First Round – (30) Muhammed Wilkerson, DE, Temple Third Round – (94) Kenrick Ellis, NT, Hampton Fourth Round – (126) Bilal Powell, RB, Louisville Fifth Round – (153) Jeremy Kerley, WR, TCU Seventh Round – (208) Greg McElroy, QB, Alabama (227) Scotty McKnight, WR, Colorado What's your opinion of the draft guys, let's here it!
I give the draft a B+ I love the DL additions and the WR's...McElroy should make a fine backup QB. But we're still missing an OLB pass rushing presence. Maybe the FO has other plans, I don't know.
Wilkerson = A (Potential to be a stud) Ellis = A (if he doesnt wind up servin 20 years) Powell = B (Some competition at the rb spot,LT only has a year left and McKnight ,may not cut it) Kerley = B (Liking this pick,could be the slot guy we need) McElroy = B (You figure Brunell only has a year left and Clemens aint that great) Scotty McKnight = C (unsure bout this one apparently Rex and Tanny like that last name though)
Its a B+ The OLBs need to be improved with a spot starter because clearly BT and Pace have the starting roles. Because of that logic, not being in a position to draft an OLB at the right value clearly directed the FO towards the DL. The glaring problem is the DL, because it doesn't have that many returning players. The OLBs will have more room to work with now that these kids who have high potential have been drafted. The WRs were a good idea. Kerley can have 25 receptions this year. McKnight may be a PS player before he sees any time this season. Let's remember that 5-7 round players aren't known for being game changers, they are STers and backup players first. Powell is a future pick that will pay dividends later. Rex is building a running attack that punishes defenses for being in the way. Front 7s will hate this team. That's the idea. Its another depth draft at some positions and its a replacement draft at another positions. By no means has this been a draft to fortify positions we thought needed fortifying. I trust Tanny and the FO with the direction and vision they have. FA is still around. They know how to find players in FA to put this team over the top. I'd still like some OL help. That's the one thing I will never neglect. I love drafting OL to keep the running game strong and Sanchez protected. That RT spot needs to be addressed once FA begins, unless Ducasse is really ready for it - I don't think he is.
First Round – (30) Muhammed Wilkerson, DE, Temple A Third Round – (94) Kenrick Ellis, NT, Hampton A Fourth Round – (126) Bilal Powell, RB, Louisville B Fifth Round – (153) Jeremy Kerley, WR, TCU A Seventh Round – (208) Greg McElroy, QB, Alabama B (227) Scotty McKnight, WR, Colorado C- Liked every pick except for McKnight who seems like a waste. Wilkerson and Ellis are the future of the DL who will become studs. Powell should contribute immediately keeping the RBs fresh and being the short yardage back. Kerley should come in right away and be the slot wr also has the potential to replace Smith as the do it all guy. McElroy seems like a capable back up and should be able to come in if anything happens to Sanchez. I would have liked to take another defensive player or OL depth with the final pick. Take a chance on someone with a high ceiling who may be considered a risk. Overall I will go B+
Filled some holes in the beginning and end (Mo, Ken, Kerley, and McElroy). Like I said before the draft, the elite OLB we need wouldn't be available that late in the first. Too bad Wimbley was tagged by Oaktown, he was the guy I wanted. Hopefully Powell and Greene provide the 1-2 punch we need. Makes me worry less about Greene's injury issues. Losing a second for Cro seems like a waste now, but I would't give up the feeling I had going into the AFC Championship, so no complaints here...especially if we get him for another year as an RFA. McKnight seems like nepotism and nothing more. The biggest dividend from drafting him will be when Rex needs a favor from Sancho. Being in his good graces for an irrelevant pick isn't such a bad idea. Should Ellis, Kerley, Powell, and McElroy work out, this is an A draft.
I guess it's fair to say that Cromartie should be included in this draft class (he's our 2nd rounder). Might have to bump my grade up to an A. Unless of course....we don't resign Cro.
