A 3-10 mark for the New York Jets has many fans already thinking about April. While the roster has talent evident on both sides of the ball, depth charts don’t win games, and the Jets’ lack of execution in all three phases has gotten them to this point. Here is an early look at where the Jets could go come springtime to help boost the roster back to relevancy inside the AFC East.
Round 1 (No. 7 overall): Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
Abdul Carter has continued to separate himself from the rest of a deep edge group all campaign long. He's as twitched up and explosive as any defender in the class who can also align up and down a front seven, and he also has experience in space. His ceiling is immense.
Round 2 (No. 38 overall): Drew Allar, QB, Penn State
The future isn’t Aaron Rodgers, and if New York brass has an eye for the future, allowing Drew Allar to come in and learn could be a nice landing spot for the talented true junior from Penn State. While returning to school could paint the picture of a surefire top-20 lock for next year's class, should Allar declare, the Jets could be a spot of intrigue considering their hole at the position and the immense talent of Allar. Returning to school has been discussed inside league circles considering his current developmental arc under OC Andy Kotelnicki, but should he indeed throw his name in the hat, the Jets are a nice spot where development should be preached.
Round 3 (No. 96 overall): Xavier Watts, SAF, Notre Dame
A sound and technically elite defender, you know exactly what you’re getting when you draft Xavier Watts. He’s intelligent, athletic, competitive downhill, and has a nose for the football from sideline to sideline. There are higher athletic profiles at the position in the class, but Watts’ ability to win mentally (where his film study is apparent) will translate seamlessly to the next level.
Round 4 (No. 105 overall): Ty Robinson, DL, Nebraska
Ty Robinson is a violent athlete within the middle whose name continues to rise in draft conversations. He’s as powerful as they come at 310 pounds, and a prospect I expect to push for a starting role in 2025. He’ll attend the Senior Bowl in just a few weeks.
Round 5 (No. 141 overall): Connor Colby, IOL, Iowa
Depth within the guts of an offensive line never hurts, and you always know what you’re going to get from linemen out of Iowa. Connor Colby has spent time at right tackle and both guard spots in his collegiate tenure, offering New York some versatility up front, as well.
Round 5 (No. 163 overall): BJ Mayes, CB, Texas A&M
A transfer from Incarnate Word via UAB, BJ Mayes had a nice campaign in 2024 for the Aggies. He looks the part at 6-foot-1, has excellent coverage ability, and competes his tail off on every rep. Whether he initially begins his career as a special teamer or as a rotational corner, Mayes is a name to know in a wide-open corner class.
Round 6 (No. 184 overall): Maurice Westmoreland, EDGE, UTEP
Maurice Westmoreland has flashed on tape for a few years now. There are some questions as far as his role at the next level considering his build (6-foot-2, 245 pounds), but he can flat-out push the pocket. Westmoreland amassed 35 pressures and eight sacks this fall, with eight pressures alone in his final game of the season. He’s been a fun player to study.
Round 6 (No. 207 overall): Sulaiman Kpaka, DT, Mississippi State
With it being so early in the process, I like to use these selections to introduce players to the audience that are currently unknown to the public eye. Sulaiman Kpaka is a twitched-up ballplayer at 300 pounds with the ability to slide up and down a defensive front as both an odd-front nose or even-front 1-tech. He’s got excellent hands, a heck of a pass-rush repertoire, and is a name to keep an eye on as the process continues. He has a shot to become one of the sleepers of the class.
Round 7 (No. 223 overall): Shaquan Loyal, SAF, Rutgers
Another prospect to get familiar with, Shaquan Loyal recently popped in a conversation when discussing risers in the DB class. He’s athletic, extremely well-built, and is someone who projects immediately as a core special teamer with the chance to earn snaps rotationally.
