We had a pretty good haul this draft. Not great but good. My grades.

[JOJOTOWNSELL]

love the jenkins pick....its not like we've had bad luck with linebackers from Georgia

[no psls]

Just now, Beerfish said:

What is the point of grading a draft after you KNOW who is good or bad?  You should grade the draft at the same time the Jets graded these players that is the only way your opinion is worth a spit three years down the road.  I give Tom Brady a draft grade of A+++, I give Jamarcus Russell a grade of F-!  Am I right?????

DUH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Beerfish]

Just now, no psls said:

DUH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are duhin yourself.....you know that right?  Of course right!

[NYs Stepchild]

14 minutes ago, Kleckineau said:

Because if you are older than 10 history tells you so.

Conversely, you could just read the Jet history books.  

[Adoni Beast]

I loved every pick except the last one, just because he's injury prone. 

[kmnj]

1 hour ago, Jet Nut said:

And Elways history of drafting QBs out of college?  Anyone could have taken a chance on a first ballot HOF, GOAT QB.  

Elway also blew the Osweiller fiasco any way it's looked at, stuck himself with Sanchez as his starter and tried for a month to trade for Kaep to lead his team.  And now traded up to pick a QB who has more questions than answers.

Why do we always decide that every other teams FO knows more than us.  

um cause elway just won a superbowl- a simple fact people like to ignore-when you are a gm and your team wins the ultimate prize you have just established indisputable credibility

-when the jets win a superbowl I will assume they know what they are doing and never question them again

 

 

[CTM]

29 minutes ago, The Crusher said:

I guess its the difference of falling off a one story garage or a seven story apartment building.  The first one may hurt and damage you but the second one will kill you.

or in your case, knock the planet off its axis 

[Tinstar]

5 hours ago, Jetsfan80 said:

I think people are freaking out about this draft class, one way or the other.  No, this didn't seem to be a pure BPA type of draft.  And that's OK.  It doesn't have to be.  You have to add talent that fits what you're trying to do, and that's what Macc did this year.  But these picks were neither amazing nor terrible, despite how polarizing the thread titles read on JN this morning.   We took a lot of smart, high character, and athletic guys in this draft class.  Nothing wrong with that!

Here are my grades:

 

1.20:  Darron Lee, LB, Ohio St.

Let's face it.  Laquon Treadwell would have been a fun pick.  His value was perfect at that spot (especially considering Minnesota snagged him 3 picks later), and he was a guy we brought in for a private visit.  Had we grabbed him, it would have been a signal that we loved what we saw. 

But Lee makes a ton of sense nonetheless.  The Jets are attempting to ride the wave of seemingly "undersized" LB's who have sideline to sideline speed.  And Lee is an exceptional athlete to boot.  We will never ask him to try to win battles at the point of attack, but we WILL ask him to make plays all over the field, particularly on 3rd down, where we have had so much difficulty, and not just under Todd Bowles.

I also don't agree that comparable players were available later.  Yes, we could have taken Su'a Cravens at 51 (he went 53 to Washington).  But Cravens is already being listed as a safety on the Redskins' depth chart.  He's not the same kind of player as Lee.  Lee is a first round talent and we took him where he was valued.  Thus, while it was hard to get excited about an "unsexy" pick in the first, it's also hard to kill the pick either.

GRADE:  B

 

2.51:  Christian Hackenberg, QB, Penn St.

The evaluation of this pick comes down to one, simple argument that is somewhat circular in nature:  You never know with QB's, and thus you have to trust that the guy making the decision to invest in one made the right call.  Macc evidently had Hackenberg listed as his 2nd favorite QB behind Goff.  So he went and got his guy.  He put his name on this pick, and made a bold decision.  We say we want our GM to take QB's until we find one, then criticize him for taking the "wrong one".  That's the nature of the NFL, guys.  Unless you tank or trade up with a king's ransom worth of picks, you always run a high risk of taking the "wrong one".

So my grade here is a reflection not of what Hackenberg is or is not capable of, though all reports suggest he's a bright kid with a high ceiling (and a low floor), nor even the "value" of the pick (if we could have guaranteed he'd have been available in the 3rd round, for instance, this would be a reach.  But we do not have any way of knowing that).  My grade is a reflection of our front office taking the information at hand and making a call to get a signal caller.  We now have Hackenberg and Petty as the future of this franchise, and the clock is now ticking on Macc and Bowles as a result:  Make it work with these young QB's or their time will be over.