I'm giving it an A. Getting defensive line help in the first round with Wilkerson is huge. I think he can be a big time contributor this year collapsing the pocket and forcing double teams which should open up more blitz lanes. Then getting Ellis in the 3rd is a steal if it turns out his character concerns are overblown. From what I've read by the folks here who've done their HW it's entirely possible they may be. He's a big guy that can spell Pouha and even be pushed as an end on first downs. The RB pick is OK, I don't hate or love it. I'm just glad we didn't trade up for him. LT's not gonna be on the team in 2012 and a young three headed rushing attack of Greene, Powell and McKnight with this offensive line will be deadly. They're also cheap so there's not a lot of cap space tied into a position in which most of their success is due to the big guys up front. I really like the Jeremy Kerley pick. He seems like the perfect slot guy that this offense could really use, especially since Cotchery has been a bit injury prone the past couple years. And obviously he'll help out on special teams. McElroy's a smart kid, if he can pick up the offensive scheme he'll be a long term backup here who can step in for a game or 2 in a worst case scenario if Sanchez is hurt. Don't really have much of an opinion of the McKnight pick, at least they got somebody Sanchez is familiar with. Anybody left on the board will be looked at as an undrafted free agent
First Round – (30) Muhammed Wilkerson, DE, Temple - This guy should never have been on the board. Thank you so much to the teams who reached for QB's allowing him to slide down to 30. If he can reach his potential, he will be one of the best 3-4 DE's in the game for a long time. With his proven work ethic, He sure has a chance. Third Round – (94) Kenrick Ellis, NT, Hampton - He has all the potential in the world. If he didnt smoke his way out of South Carolina (and kept his production where it was) he probably would have been a first round pick. Even as it was, if he didnt have the legal issues he would have been a second rounder no doubt. So from a football player perspective, they got exceptional value late in round 3. Unfortunately, Ellis has the legal issues hanging over his head. Obviously the F.O. is positive he isnt going to jail, but he still has character concerns, hopefully he can come in and keep his nose clean. Fourth Round – (126) Bilal Powell, RB, Louisville - The first questionable pick. You can't question the skill of the player, or where he was selected however, the guy can play great football. What you can question is the choice to pick a player at a stacked position instead of a similarly ranked player at a position of need. That said, I love the pick. This is clearly Rex's pick this year, as Powell plays with a reckless abandon and just flat out attacks the defense. We have strengthened a strength with a great player. Next offseason LT will be moving on, and Bilal will be ready to step in right away. Fifth Round – (153) Jeremy Kerley, WR, TCU - You guys know how I feel about this pick. Kerley will be great in Green and White. He runs excellent routes, he is quick, shifty great hands. Sanchez is going to look to this guy in the future when he is in trouble, and Kerley will come up big for him, time and time again. Seventh Round – (208) Greg McElroy, QB, Alabama - Does anybody really want Kellen Clemens to be our long term backup? Yeah neither did Rex and Tanny. Brunell will probably be around for 1 more year, allowing McElroy to get up to speed with our offense, and to adjust to speed of the NFL. After that McElroy will be our long term backup. Good to know we have that solved. I mean this kid has only lost 8 games, since he started high school! He is smart, will easily adjust to the pro game. (227) Scotty McKnight, WR, Colorado - the most controversial pick of the Jets draft. everybody thinks that Scotty was only drafted because he and Sanchez are buddies. Well the kid can still play football and I think Westy will turn this guy into a successful gunner. He also has been sucessful as a receiver, with 219 receptions, and 22 TD's. He is Colorado's all time leading receiver as a walk on. He also has the distinction of being only the 10th player in NCAA history that has a reception in every game he played in. At the end of the day, a big reason Scotty was drafted here is probably because he is friends with Mark, but don't discount the kid, he has a chance to surprise... Overall I give us a B+. Love the youth along the DL, for the most part we stayed at home and just let the talent fall into our laps. We did make one move up for Kerley, but didnt have to give up a pick thankfully. I think Powell is a luxury pick right now. I love the player, but if it turns out we should have drafted a guy like Davon House ( 3 picks after us) some people are going to be pretty irritated. We can back and got a stud with Kerley and even though we moved up, we managed to not lose any picks which is great. The extra 7th allowed us to snag McElroy, which is great. I think Scotty was going to get picked at 207 if we didnt acquire a second 7th round pick. At the end of the day Scotty was picked because he is Sanchez best friend, but he actually can play football and has a chance to succeed right off the bat on Teams.
Every pick is an A except Scotty McKnight WHO IS AN F QUADRUPLE MINUS BECAUSE HE IS FRIENDS WITH SANCHEZ AND NEVER PLAYED A DOWN IN HIS LIFE!!!!!!! Alternatively: Wilkerson: A - Did not think he'd be available at our pick. Has flexibility between 3 and 4 man fronts and fills a HUGE need on a line that's rich in role players but currently lacks a true stud. Pouha and DeVito are solid starters, but Wilkerson and the below could be next level. Ellis: A-minus - I'm not too worried about the assault charge, but he'll have the eyes of the league on him. I'm glad Dixon is around, and I'd get these two living together immediately when the lockout ends. He's more of a risk than some are willing to acknowledge, but far less than the Chicken Littles would have you believe. A true nose who allows us to move on from Jenkins. Powell - B I like him more as a player than as a pick. Going into this season, we were looking at a tired LT, a power back who does better (and is more likely to stay healthy) with limited carries, and a promising quick zone runner in McKnight with only one game of production. LT and McKnight will combine to fill a role, but Greene's history would have meant a big back coming in at some point this offseason. The pick seemed early to me, but I love the thought of Powell as that guy. Kerley - A A steal and a clear sign IMO that the team may be looking to make Edwards a priority. He'll line up in the slot, play special teams, and could be an absolute steal. McElroy - A-minus Brilliant kid who, once he learns the playbook, won't get rattled if he's forced into action on the field. Could develop quickly into an excellent backup at a very cheap price. His intelligence and experience will enable him to step into the backup role quickly enough that it's a fantastic pick. McKnight - B+ Seems odd to take two WRs in the same draft, but at the same time, we know he has chemistry with the QB we're still developing, and he has phenomenal hands and a great college career after overcoming adversity. At worst, he's a 7th round pick. At best, he develops into a solid, unflashy receiver underneath. OVERALL: A-
I give them a straight B First two picks are awesome two of the top players at their position The Powell pick, I like from a talent perspective and had we not drafted Joe McKnight I wouldnt have had a problem with. Like the Kearley pick and the McElroy Pick. Neither are really sexy picks but they are both going to have value down the road Obviously we dont know how much Sanchez's input was when it came to picking McKnight. If his input was the only reason we drafted him I would be disappointed. Frankly I dont even know if McKnight makes the practice squad so I'm not reading to much into the pick. I will say this, I'm getting a little concerned about Tanny not drafting a rush linebacker these last few years when it has been an issue.
