in a moment), and while he enjoyed some early success with his new team, he never reached the same heights he did in New York.

On paper, Adams is one of the most talented and accomplished Jets first-round picks in recent memory, but the way his tenure ended cannot be overlooked.

5. Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, NY Jets - 14th overall (2021)

One of the first-round picks acquired in the Jamal Adams trade was eventually used to select USC offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker. He earns a slight not over Adams due primarily to positional value.

Vera-Tucker has developed into a core part of the Jets' offense, starting games at four of the five offensive line spots while developing into the team's best offensive lineman.

Unfortunately, injuries have threatened to derail the career of one of the Jets' only homegrown offensive line success stories in recent years. Vera-Tucker has played just 12 games over the last two seasons as a result of a triceps injury and a torn Achilles.

The arrow is still pointing up for Vera-Tucker, but he needs to prove he can stay healthy in 2024 if he's to earn a second contract with the Jets. He's probably a little lucky to be above Adams on this list.

4. Jermaine Johnson, DE, NY Jets - 26th overall (2022)

Three of the remaining four players on this list are from the same draft class, which should tell you all you need to know about the Jets' 2022 class of rookies. Jermaine Johnson doesn't receive as much recognition as the others, but he proved last season that he should be considered a building block.

After a somewhat nondescript rookie season as a part-time player, Johnson broke out in 2023, finishing with 7.5 sacks and 16 QB hits en route to his first Pro Bowl appearance.

Johnson led all Jets edge rushers in snaps last season, establishing himself as a three-down cornerstone of the team's defense. The future is bright for the former Florida State standout.

The fact that the Jets traded back into the first round to acquire Johnson at No. 26 overall makes this pick even better. What a draft class for the organization.

3. Garrett Wilson, WR, NY Jets - 10th overall (2022)

The second of three 2022 Jets first-round picks, Garrett Wilson has quickly established himself as not only one of the team's best wide receivers in recent memory but as one of the best wide receivers in the entire NFL.

Wilson has miraculously managed consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns to begin his NFL career despite playing with an unreal eight different quarterbacks during that time.

He's primarily caught passes from the likes of Zach Wilson, Mike White, Joe Flacco, Tim Boyle, and Trevor Siemian — not exactly a quarterback group conducive to receiving success.

Nonetheless, Wilson remains one of the focal points of the Jets' offense, with many projecting him as an Offensive Player of the Year candidate now that Aaron Rodgers is his quarterback. The sky is the limit.

2. Quinnen Williams, DT, NY Jets - 3rd overall (2019)

One of the few holdovers from the Mike Maccagnan era is also the ex-GM's final (and best) first-round pick as a member of the Jets. Quinnen Williams is an absolute superstar in every sense of the word.

It took a few years for Williams to truly reach his ceiling, but still at just 26 years old, the former Alabama star is one of the best defensive players in the entire NFL.

Williams has made multiple Pro Bowls, been named a first-team All-Pro, and was the recipient of the largest contract in Jets history. It's hard to argue it wasn't deserved, either.

The entire Jets' defense revolves around Williams' production and effectiveness in the middle of his team's defensive line. Few defensive players in the NFL are more important to their team than he is.

1. Sauce Gardner, CB, NY Jets - 4th overall (2022)

What else is there to say about Sauce Gardner at this point? Though he's played just two seasons in the NFL at the time of writing, Gardner is quite literally on a trajectory to be one of the greatest cornerbacks in NFL history.

Gardner became the first cornerback in over 50 years to be named first-team All-Pro in consecutive seasons to begin a career. His 2022 and 2023 seasons are statistically among the best since coverage stats have been reliably tracked.

It's going to take a few more years of sustained dominance for Gardner to threaten Darrelle Revis' throne as the greatest cornerback in Jets history, but he's already been better through his first two seasons than Revis was at that point in his career.

Gardner isn't only the best player on the Jets' roster, nor is he only the best cornerback in the NFL — Gardner is one of the best players at any position in the sport. At just 23 years old, Gardner has a chance to become the greatest individual ever to wear a Jets uniform.