Rich Cimini breaks down the 2016 New York Jets draft class.
Round 1, Pick No. 20: Darron Lee, OLB, Ohio State | Highlights
My take: This was a mild surprise because, frankly, Lee doesn't seem like a great scheme fit. At 6-foot-1, 232 pounds, he's smallish for a 3-4 inside linebacker, but he can run like a safety, evidenced by his blazing 40 at the combine -- 4.47 seconds. Improving the speed on defense is one of the Jets' objectives; Lee definitely helps. They picked him over high-profile linebackers Myles Jack and Reggie Ragland, and quarterback Paxton Lynch. General manager Mike Maccagnan hinted that Jack's knee condition may have been a factor. As for Ragland, he's a two-down thumper, and the Jets clearly wanted a linebacker who can cover and play on third down. They wisely avoided Lynch, a major project.
Under construction: Lee will play the "Mo" position in the Jets' linebacking corps -- the weak-inside slot, manned last season by Demario Davis. For now, Lee will back up Erin Henderson in the base defense. Lee will play immediately in the nickel, according to coach Todd Bowles, who said, "He's going to grow into a three-down role as he goes forward." The Jets picked Lee because of his sideline-to-sideline range, pass-coverage ability and versatility. Their once-formidable linebacking corps became old and slow; this selection marks the continuation of a major overhaul. It started last year with the drafting of outside linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin.
Round 2, Pick No. 51: Christian Hackenberg, QB, Penn State| Highlights
My take: The Jets have three backup quarterbacks and no starter: Geno Smith, Bryce Petty and Hackenberg, with Ryan Fitzpatrick still floating in free-agent limbo. This was an unnecessary pick by the Jets, who could've filled another need at 51. Hackenberg will probably ride the bench as a rookie, so this means no production from their second-round selection. It's a curious choice because Hackenberg is hardly a sure thing. Truth be told, he's one of the most polarizing prospects in the draft. Clearly, general manager Mike Maccagnan fell in love with Hackenberg, who looks the part (6-foot-4, 223 pounds) and possesses a big arm. Problem is, he's not accurate and he didn't play well enough in college to justify a high selection. Just add him to the Jets' list of quarterback projects.
Will the real Hackenberg please stand up? He was a mediocre quarterback over his final two collegiate seasons (28 touchdowns, 21 interceptions), but there wasn't much talent around him and he didn't fit the Nittany Lions' new spread system. Opposing coaches thought they could beat him mentally and that he lacked courage under fire. As a freshman, in Bill O'Brien's pro-style system, Hackenberg showed promise (20 touchdowns, 10 interceptions). Some talent evaluators projected him as a future top-10 pick. The Jets are hoping to get that Hackenberg, not the Hackenberg who appeared rattled at times over his sophomore and junior seasons. He took a beating (103 career sacks), raising questions about his pocket presence and whether he's skittish. Said one AFC personnel executive: "He has some special qualities, but you have to ask yourself, 'Can I get this guy back on track?'" Hackenberg was a mess at the scouting combine, causing some scouts to shake their heads as he threw wildly in drills. He fell short of the 60 percent mark each of his three seasons; completion percentage usually is an accurate barometer of future performance. The Jets are placing a lot of faith in offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, their quarterback whisperer.
Lots of homework: The Jets studied three years of tape, went to Penn State for a private workout and brought Hackenberg to One Jets Drive for a pre-draft visit. Conclusion: "There's a lot of upside and potential," Maccagnan said. "We vetted him thoroughly." In fact, Maccagnan, Gailey, Todd Bowles, quarterbacks coach Kevin Patullo and a couple of scouts attended the private workout. Aside from Hackenberg's physical talent, they were impressed by his smarts, work ethic and leadership. One opposing scout said Hackenberg "didn't see eye to eye" with Penn State coach James Franklin, which may have contributed to a tense environment. The Jets hope they can rehabilitate the quarterback, making it 2013 all over again.
Round 3, Pick No. 83: Jordan Jenkins, OLB, Georgia| Highlights
My take: This is a solid pick. Jenkins addresses a need because outside linebacker was the thinnest position on the roster and he's a good value in the third round (83 overall). It would've been a dire situation if the Jets had emerged from the draft without an edge player for their front seven. Todd Bowles has two new linebackers for his defense -- Jenkins and first-round pick Darron Lee. In the past two seasons, general manager Mike Maccagnan has invested three premium picks to overhaul a position that was old and slow. Bowles took a recent trip to Georgia for a personal workout with Jenkins and Floyd.
