7th rounders only

The Draft

Let's face it Jets fans. Our drafts seem to be REALLY BAD. Sure, we have Leonard Willams, Revis Island, and Joe Namath #HailNamath, but as every person to whom I tell I am a Jets fan lets me know, we drafted Mark Sanchez. Especially at quarterback, our picks seem thrown against the wall. Mark Sanchez again tops that list, but at least they went to the payoffs with him (Another post about that team soon). Christian Hackenberg has yet to play. Petty is not much more than a perennial backup. Geno Smith and Kellen Clemens were 2nd Rounders! No such luck for us finding the late round gem recently. So here are 7th rounders I truly believe can make any difference for this team. Don't forget this is all opinion and I wanted the Jets to draft Hackenberg.

Quentin Flowers, QB South Florida

     I personally believe that the Jets need to make sure their line is solid. But the sexy prospects aren't the big guys who make the team look good. I remember watching Russell Wilson at NC state and and knowing he was going to be good. Look where he is now. While his counter part at UCF McKenzie Milton is my favorite QB in Florida, people have been sleeping on this guy. He is small, he is playing against talent less NFL ready in the AAC, but the kid can ball. As 7th round prospect he can be a different style than we are used to. MY WORRY: His adjusted QBR has not reached over 93.5 this year. His footwork shifted and he has thrown half of his career interceptions this year. But as seventh rounders go, a change of pace is welcoming. UPDATE: There is a good chance he will go to the 2019 draft instead. My bad!

Jake Wieneke, WR SDSU

     A FCS receiver will be available in the 7th round. No doubt about it. For the Jets, that guy is Jake Wieneke. He broke out on draft radars when he caught 4 touchdowns on opening weekend. The kid is 6'4, runs under 4.6, and can jump. His route running leaves a lot to be desired in my opinion, and it seems like he tries to be smaller than he is. The Jets NEED receivers, plain and simple. Robby Anderson is fine, Chad Hansen and Ardarius Stewart need time, and Enunwa is a question mark coming after injury. I think this WR class is surprisingly deep. That being said the top leaves a lot to be desired. A tall guy who can add a redzone presence even if it's a little is a big get the seventh round. MY WORRY: He is playing in the FCS. I am not saying that means he is any less of a talent, but nobody knows how a small school skill set will transfer to the NFL. 

Jaylen Dunlap, CB Illinois

     This is my second post, but I feel like I have already made myself clear. I DO NOT LIKE BUSTER SKRINE. There have always been plays that he makes which allow me to understand why the Jets keep him, but they are so far apart that I overall cannot stand the guy. Honestly, he is a good person, he does a lot for charity, and I respect his ethic. But you can't say you don't worry about penalties. The Bucs game proved that. Enter Jaylen Dunlap, a former 2 star recruit who has penalty problems at Illinois. Yet, a lot of scouts say he is going to be better in the NFL, and I agree. He is aggressive at the right times. He is a great character guy and has a lot of heart. MY WORRY: I don't want more penalties. I REALLY do not want more. Aggressiveness is so crucial, but so is a high football IQ. Look at the rookie safeties.

Emmit Carpenter, K Minnesota

     Wow. A KICKER. Actually, yes. My only problem with having him on this list is that he probably will be taken before the 7th round. The kid is good. He can kick the ball far and accurately. What I like about him more than the other top kickers in this class (which I believe is the strongest part of this draft class) is his spirit. kickers have an immensely stressful job. The kid always is smiling. His teammates adore him, and he is a nice guy to everybody. Catanzaro misses. He does. A lot, it seems like. I watched him miss in Arizona and now New York. Rookie kickers are fun! They are cheap. And as a bonus, if they work out you look like a genius. MY WORRY: The weakness of this draft class pushes players like Emmit further up than normal. He may be drafted before the Jets have a chance to snag him

Cody O'Connell, G Washington State

     Finally, we have one of my top 5 offensive line prospects in the country. Cody O'Connell is a high character individual who was an Outland award finalist last year and is on the list this year as well. He is strong, works hard, and was a consensus All-American last year. Oh, and he is 6'9. His nickname is "THE CONTINENt!" How did a guy like this slip into the 7th round/UDFA category? With his height he would be better suited at tackle, but he is slow on the outside. He does well in both pass and run blocking, but quicker defensive players get around him easier than they should. Yet I still like the guy a lot. On a Jets O-line that struggles, it never hurts to have an extra body or two. He has 2 bodies. MY WORRY: His footwork needs to get quicker. His first step does not happen quick enough. Versus Cal he was bad. Plain and simple. Line coach Steve Marshall does a good job of training first step, so it seems like a nice match.

There it is! 5 late round guys that I think would be difference makers. Don't forget to follow the blog for more amazing content. Thanks for reading! Hope your days are filled with green and white. Don't forget to #HailNamath today! J E T S  JETS JETS JETS