The Jets are in a tricky spot at the 2024 NFL Draft. With the No. 10 pick, they can try and move up for a playmaker or stay pat and play it safe to bolster their offensive line. They could also trade back to recoup some of the draft capital they lost in recent seasons.
There are plenty of opinions on how the Jets should proceed in late April, but here’s who the experts believe the Jets will select in their latest mock drafts…
OT Olu Fashanu – Penn State
The talk will be for the Jets to snag Georgia tight end Brock Bowers or one of the top-tier receivers (assuming an inevitable run on quarterbacks pushes one down). That would be the splashy pick, but in this case, not the smart one. The Jets’ offensive line looks significantly improved on paper, but there are so many injury concerns with the guys they’re relying on. Tyron Smith hasn’t played a full season since 2015 while 33-year-old Morgan Moses’ body started breaking down for the Ravens last year. The Jets only two contingency plans at the moment are Carter Warren and Max Mitchell. Is that whom you want to trust with Aaron Rodgers’ health?
Fashanu isn’t just just an elite-level contingency plan for this season. He’s the Jets’ long-term answer moving forward. Remember: Both Moses and Smith are on one-year deals. Fashanu will be the Jets’ answer 2025 and beyond.
TE Brock Bowers – Georgia
The Jets have an older offensive line with Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses, so a tackle would make sense. Bowers is the best player on the board, however, and another pass-catching weapon for Aaron Rodgers. He’s excellent in the open field and will provide yards after the catch, showing his excellence with the football in the second level. And the Jets could use a No. 1 tight end.
Vinnie Iyer, The Sporting News
OT Taliese Fuaga – Oregon State (projected trade with Broncos at No. 12)
The Jets have many ways they can go with their first-rounder, making them prime trade-down candidates under GM Joe Douglas. They added Tyron Smith, but so far, they have opted not to bring back Mekhi Becton, leaving a hole along the offensive line. New York would be smart to add a powerful presence to start right away on the right side.
TE Brock Bowers – Georgia
This is really the first logical match I see for Bowers, the two-time Mackey Award winner who is head and shoulders above the other tight ends in this class. If the Jets are all-in around quarterback Aaron Rodgers this season, taking Bowers would give them the best chance to make a playoff run. They brought in left tackle Tyron Smith and right tackle Morgan Moses last month, which lessens the need for an immediate starter at tackle. This just makes sense.
WR Rome Odunze – Washington (projected trade with Titans at No. 7)
Having aggressively upgraded the roster via free agency and a pair of trades, the Jets are clearly going for it in Take 2 of the Aaron Rodgers experience. So, with few obvious needs remaining, what’s stopping Joe Douglas from carrying this energy into the draft? New York fills the third-round hole on Tennessee’s draft docket by flipping the rebuilding Titans Pick No. 72, thus allowing the Jets to leapfrog the Bears and snag the last of the Big Three wideouts. Remember: Mike Williams is a) coming off a torn ACL and b) on a one-year deal. Thus, Odunze gives Gang Green a) valuable insurance for 2024 and b) a dynamic complement to Garrett Wilson for years to come.
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