Grade: A

 

3.83:  Jordan Jenkins, OLB, Georgia

More athleticism comes to the Jets at the LB corps with the addition of Jenkins, who will play along the edge.  This was Macc's best pick of the draft when it comes to value, and it also met a huge need for the Jets, much like each of the first 2 picks.  The reason Jenkins was not a pick in the first couple of rounds is that he's more like a Calvin Pace than he'll ever be like a Von Miller.  It's no fun being unable to get a sack machine on the roster, but that cannot be used to knock this pick.  Jenkins was consistent at Georgia, more athletic than many realize, and should be a solid pro.  If you can get a potential solid starter in the 3rd round, you've made a great pick. 

Grade:  A

 

4.118:  Juston Burris, CB, NC State

Burris wasn't an interception machine in school, but what he was actually was more impressive:  He was a guy people avoided.  Burris was only targeted 44 times last year, and his completion % against was a low 34 %.  Granted, this was not against SEC competition, which has to be taken into account.  But finding a guy with ideal size (6', 212 lbs) and a nice body of work in the 4th round is a pretty good get here.  Burris also does not seem to be a reach, as most sources had him valued around this range.  Again, not a guy that blows anyone away, but simply a solid pick.

Grade:  B+

5.158:  Brandon Shell, OT, South Carolina

Finally the Jets were able to add some O-Line help in this draft.  To do so they had to give up future draft capital, which hurts the grade on this pick slightly.  Clearly the Jets love the kid or they would not have made this move, though it also could have been a "need" pick they felt had to happen.  In either instance we'll have to "wait and see" on this one.  If Shell does not end up Breno Giacomini's eventual replacement at RT or at least a solid backup, it will end up being a high risk, low reward pick.

Grade:  C+

 

7.235:  Loc Edwards, P, Sam Houston St.

Ryan Quigley is gone, and with a pair of 7th rounders to play with, the Jets made sure to grab the top candidate to be his replacement before waiting for the UDFA pool to materialize.  Kudos for the pick!

Grade:  A

 

7.241:  Charone Peak, WR, Clemson

A Scotty McKnight, Peak is not.  At 6-2, 209 lbs and with great speed, the Jets are very clear about what they look for out of WR's these days.  And that's good to see.  Peak is well worth the flyer despite his knee injuries, and will add some needed depth to an aging WR corps. 

Grade:  A

 

OVERALL 2016 DRAFT GRADE:  B+

The thing I like most about this draft is that the last 3 picks could actually play a lot this coming season. By the way, even I who was the 2nd passenger on the Hackenberg train don't think his selection is worthy of an A grade .

[The Crusher]

7 minutes ago, CTM said:

or in your case, knock the planet off its axis 

I can only hope it to be a cataclysmic event that wipes the hippies from the face of the earth.  

[Kleckineau]

5 minutes ago, NYs Stepchild said:

Conversely, you could just read the Jet history books.  

Dont need to read about it, very well aware of the history.

Besides, why torture yourself ?

One good chapter out of about 56?

The way I see it the only way to survive rooting for the team is to keep looking forward and hope the odds catch up with the them.

[Sperm Edwards]

2 hours ago, BowlesMovement said:

I don't think there is a one size fits all for this with QB's. I think some players are ready sooner than others, but I think the important thing is identifying when they are ready. I think most people think with Hackenberg he needs to sit, the assumption is his confidence is shaken from the beatings he took. A rookie QB in the NFL is going to get tested, and tested hard, if his confidence is already shaky, not sure the best thing is to let him go out and take a beating while still learning the system. Then again, the coaches have to make that determination, if they think he is ready, I'd love to see him start sooner rather than later.

I don't either. I just don't like the knee-jerk "He must sit for a year or two or else..." reactions. Every QB is different. One thing that is supposed to be in Hackenberg's arsenal is what he's got upstairs: that he doesn't need a year or two to learn a pro offense. I'd think that was half the point, since pretty much all of these prospects can make all the throws needed. I don't think he will necessarily "take a beating" as a rookie any more than in a year or two. 

And you have to admit, it is contradictory. The idea that the last 2 years, which should have ruined him permanently, if such an unprovable thing is even happens, didn't ruin him; but putting him into a QB-friendly system with a good group of coaches, a great pair of WRs, and 2 RBs who are both great receivers and great blockers...that's what will ruin him. It's ridiculous.

[Sperm Edwards]

2 hours ago, The Crusher said:

I guess its the difference of falling off a one story garage or a seven story apartment building.  The first one may hurt and damage you but the second one will kill you.

