No offensive line: CeeDee Lamb is now the most popular mock to the New York Jets
Despite the pressing need at offensive tackle, in particular at left tackle, the New York Jets are no longer favored to go offensive line in the first round of the NFL Draft. Recent mock drafts have the Jets instead looking to bolster another position group in need.
Wide receiver is now the area of need for the Jets, not surprising given that most mock drafts will have honed in on the fact that the Jets lost Robby Anderson this offseason. The second-leading receiver on the team last year, Anderson brought speed and a certain amount of playmaking to the offense and his absence will surely affect the Jets passing offense.
But if quarterback Sam Darnold doesn’t have time to throw and the Jets can’t protect him, it doesn’t matter who the wide receivers are. But that is a discussion for another day and another time.
After trending towards Tristan Wirfs before the NFL Combine and then Andrew Thomas in recent weeks, there has been a swing among local and national mock drafts away from offensive tackle and towards wide receiver.
Oklahoma wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is now the most popular pick to the Jets at No. 11, getting 17.3% of all first round mocks. He is very closely followed by Thomas, one of the top left tackles who is the Jets pick 16.9% of all mock drafts.
Coming in third is Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (15%).
The rest of the field (50.8%) represents a smattering of offensive tackles such as the aforementioned Wirfs, whose draft stock has risen since the Combine but who was a highly popular mock to the Jets early in the process. Wirfs will not be available to the Jets unless they move up in the draft.
In recent weeks, wide receivers such as Lamb and Jeudy have become popular for the Jets, as has wide receiver Henry Ruggs III (Alabama) and right tackle Jedrick Wills (Alabama).
This offseason, Jets general manager Joe Douglas has done a solid job of rebuilding the offensive line. The unit though, is still lacking an elite left tackle which could make a player like Thomas or Jedrick Wills appealing to the Jets in the first round.
