Should the Jets Pick Paris Johnson Jr. in First Round of 2023 NFL Draft?
It's that time to start looking ahead to the 2023 NFL Draft, and the Jets' number one need is left tackle on the offensive line.
Since General Manager Joe Douglas took over in 2019, New York has allowed the fourth-most sacks in the league (190), and that's not a trend any team wants.
Douglas' 2020 first-round pick of left tackle Mekhi Becton (No. 11) looks like a bust, and all of his other stop-gap measures have amounted to pitching sandbags in front of the pocket.
Douglas has got to get this one right or it won't matter who's under center.
His job depends on it.
The position of left tackle is one of the most important positions on the entire team. They even made a movie about it, The Blind Side.
This begins a new weekly series on looking at the biggest names the Jets will be considering this coming April.
From an evaluation standpoint, the biggest thing I look at when it comes to left tackles is hand placement at the point of attack, lateral footwork and foot speed.
After that, I look at the athleticism, toughness and physicality of the player.
This brings us to this week's 2023 NFL Draft prospect, Ohio State's Paris Johnson Jr.
Mainstream draft platforms absolutely love Johnson, as 95.4% of these platforms have him tagged with a first-round grade.
Yahoo Sports and The Athletic both see this recently declared Buckeyes' blocker going as high as No. 7 overall.
Others see him about as highly, CBS (No. 10), Pro Football Network and The Sporting News (No. 11), Draftwire and NBC Sports Chicago (No. 13).
Another notable projection has been made by The 33rd Team, founded by former Jets' GM (and my former boss my last two seasons in pro scouting), Mike Tannenbaum. The 33rd Team stamped Johnson as a first-round prospect and are forecasting he goes No. 13 overall.
I am not seeing Johnson as highly.
After careful study of six games spanning the past two seasons of this Ohio State offensive lineman, he presented a real concern.
Don't get me wrong, there's a lot to like.
However, I keep circling back to the most important attributes of a left tackle: the hand placement, the lateral footwork and the foot speed.
Johnson has two out of three, the red flag is his lateral footwork technique.
This Buckeyes' blocker wasn't always pretty in pass protection and now he's going into a league that's all about the passing game. To his credit, he did get the job done often, but against college level competition. The NFL is not college.
Johnson was able to compensate at the college level with pure aggression and effort, but will that be enough at the next level?
That's the big question.
The NFL offers much more highly skilled and experienced pass rushers who will be coming off the edge on his side, and that's where I must get off the first-round ride with Johnson. I would recommend him if I was sitting in the team's pre-draft meetings, but not in the opening round.
Grading Paris Johnson Jr.
6-foot-6, 310 pounds
2021 game film reviewed: Penn State, Purdue and Michigan State
2022 game film reviewed: Penn State, Wisconsin and Notre Dame
Grade: 2nd Round (Solid starter, but not elite level talent)
Talent upgrade for the Jets: Yes
Scouting Report
Aggressive and athletic left tackle who excels in run blocking and lacks technique in pass pro. Active and alert looking while setting up initially in the shallow depth of the pocket with his long arms and his hands in position to strike while maintaining a wide base. Good lower body strength hunkering down against bullrushes. Handles vanilla pass rushes with ease while sliding out and maintaining his base. Has a glaring tendency to over-aggress at times, stop moving his feet and instead lean his body into defenders which compromises his control and leverage. This causes him to cross over his footwork putting him in a chase position around the backside of the pocket. It leaves the inside "B" gap vulnerable too. Helps out in combo blocks. Picks up stunts. Strong run blocker who loves to pancake defenders. Good at pulling and looked good getting out to the second-level (where the linebackers reside).
Bottom line:
Johnson is solid, but he didn't excite me on game film. He didn't leave me wanting to see more.
Johnson isn't who the Jets need to take in the first round of the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft.
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