It's my understanding that, the past 2 years at PSU, he fell off a skyscraper. Or so the story goes.

[Jet Nut]

On 5/2/2016 at 2:44 PM, Sperm Edwards said:

Late first rounders don't make much. Plus if he works out, then a 1st round pick can get a 5th year team option. Not so with a player taken after that. It's why Denver lost Osweiller to free agency this year and had to make an offer of $14m to keep him for even 1 more year (had to guarantee him 2 more at probably more than he's worth).

Truthfully, if Macc wanted a QB then he should have gone for the gold. Neither of the top 2 QBs drafted were taken by the teams that naturally ended up with the picks, meaning a trade was doable. They're clearly better prospects, and you don't pass up on them because of the possibility of drafting an ILB at 20. Wentz is supposedly the best with the big knock on him being many say he needs to sit for a year. But they say that crap about lots of QBs who start right away and aren't terrible (let alone not "getting ruined" by tossing them out there).

Still more than a later round pick, which there is so much bitching over.  

[Jet Nut]

2 hours ago, Kleckineau said:

Because if you are older than 10 history tells you so.

If you're not smart enough to realize who Tanny picked, who Idzik picked have absolutely nothing to do with who Macc picks.

unless you're a whiney SOJF who just likes to tell people it's history 

[The Crusher]

23 minutes ago, Sperm Edwards said:

It's my understanding that, the past 2 years at PSU, he fell off a skyscraper. Or so the story goes.

Weapins?

[Jet Nut]

2 hours ago, kmnj said:

um cause elway just won a superbowl- a simple fact people like to ignore-when you are a gm and your team wins the ultimate prize you have just established indisputable credibility

-when the jets win a superbowl I will assume they know what they are doing and never question them again

 

 

Um, I asked about drafting QBs.  People like you can't answer the question so you're going to talk about Von Miller instead of QB, the hardest pick to make.

 

 

[Mogglez]

2 hours ago, kmnj said:

um cause elway just won a superbowl- a simple fact people like to ignore-when you are a gm and your team wins the ultimate prize you have just established indisputable credibility

-when the jets win a superbowl I will assume they know what they are doing and never question them again

 

 

John Elway has done nothing but sign checks to incredible FA's including one of the best QB's of all time. It worked, his team won a Super Bowl, but how he handles building the team post Manning will determine his real skills as a GM.  Zac Desert and Brock Osweiler were the first "Elway knows better" gems and neither are on the team anymore.  We'll see about Paxton.

[dbatesman]

4 hours ago, CTM said:

if we're giving Mac an A for Hackenborg simply cause he liked him, why isnt every grade an A? Is the assumption that he didn't really like the other players?

Have we gotten an answer to this yet?

[neckdemon]

7 hours ago, dbatesman said:

The only QB I really liked in this draft was Goff. Barring that, I wouldn't have taken anyone in the first or second. In the third or later, I would have been happy with literally anyone other than Hackenberg or Cook. If you want a specific name, I like Kevin Hogan a lot, especially where the Chiefs got him.

the dudes scouting report is abysmal. questionable arm strength, long throwing motion, terrible mechanics, timing throws are a weakness......whats the difference wherew they are drafted when they are sh*t?? this dude sounds like he has zero upside. at least hackenberg's upside is franchise caliber 

[dbatesman]

12 minutes ago, neckdemon said:

the dudes scouting report is abysmal. questionable arm strength, long throwing motion, terrible mechanics, timing throws are a weakness......whats the difference wherew they are drafted when they are sh*t?? this dude sounds like he has zero upside. at least hackenberg's upside is franchise caliber 

neckdemon, thank you, I will reflect on this and adjust my official big board accordingly

[Jet Nut]

3 hours ago, Irish Jet said:

I think the LB's will save this draft from being a disaster regardless - They're pretty safe picks who can contribute from day one and I loved the value of Jenkins in the Third. While I think the Hackenberg pick could set us back it's ultimately a second rounder so we're not obligated to invest too much time in him if he goes the way of Sanchez, Geno, Clemens etc. which I suspect he will. 

 

You need to develop a QB.  You have to invest a draft pick.  It's the way it is.  We all wanted to draft someone before the draft, you can't complain about using picks on a QB just because they took one you don't like.  

Chances are every QB drafted, ever, including Goff & Wentz, will go the way of Sanchez, Geno, Clemens, etc.  That's the nature of the position.  

