Jets' Draft Plan: Pick Third-Best Tackle or Trade No. 10 Pick?
NFL Network lead draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah predicts that highly-coveted offensive tackles Joe Alt and Olu Fashanu will no longer be available by the time the New York Jets make their first-round selection at No. 10 overall.
With both blue chip bookends already off the draft board, how will the offensive tackle-needy Jets proceed?
"I would say Alt is gone. Fashanu probably is gone. That's why I think it could come down to Fuaga versus Latham with that selection," said Jeremiah during Thursday's media availability previewing next week's NFL Combine.
In his latest mock draft, Jeremiah sent Oregon State's Taliese Fuaga to the Jets as the third offensive tackle taken. Four of the first eight selections were quarterbacks.
"Fuaga is a really, really clean player for me. He has played on the right side. I don't see really why you would want to move him. I think he is plug-and-play as a right tackle," said Jeremiah.
Fuaga, an All-Pac 12 Conference honoree, is an appealing prospect, but there is supposedly a drop-off in projected potential after Alt and Fashanu. Although a reliable right tackle would certainly help the Jets, there seems to be a more acute need at left tackle with Mekhi Becton and Duane Brown possibly on the way out. Fourth-round rookie Carter Warren was serviceable when starting the season's final three games at right tackle. Alijah Vera-Tucker also has experience at the position and could land there upon returning from Achilles surgery.
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Instead of settling for Fuaga, why not trade down and acquire more picks? The Jets have needs to satisfy at multiple positions this offseason and they aren't exactly flush with high-end draft capital. General manager Joe Douglas and Co. have only two Top 100 selections.
New York is without a second-round pick this year as a result of last spring's trade for quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Jets could recover that Round 2 pick and more by simply sliding down 10-12 slots in the first round.
With holes at offensive tackle, secondary receiver and defensive tackle, the Jets may be better off stockpiling Day 2 picks instead of opting for a right tackle at No. 10 overall.
