Former NFL GM Jeff Diamond on New York Jets at No. 11: 'good chance that will be an offensive tackle'

If the New York Jets stay put at No. 11 or end up moving back in the NFL Draft, there is still a good possibility that they can land an impact player. That could well be a left tackle, so says former NFL general manager and executive Jeff Diamond.

Coming into the draft, the two highest priorities for the Jets will be left tackle and wide receiver. At No. 11, there’s a good chance that Tristan Wirfs will be off the draft board, the Iowa big tackle who should likely go in the top six picks. Mekhi Becton (Louisville) might also be selected within the first 10 picks, at least that was the likely scenario before reports this weekend of a flagged drug test at the NFL Combine.

Which means that, in all likelihood, the Jets could be at a spot to select either Andrew Thomas (Georgia) or Jedrick Wills (Alabama), a right tackle who projects on the left side as well. In addition, Becton could fall to the Jets at No. 11 as well, leading to multiple possibilities for general manager Joe Douglas to upgrade the team’s weakest spot.

“I always believed in the best player available philosophy especially in the first round unless a quarterback is your highest rated player when you pick and you don’t need a quarterback as is the case for the Jets,” Diamond said.

“And if the ratings are very similar—then go with the position of need. So I think Joe Douglas will respect his board and take the best player at No. 11 and I agree there’s a good chance that will be an offensive tackle and it could be any of the top four who are all top 10 caliber guys—Wirfs, Wills, Becton or Thomas. I’d be happy to grab any of those tackles at No. 11 and I see the Jets waiting until round two to get a wide receiver (out of a deep WR class) to pair with Breshard Perriman in an attempt to replace Robby Anderson and upgrade their receiver corps. Edge rusher and corner also should be targets for the Jets.”

Diamond is a former general manager of the Minnesota Vikings and also was president of the Tennessee Titans.

And while the Jets likely will be able to land a top left tackle at No. 11 (and might even have a choice to make among Thomas, Becton or Wills), the top two wide receivers in the draft might also be there. There’s a strong possibility that one if not both of Jerry Jeudy (Alabama) or CeeDee Lamb (Oklahoma) could be there for the Jets if they don’t move the pick.

For a team without a playmaker at wide receiver for nearly a decade, the idea of landing a star target for quarterback Sam Darnold to throw down field to would be enticing. But Darnold can’t utilize a playmaker wide receiver if he’s throwing from his back, meaning that offensive line help might be the pick here.