[neckdemon]

Just now, dbatesman said:

neckdemon, thank you, I will reflect on this and adjust my official big board accordingly

stop. just explain to me the logic behind it, because i don't understand it. you would rather have had maccagnan draft what looks like a much worse qb, just because he would have done it a few rounds later?

[Jet Nut]

17 minutes ago, dbatesman said:

Have we gotten an answer to this yet?

How about its the basic reasoning behind you whining for days on end about Hackenberg?  

[Larz]

at this point all we can do is try to guess what information the jets had, and why they made the pick, and guess how it will pan out. 

Darron Lee - this is the guy I decided on about 2 days before the draft, so I was thrilled with the pick.  He was ranked on average about #15, so I suspect this was a combo BPA/need pick

A

Krackenberg - at this point, the debate is if he is just merely a pro-bowler or can he make the HOF ?

that linebacker guy - replaces pace or harris as hated slow guy on defense

B

the corner - good size, and he's not milliner

B

the big fat guy - he's big and fat and pushes other guys who are big and fat, who cares ?

C

the punter - obviously the BPA on maccs board

A

that other guy

B

 

 

 

 

[CTM]

28 minutes ago, dbatesman said:

Have we gotten an answer to this yet?

Despite what some people will have you believe, there is certain traits that show up in college QB stats that can and do make it less of a guessing a game. As far as I know a guy with Hackenborgs profile has never been an NFL success in the modern era.

Read below:

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stat-analysis/2016/qbase-2016

 

Quote

Christian Hackenberg (Penn State) -414 DYAR

Mean Projection in Years 3-5:

Bust (< 500 DYAR)80.1%

Adequate Starter (500-1499 DYAR)13.6%

Upper Tier (1500-2500 DYAR)5.1%

Elite (>2500 DYAR)1.2%

Compared to Cook, Hackenberg played against a slightly harder college schedule and had less support in NFL-caliber offensive teammates. But Hackenberg projects further below replacement level because his expected draft position is lower and his 2015 stats (53.5 percent completion rate, 7.0 YPA, 16 TD, 6 INT) are even worse.

No quarterback in QBASE's database (top-100 picks since 1996) has succeeded with remotely similar stats. The list of previous top-100 picks with completion rates under 55 percent in their last college seasons -- Brock Huard, Dave Ragone, Kyle Boller, Marques Tuiasosopo, and Quincy Carter -- augurs poorly for Hackenberg's NFL prospects.

 

[neckdemon]

3 minutes ago, Jet Nut said:

You need to develop a QB.  You have to invest a draft pick.  It's the way it is.  We all wanted to draft someone before the draft, you can't complain about using picks on a QB just because they took one you don't like.  

Chances are every QB drafted, ever, including Goff & Wentz, will go the way of Sanchez, Geno, Clemens, etc.  That's the nature of the position.  

the thing is you just can't get a blue-chip qb unless you were lucky enough to be the worst team in the league when one like andrew luck is coming out. otherwise you have to draft one later on and hope your scouting was right,  or get lucky enough to have a good one hit free agency (almost never happens) and then hope they want to sign with you.

[Jet Nut]

21 minutes ago, neckdemon said:

the dudes scouting report is abysmal. questionable arm strength, long throwing motion, terrible mechanics, timing throws are a weakness......whats the difference wherew they are drafted when they are sh*t?? this dude sounds like he has zero upside. at least hackenberg's upside is franchise caliber 

Terrible mechanics and footwork along with a hitch in his throwing motion.  If fixed, maybe, just maybe, he can be a NFL backup.  

Yeah, but only would have cost us a 4th.  Why take a chance at a guy with talent? 

Damnit, I want a franchise QB.  If you like one you go get him.  but I don't want to use picks to grab one if I don't approve.

[Jet Nut]

4 minutes ago, neckdemon said:

the thing is you just can't get a blue-chip qb unless you were lucky enough to be the worst team in the league when one like andrew luck is coming out. otherwise you have to draft one later on and hope your scouting was right,  or get lucky enough to have a good one hit free agency (almost never happens) and then hope they want to sign with you.

Why is this so hard to understand? 

Why are people so arrogant that they have the nerve to talk about Macc & Co. as if they're clueless morons just because from their basement they think Cook, Hogan or some other QB is better.  

[Irish Jet]

4 minutes ago, Jet Nut said:

You need to develop a QB.  You have to invest a draft pick.  It's the way it is.  We all wanted to draft someone before the draft, you can't complain about using picks on a QB just because they took one you don't like.  