One thing to add: it doesn't sound like the team cared for Ayers. We've heard that Rex wanted Brooks Reed, we've heard that the team was trying to drop back out of Rd 1. We apparently didn't like the value of other LBs after that. IF we had been able to drop back, pass on Wilkerson (which likely would have sent him or Heyward to the Pats), and grab Reed, would this draft have been more successful? Or, barring that, would people have preferred Reed at the end of Rd 1?
I give this draft a B going onto a B+ The Wilkerson pick was a very good one and I would go and give that a A-. I do always have concerns about 2nd round talent bursting into the 1st round but getting a big man like Wilkerson was a big need. Very versatile and I am confident that Rex Ryan can mold him into becoming a force. I really like the Ty Warren/Trevor Pryce comparisons for him....and having Pryce mentor him possibly for next season doesn't hurt. The Ellis pick gets a B for me. The character concerns take away an A grade but I really see Ellis as another Shaun Rogers, which from a talent standpoint is tremendous. Just have to hope that unlike Rogers, Ellis can use his head better and also not play as lazy. I do think that for the Jets who always contend and have a great HC in Rex Ryan that players love that this won't be an issue for Kenrick like it was for Rogers when playing with Detroit and Cleveland, two perennial bad teams that has seen head coaches come and go. Bilal Powell gets a C+ for me but that doesn't mean I dislike the player. Just not a fan of getting another RB. Powell is a mean dude who has a great background story of once hanging out with the wrong crowd until coming across his high school coach who took him in like a 2nd father and got him onto the right path. Very strong back and one who is Shonn Greene like by that he has fumbling problems and may take some blows here and there but will pound the ball in and really has a nose for the endzone. I again think Bilal the player is going to be useful on the Jets but wanted to go after another position. With his background story, he is going to be one of the more well liked Jets on the team and a guy who is easy to root for. Jeremy Kerley gets a B for me. Could be a viable option on special teams, projects to be a nice 3rd WR for the future. Kind of reminds me of a more polished Roscoe Parrish. Don't know if he can be a future starter on the squad but I trust Westoff with this pick and hope Kerley becomes the next standout special teamer. Greg McElroy gets a B+ for me as we can really use a steady backup QB on this squad, especially since Sanchez has been unlucky with injuries for his 1st 2 seasons. McElroy is a bright guy who will understand his role as a backup who is soaking in the experience, which is vital to have on a team. McElroy won't cause any problems and could be a good piece to have when it comes to dissecting the clipboard/calling out plays. Shit he might be a better offensive coordinator than Schottenheimer at this given moment so if Brian were to get fired in season, I say let Greg run the show LOL. But this is a pick that doesn't hurt if he fails at any given time so nothing to get upset over. Hopefully McElroy could learn how to hold onto snaps for kicks as Weatherford had his ups and downs at this last season. Could be Matt Flynn Pt II as that guy who can give you a start or two and perform decently if need be but isn't really a franchise QB. Scotty McKnight gets a B+ for me since everything I have read about him makes him sound very good. We may have gotten ourselves a Blair White type of a player, who had some downs and ups for Indy last season but performed admirably as a UDFA. Some have been down on this pick since Sanchez may have essentially got him drafted but I disagree....you want your QB to be comfortable with the guys he is throwing with and with getting McKnight, you also create a bigger comfort zone for Sanchez as well, especially if and when Holmes leaves. Who knows if McKnight will stick on the team or not, but I have read that he is a tough little guy and had a great college career in Colorado, ranking high in their top WR totals. No big deal if he stinks, he was a late 7th rder...not going to go crazy.
I'd rather have Wilkerson over Reed at the end of Rd 1. I didn't like Reed in the first round and I wouldn't like the idea of giving the Patriots a replacement for Ty Warren/Richard Seymour in Wilkerson or letting him go to the Steelers(delenda est). Trading back I'm not sure about. I'm happy with the picks we've taken, even Powell. Wilkerson and Ellis can make the DLine better than it was last season which will only help the current OLBs. There are a couple of players still out there who can help the team when/if free agency eventually hits but for now, build the trenches first, then move back.
So tough to evaluate a draft right after it. At the moment it looks like a solid B, in 3 years could be an A or F.