Don't expect a sack machine: Jenkins (6-foot-3, 259 pounds) wasn't a prolific pass-rusher at Georgia. In four seasons, he produced 19 sacks, 40 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles. He's not an explosive player, but rather a stout, edge-setting run defender who can handle the tight end at the point of attack. He's a younger version of Calvin Pace, and there's nothing wrong with that. Every defense needs a blue-collar player. Jenkins was consistent; he averaged at least eight tackles for loss and four sacks in each of his four seasons. The concern is his pass coverage. He wasn't asked to do much at Georgia -- only play 26 of 246 passing snaps, according to Pro Football Focus research. He committed only one penalty over his final two seasons, per PFF data.
The linebacker shuffle: You may not recognize the Jets' linebacking corps in 2016. Pace and Demario Davis are gone, and there could be three new starters. David Harris returns in the middle, Erin Henderson replaces Davis inside and Mauldin ascends to a starting position on the outside. Jenkins will compete for the fourth spot against a cast of marginal veterans. The speed on the outside is improved, no doubt, but there will be a learning curve with so many young players. Harris' experience and leadership will be vital in this rebuilding phase.
Round 4, Pick No. 118: Juston Burris, CB, North Carolina State| Highlights
My take: Frankly, it's a little surprising they waited this long to pick a cornerback. They passed on some good ones in each of the first three rounds, settling on a former three-year starter who produced only five interceptions in college. Burris went off the board where most experts expected, so it's hard to quibble with the value. They had to add a young corner to the pipeline. Consider: Darrelle Revis is turning 31 soon, Antonio Cromartie is gone and former No. 1 pick Dee Milliner is a non-factor. Coach Todd Bowles loves him some corners, and he has a new one in the mix.
Scheme fit: Burris played a man-to-man scheme at NC State, so it should be a relatively easy transition into the Jets' man-heavy system. Bowles said, "He's big, he's got long arms and he's very good at the line of scrimmage. He's a press corner. He's got great eyes and ball skills." Burris is 6-foot, 212 pounds, so he has ideal size for the position. His statistics don't support Bowles' claim about his ball skills -- only three interceptions the past two seasons. Then again, he was targeted only 44 times last season, according to Pro Football Focus. The completion percentage against him was only 34 percent -- impressive work. Bowles said Burris has the ability to play the slot, but it sounds like they'll start him off outside. The big question is his speed -- only a 4.55 in the 40. His short-shuttle time (4.40) is below average for a corner.
Round 5, Pick No. 158: Brandon Shell, OT, South Carolina| Highlights
My take: For a general manager who says he wants to build through the draft, Mike Maccagnan trades away a lot of draft picks. Most of the time, it's for veteran players. He must have a strong conviction about Shell, who started 47 games in the ultra-competitive SEC. The Jets gave up more for Shell than they did last year for quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who cost them a sixth-round choice in this year's draft. Consider that for a moment. This has a "reach" feel to it. Evidently, they didn't want to come out of this draft without an offensive lineman. They made the trade less than an hour after coach Todd Bowles told reporters he was "very comfortable" with his offensive line depth.
Round 7, Pick No. 235: Loc Edwards, P, Sam Houston State| Highlights
My take: Why not? They needed a punter. Edwards is the favorite to replace Ryan Quigley, who didn't receive a free-agent tender and wound up signing with the Philadelphia Eagles. Edwards, born and raised in Australia, was the third punter selected in the draft. The last time the Jets drafted a punter was 1993, when they chose Craig Hentrich in the eighth round. He went on to have a long career with the Tennessee Titans. In three collegiate seasons, Edwards averaged 42.8 yards on 185 punts. He put 45 punts inside the 20. Edwards told reporters his strength is hang time.
From Down Under: Edwards punted an American football for the first time in 2012 while hanging out with friends in a park in Australia. One of his professors at Ballarat University happened to be driving by. He saw him punt and put him in touch with a kicking coach. After that, they made a highlight tape and sent it to American universities. Previously, Edwards, listed at 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds, played Australian football. He also played rugby, cricket and ran track. He's the latest Aussie punter to reach the NFL. In the late 2000s, the Jets had Ben Graham.
Round 7, Pick No. 241:Charone Peake, WR, Clemson| Highlights
My take: A most interesting selection. Some draftniks projected Peake (6-foot-2, 209 pounds) as a possible third-round pick, but he slipped because of two knee injuries, including an ACL tear in 2013. He was highly recruited out of high school, but he disappeared from the radar at Clemson because he played behind DeAndre Hopkins and Sammy Watkins. He finally got his chance last season to be a full-time player and he responded with 50 catches, 716 yards and five touchdowns. He ran the 40 in 4.37 seconds at his pro day, displaying an eye-popping size-speed ratio. If he can stay healthy, the Jets might have a seventh-round gem.