You absolutely can.

I just don't believe Hackenberg will be successful and I think it's a poor investment, I think there was a better prospect to be had at 20 if we were going that route and I'm not convinced Hack was even the best QB on the board when we took him. The Jets obviously know a lot that I don't but I know what I've seen from Hackenberg isn't encouraging and our record of drafting QB's isn't exactly stellar. I could be wrong and I hope that I am - I thought Sanchez was going to be a f*cking superstar for whatever that's worth, maybe it's a good thing I'm pessimistic for once.

I held an opinion on Hackenberg before the draft (one which got even worse when I watched even more of his college passes), I wasn't going to change it because he went to the Jets. I'll give him his chance when he's out on the field and will root for him no differently than I did Sanchez and Geno, but my expectations are low, to say the least.

 

[Sperm Edwards]

1 hour ago, Jet Nut said:

Still more than a later round pick, which there is so much bitching over.  

Not really. You're talking about roughly $3M total difference over the first 4 years, which is nothing on a 4 year salary team cap total of well over $600M. It's a rounding error.

If both turn into anything, then when you factor in that 5th year option, a late first rounder would be cheaper over those first 5 years. I'll bet Seattle would like to have had a 5th year option available to them for Russell Wilson at just under $11M before the extension money years kicked in (like Indy gets to do with Andrew Luck, though his option is $5M more since he was a top 10 pick).

[Irish Jet]

25 minutes ago, CTM said:

Despite what some people will have you believe, there is certain traits that show up in college QB stats that can and do make it less of a guessing a game. As far as I know a guy with Hackenborgs profile has never been an NFL success in the modern era.

Read below:

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stat-analysis/2016/qbase-2016

 

 

No college doesn't matter. It is known.

It's a 50/50 chance. A coin flip. Literally. Made by the ghost of Vince Lombardi on the eve of every draft. 

These games tapes, statistics or "measurables"...They have nothing on the coin.

[Villain The Foe]

7 hours ago, Jetsfan80 said:

If he had completely reached and taken Kevin Hogan in the 2nd, sure, that pick would get a weak grade, because he was a late round project.  But Hackenberg, by most accounts, was valued in that 2nd-3rd round range.  And all along Macc has consistently appeared to have Hackenberg as his # 2 QB, ahead of Lynch.  We can't really say that pick was a reach based on what we know, can we?

So yes, I'd have given Macc an A for taking any QB properly valued. 

If thats the case then every player should receive an A. You're basically saying that Macc seen the same tape everyone else did but if he picked Hack then it should be an A because he must have seen something not on the tape. Well, what if Macc seen Hogans tape and didnt agree with him being a late round project? Then it should get an A as well. Matter of fact, Darron Lee was projected by quite a few big boards I seen to be a top 10 pick, being mocked to the Giants. The Jets got him at 20 yet you gave it a B. Why? Obviously Macc got his man because he could have taken Treadwell but didnt. I think @dbatesman has a point here. 

[Tony The Wiz]

8 hours ago, Jetsfan80 said:

I think people are freaking out about this draft class, one way or the other.  No, this didn't seem to be a pure BPA type of draft.  And that's OK.  It doesn't have to be.  You have to add talent that fits what you're trying to do, and that's what Macc did this year.  But these picks were neither amazing nor terrible, despite how polarizing the thread titles read on JN this morning.   We took a lot of smart, high character, and athletic guys in this draft class.  Nothing wrong with that!

Here are my grades:

 

1.20:  Darron Lee, LB, Ohio St.

Let's face it.  Laquon Treadwell would have been a fun pick.  His value was perfect at that spot (especially considering Minnesota snagged him 3 picks later), and he was a guy we brought in for a private visit.  Had we grabbed him, it would have been a signal that we loved what we saw. 

But Lee makes a ton of sense nonetheless.  The Jets are attempting to ride the wave of seemingly "undersized" LB's who have sideline to sideline speed.  And Lee is an exceptional athlete to boot.  We will never ask him to try to win battles at the point of attack, but we WILL ask him to make plays all over the field, particularly on 3rd down, where we have had so much difficulty, and not just under Todd Bowles.

I also don't agree that comparable players were available later.  Yes, we could have taken Su'a Cravens at 51 (he went 53 to Washington).  But Cravens is already being listed as a safety on the Redskins' depth chart.  He's not the same kind of player as Lee.  Lee is a first round talent and we took him where he was valued.  Thus, while it was hard to get excited about an "unsexy" pick in the first, it's also hard to kill the pick either.

