After selecting Ohio State LB Darron Lee in Round 1, the Jets will get back to work Friday night as the draft moves into Rounds 2 and 3. The Green & White own the 20th selection in each round and plenty of interesting names remain.
"I think I'm wondering when does the major run on defensive tackles begin," NFL Network's Charles Davis told me this morning. "There are a bunch of them that are still out there, a good number of them probably had first-round grades on them."
That list includes a pair of interior players from Alabama in Jarran Reed and A'Shawn Robinson. Baylor's Andrew Billings fits the mold of a prototypical nose tackle on the next level and defensive tackles Austin Johnson (Penn State), Maliek Collins (Nebraska) and Hassan Ridgway (Texas) also could be targeted by clubs in the second round.
Meanwhile UCLA LB Myles Jack, who some pundits believe was the best player in the entire draft class, had a long wait Thursday night. Jack, a dominant force when healthy at UCLA, told the New York Post this week that he could require microfracture surgery down the line.
"First round too rich for people," said Davis of Jack. "Second round, people still are probably a little iffy. But at the same time they realize if you wait, he probably won't be around for you," Davis said. "So I think someone makes a move on him and takes the shot. I hope that happens for the kid. It's just horrible for him and Jaylon Smith – great players, one injury and it's altered the destiny of their futures."
While no tight ends were selected Thursday, Arkansas product Hunter Henry will get some attention after a 51-catch season. The 6'5", 250-pounder was also clutch as 93 of his 116 career catches went for a first down or TD.
"Hunter Henry will be interesting because people were talking about maybe taking him in the first round, but also I'm not sure how many people see dynamic out of this tight end crop," Davis said. "So maybe they wait a little bit longer, so he could very well be there. He could be in that (Jets) spot."
As expected, there was a run of offensive tackles in the first round. And Davis believes athletic Indiana T Jason Spriggs could be taken well before the Jets are scheduled to go on the clock.
"I think a guy like Spriggs because of his ability to pass protect, I think he's going to be gone pretty fast," he said. "I don't see him lasting very long."
Pass rusher Noah Spence, a former teammate of Lee's at Ohio State, racked up 11.5 sacks last season at Eastern Kentucky and will almost assuredly be selected tonight. Oklahoma State's Emmanuel Ogbah also is an explosive athlete of the edge. Corners Xavien Howard (Baylor), Mackensie Alexander (Clemson) and Kendall Fuller (Virginia Tech) are a talented trio of corners looking for homes. And a pair of Big 10 passers — Connor Cook and Christian Hackenberg — could duel to be the fourth QB selected.
"I see Cook going in Round 2 for sure. Hackenberg is a little more iffy," Davis said. "I think someone will likely pull the trigger because everyone always has someone on staff who says, 'I can fix him.'"
Davis believes the Jets are off to a fine start. He considered Lee one of his favorite players in the entire draft.
"He's a three-down type of a player because you can play him in your sub packages, you can play him in your base," he said. "I think he can rush the passer although I think that's the place he probably needs the most work. I know he can cover. The kid was a corner in high school, I think he's a very good tackler and that speed which is paramount in today's game - I think Todd Bowles is really going to enjoy using him all over the place."
