Jets Go Defense at No. 15 Overall in Sports Illustrated's Thursday Morning Mock Draft
Kevin Hanson tried something different regarding the New York Jets' first-round selection in his final mock draft of the season.
The Sports Illustrated draftnik sent an edge rusher to Gang Green at No. 15 overall, and it wasn't even Iowa's highly-heralded Luke Van Ness.
The Jets landed defensive end Nolan Smith from the back-to-back CFP National Champion Georgia Bulldogs.
Hanson released his Round 1 projections on Thursday morning with the 2023 National Football League Draft set to kick off in the evening at 8:00 pm ET.
He started the article by writing somewhat of a disclaimer, saying "Earlier this month, FMIA’s Peter King shared a quote from a longtime agent that said, 'The mocks this year are going to be laughable.'"
The final attempt at predicting the picks suggested three quarterbacks will come off the board in the Top 10.
Hanson has the Houston Texans grabbing Ohio State Jaxon Smith-Njigba at No. 12 overall followed by the Green Bay Packers using the No. 13 selection (from the Jets) on the aforementioned Van Ness. The AFC East rival New England Patriots made Georgia left tackle Broderick Jones the No. 14 pick right before the Jets hit the clock.
15 New York Jets (via GB): Nolan Smith, edge, Georgia
"Smith’s athletic profile compares favorably to that of Haason Reddick and although he’s an undersized edge, he’s an outstanding run defender. While he’s not a finished product as a pass rusher, there is plenty of upside given his explosive athleticism. Smith’s elite leadership qualities should endear him quickly to his coaches and teammates."
- Kevin Hanson (read full mock draft)
The 6-foot-2 Smith totaled 16 quarterback hurries in eight starts for Georgia in 2022 prior to suffering an injury in the Florida game. The pass rusher, who defends the run well on film, clocked the fastest 40-yard dash (4.39) of all defensive ends at the 2023 NFL Combine.
NFL DB Excerpt on Smith: "Smith has great closing burst and sideline speed, allowing him to track down horizontal runs with ease. In the passing game, Smith is an outside track rusher who wins with get-off and primarily a dip move where he can get low to the ground and bend towards the quarterback. He’ll provide teams with a high floor due to his penchant for stuffing the run. Smith is solely a 3-4 outside linebacker due to his lack of size but the tools are there to be an All-Pro." - NFL Draft Bible
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