GRADE:  B

 

2.51:  Christian Hackenberg, QB, Penn St.

The evaluation of this pick comes down to one, simple argument that is somewhat circular in nature:  You never know with QB's, and thus you have to trust that the guy making the decision to invest in one made the right call.  Macc evidently had Hackenberg listed as his 2nd favorite QB behind Goff.  So he went and got his guy.  He put his name on this pick, and made a bold decision.  We say we want our GM to take QB's until we find one, then criticize him for taking the "wrong one".  That's the nature of the NFL, guys.  Unless you tank or trade up with a king's ransom worth of picks, you always run a high risk of taking the "wrong one".

So my grade here is a reflection not of what Hackenberg is or is not capable of, though all reports suggest he's a bright kid with a high ceiling (and a low floor), nor even the "value" of the pick (if we could have guaranteed he'd have been available in the 3rd round, for instance, this would be a reach.  But we do not have any way of knowing that).  My grade is a reflection of our front office taking the information at hand and making a call to get a signal caller.  We now have Hackenberg and Petty as the future of this franchise, and the clock is now ticking on Macc and Bowles as a result:  Make it work with these young QB's or their time will be over.

Grade: A

 

3.83:  Jordan Jenkins, OLB, Georgia

More athleticism comes to the Jets at the LB corps with the addition of Jenkins, who will play along the edge.  This was Macc's best pick of the draft when it comes to value, and it also met a huge need for the Jets, much like each of the first 2 picks.  The reason Jenkins was not a pick in the first couple of rounds is that he's more like a Calvin Pace than he'll ever be like a Von Miller.  It's no fun being unable to get a sack machine on the roster, but that cannot be used to knock this pick.  Jenkins was consistent at Georgia, more athletic than many realize, and should be a solid pro.  If you can get a potential solid starter in the 3rd round, you've made a great pick. 

Grade:  A

 

4.118:  Juston Burris, CB, NC State

Burris wasn't an interception machine in school, but what he was actually was more impressive:  He was a guy people avoided.  Burris was only targeted 44 times last year, and his completion % against was a low 34 %.  Granted, this was not against SEC competition, which has to be taken into account.  But finding a guy with ideal size (6', 212 lbs) and a nice body of work in the 4th round is a pretty good get here.  Burris also does not seem to be a reach, as most sources had him valued around this range.  Again, not a guy that blows anyone away, but simply a solid pick.

Grade:  B+

5.158:  Brandon Shell, OT, South Carolina

Finally the Jets were able to add some O-Line help in this draft.  To do so they had to give up future draft capital, which hurts the grade on this pick slightly.  Clearly the Jets love the kid or they would not have made this move, though it also could have been a "need" pick they felt had to happen.  In either instance we'll have to "wait and see" on this one.  If Shell does not end up Breno Giacomini's eventual replacement at RT or at least a solid backup, it will end up being a high risk, low reward pick.

Grade:  C+

 

7.235:  Loc Edwards, P, Sam Houston St.

Ryan Quigley is gone, and with a pair of 7th rounders to play with, the Jets made sure to grab the top candidate to be his replacement before waiting for the UDFA pool to materialize.  Kudos for the pick!

Grade:  A

 

7.241:  Charone Peak, WR, Clemson

A Scotty McKnight, Peak is not.  At 6-2, 209 lbs and with great speed, the Jets are very clear about what they look for out of WR's these days.  And that's good to see.  Peak is well worth the flyer despite his knee injuries, and will add some needed depth to an aging WR corps. 

Grade:  A

 

OVERALL 2016 DRAFT GRADE:  B+

 

8 hours ago, Jetsfan80 said:

I think people are freaking out about this draft class, one way or the other.  No, this didn't seem to be a pure BPA type of draft.  And that's OK.  It doesn't have to be.  You have to add talent that fits what you're trying to do, and that's what Macc did this year.  But these picks were neither amazing nor terrible, despite how polarizing the thread titles read on JN this morning.   We took a lot of smart, high character, and athletic guys in this draft class.  Nothing wrong with that!

Here are my grades:

 

1.20:  Darron Lee, LB, Ohio St.

Let's face it.  Laquon Treadwell would have been a fun pick.  His value was perfect at that spot (especially considering Minnesota snagged him 3 picks later), and he was a guy we brought in for a private visit.  Had we grabbed him, it would have been a signal that we loved what we saw. 

