In selecting Mekhi Becton, Joe Douglas his stamp on the New York Jets in the NFL Draft
Joe Douglas deserves a lot of credit, the New York Jets general manager may be in his first full offseason in his job but he is navigating free agency and now the NFL Draft like a seasoned pro.
On Thursday night, Douglas made the right decision, going left tackle with the Jets first round pick at No. 11. In doing so, he ignored the chatter about getting playmakers for the team through adding a wide receiver. And he also blocked out the chatter about moving back, which might have been a wise move if it hadn’t been for the fact that the Jets had two highly rated left tackles to choose from at their pick.
Douglas put his head down and trusted his gut. His instincts said Mekhi Becton, the massive Louisville left tackle who ran a 5.1 time in the 40 at the NFL Combine while measuring in at 6’7 and 364 pounds.
This shouldn’t be a surprise. Douglas follows his plan and then plows ahead. He is an offensive lineman through and through.
Keep in mind that Douglas was brought on board last year after the NFL Draft was conducted and much of free agency was completed. He inherited a team without the chance to upgrade or do much to shake-up the roster. Now in his first full offseason, after a busy free agency and now a first round pick, this clearly is Douglas' Jets team.
In free agency, he didn’t cave to the pressure to sign a big name left tackle in Jack Conklin. He hasn’t buckled to overpay the likes of Jadeveon Clowney, the pricey edge rusher. Instead, he found value and trusted his own evaluation of players.
So the Jets didn’t get names that excited the fanbase and sold jerseys. Instead, what Douglas got was the proverbial ballers, finding players with potential and on an upswing in their careers. He did so, refusing to jeopardize this team’s salary cap flexibility this offseason or next year, when they figure to be one of the most active teams in the league.
Douglas did that on Thursday night. While the argument between Becton and Tristan Wirfs will likely go on for a while as to who the better left tackle is, Douglas addressed this team’s biggest and most glaring deficiency.
In protecting Sam Darnold, the Jets are making sure that their franchise quarterback can continue the development and growth he showed over the second half of the season. If Darnold is the future of the Jets, then he must be protected. In Becton, the Jets got an offensive tackle that edge rushers will simply be exhausted running around.
A wide receiver such as Jerry Jeudy or CeeDee Lamb or Henry Ruggs III is nice and flashy. But Douglas knows that there aren’t many passes completed under a pile of defenders. Darnold needed a left tackle.
Wide receiver can be addressed on Day 2.
Becton is raw. His weight is an issue and he will need to slim down. A report last week of a flagged drug test at the NFL Combine is worrisome and likely led to him dropping several spots in the draft. But that’s why Douglas had to make this pick.
Because he is a freak at his size and moves so well, combining strength and speed, Becton has the potential to be an elite left tackle. The Jets couldn’t let him go, even if Wirfs is the more polished and ready left tackle. Becton was there at No. 11.
He should have been off the board well before.
Douglas made a pick on a player with plenty of question marks. There’s a risk that comes with it. But as he did in free agency, he weighed the options and went for upside.
This is now his team with his identity.