But Lee makes a ton of sense nonetheless.  The Jets are attempting to ride the wave of seemingly "undersized" LB's who have sideline to sideline speed.  And Lee is an exceptional athlete to boot.  We will never ask him to try to win battles at the point of attack, but we WILL ask him to make plays all over the field, particularly on 3rd down, where we have had so much difficulty, and not just under Todd Bowles.

I also don't agree that comparable players were available later.  Yes, we could have taken Su'a Cravens at 51 (he went 53 to Washington).  But Cravens is already being listed as a safety on the Redskins' depth chart.  He's not the same kind of player as Lee.  Lee is a first round talent and we took him where he was valued.  Thus, while it was hard to get excited about an "unsexy" pick in the first, it's also hard to kill the pick either.

GRADE:  B

 

2.51:  Christian Hackenberg, QB, Penn St.

The evaluation of this pick comes down to one, simple argument that is somewhat circular in nature:  You never know with QB's, and thus you have to trust that the guy making the decision to invest in one made the right call.  Macc evidently had Hackenberg listed as his 2nd favorite QB behind Goff.  So he went and got his guy.  He put his name on this pick, and made a bold decision.  We say we want our GM to take QB's until we find one, then criticize him for taking the "wrong one".  That's the nature of the NFL, guys.  Unless you tank or trade up with a king's ransom worth of picks, you always run a high risk of taking the "wrong one".

So my grade here is a reflection not of what Hackenberg is or is not capable of, though all reports suggest he's a bright kid with a high ceiling (and a low floor), nor even the "value" of the pick (if we could have guaranteed he'd have been available in the 3rd round, for instance, this would be a reach.  But we do not have any way of knowing that).  My grade is a reflection of our front office taking the information at hand and making a call to get a signal caller.  We now have Hackenberg and Petty as the future of this franchise, and the clock is now ticking on Macc and Bowles as a result:  Make it work with these young QB's or their time will be over.

Grade: A

 

3.83:  Jordan Jenkins, OLB, Georgia

More athleticism comes to the Jets at the LB corps with the addition of Jenkins, who will play along the edge.  This was Macc's best pick of the draft when it comes to value, and it also met a huge need for the Jets, much like each of the first 2 picks.  The reason Jenkins was not a pick in the first couple of rounds is that he's more like a Calvin Pace than he'll ever be like a Von Miller.  It's no fun being unable to get a sack machine on the roster, but that cannot be used to knock this pick.  Jenkins was consistent at Georgia, more athletic than many realize, and should be a solid pro.  If you can get a potential solid starter in the 3rd round, you've made a great pick. 

Grade:  A

 

4.118:  Juston Burris, CB, NC State

Burris wasn't an interception machine in school, but what he was actually was more impressive:  He was a guy people avoided.  Burris was only targeted 44 times last year, and his completion % against was a low 34 %.  Granted, this was not against SEC competition, which has to be taken into account.  But finding a guy with ideal size (6', 212 lbs) and a nice body of work in the 4th round is a pretty good get here.  Burris also does not seem to be a reach, as most sources had him valued around this range.  Again, not a guy that blows anyone away, but simply a solid pick.

Grade:  B+

5.158:  Brandon Shell, OT, South Carolina

Finally the Jets were able to add some O-Line help in this draft.  To do so they had to give up future draft capital, which hurts the grade on this pick slightly.  Clearly the Jets love the kid or they would not have made this move, though it also could have been a "need" pick they felt had to happen.  In either instance we'll have to "wait and see" on this one.  If Shell does not end up Breno Giacomini's eventual replacement at RT or at least a solid backup, it will end up being a high risk, low reward pick.

Grade:  C+

 

7.235:  Loc Edwards, P, Sam Houston St.

Ryan Quigley is gone, and with a pair of 7th rounders to play with, the Jets made sure to grab the top candidate to be his replacement before waiting for the UDFA pool to materialize.  Kudos for the pick!

Grade:  A

 

7.241:  Charone Peak, WR, Clemson

A Scotty McKnight, Peak is not.  At 6-2, 209 lbs and with great speed, the Jets are very clear about what they look for out of WR's these days.  And that's good to see.  Peak is well worth the flyer despite his knee injuries, and will add some needed depth to an aging WR corps. 

Grade:  A

 

OVERALL 2016 DRAFT GRADE:  B+

You lost me when I saw an A for Hackenberg when you had so many great prospects left on the board. I give them a C - for taking a 4th round prospect in the 2nd. Cook was the better pick at QB in the 2nd. It is funny how everyone says did you see him with Gruden on his show. Did anyone see Cook on his show?

[Jetsfan80]

11 minutes ago, Tony The Wiz said:

 

You lost me when I saw an A for Hackenberg when you had so many great prospects left on the board. I give them a C - for taking a 4th round prospect in the 2nd. Cook was the better pick at QB in the 2nd. It is funny how everyone says did you see him with Gruden on his show. Did anyone see Cook on his show?

Cook is a moron who reportedly had questionable leadership skills.  There's a reason why he was drafted as a backup by Oakland:  He wasn't viewed as starter material by the league.  Hackenberg might not be viewed as starter material by 31 GM's, but ours did after an extensive look at him, and for now we have to trust that he knows what he's doing.  

[Tony The Wiz]

9 hours ago, Jetsfan80 said:

I think people are freaking out about this draft class, one way or the other.  No, this didn't seem to be a pure BPA type of draft.  And that's OK.  It doesn't have to be.  You have to add talent that fits what you're trying to do, and that's what Macc did this year.  But these picks were neither amazing nor terrible, despite how polarizing the thread titles read on JN this morning.   We took a lot of smart, high character, and athletic guys in this draft class.  Nothing wrong with that!

Here are my grades:

 

1.20:  Darron Lee, LB, Ohio St.

Let's face it.  Laquon Treadwell would have been a fun pick.  His value was perfect at that spot (especially considering Minnesota snagged him 3 picks later), and he was a guy we brought in for a private visit.  Had we grabbed him, it would have been a signal that we loved what we saw. 

But Lee makes a ton of sense nonetheless.  The Jets are attempting to ride the wave of seemingly "undersized" LB's who have sideline to sideline speed.  And Lee is an exceptional athlete to boot.  We will never ask him to try to win battles at the point of attack, but we WILL ask him to make plays all over the field, particularly on 3rd down, where we have had so much difficulty, and not just under Todd Bowles.

I also don't agree that comparable players were available later.  Yes, we could have taken Su'a Cravens at 51 (he went 53 to Washington).  But Cravens is already being listed as a safety on the Redskins' depth chart.  He's not the same kind of player as Lee.  Lee is a first round talent and we took him where he was valued.  Thus, while it was hard to get excited about an "unsexy" pick in the first, it's also hard to kill the pick either.

GRADE:  B

 

2.51:  Christian Hackenberg, QB, Penn St.

The evaluation of this pick comes down to one, simple argument that is somewhat circular in nature:  You never know with QB's, and thus you have to trust that the guy making the decision to invest in one made the right call.  Macc evidently had Hackenberg listed as his 2nd favorite QB behind Goff.  So he went and got his guy.  He put his name on this pick, and made a bold decision.  We say we want our GM to take QB's until we find one, then criticize him for taking the "wrong one".  That's the nature of the NFL, guys.  Unless you tank or trade up with a king's ransom worth of picks, you always run a high risk of taking the "wrong one".

So my grade here is a reflection not of what Hackenberg is or is not capable of, though all reports suggest he's a bright kid with a high ceiling (and a low floor), nor even the "value" of the pick (if we could have guaranteed he'd have been available in the 3rd round, for instance, this would be a reach.  But we do not have any way of knowing that).  My grade is a reflection of our front office taking the information at hand and making a call to get a signal caller.  We now have Hackenberg and Petty as the future of this franchise, and the clock is now ticking on Macc and Bowles as a result:  Make it work with these young QB's or their time will be over.

Grade: A

 

3.83:  Jordan Jenkins, OLB, Georgia

More athleticism comes to the Jets at the LB corps with the addition of Jenkins, who will play along the edge.  This was Macc's best pick of the draft when it comes to value, and it also met a huge need for the Jets, much like each of the first 2 picks.  The reason Jenkins was not a pick in the first couple of rounds is that he's more like a Calvin Pace than he'll ever be like a Von Miller.  It's no fun being unable to get a sack machine on the roster, but that cannot be used to knock this pick.  Jenkins was consistent at Georgia, more athletic than many realize, and should be a solid pro.  If you can get a potential solid starter in the 3rd round, you've made a great pick. 

Grade:  A

 

4.118:  Juston Burris, CB, NC State

Burris wasn't an interception machine in school, but what he was actually was more impressive:  He was a guy people avoided.  Burris was only targeted 44 times last year, and his completion % against was a low 34 %.  Granted, this was not against SEC competition, which has to be taken into account.  But finding a guy with ideal size (6', 212 lbs) and a nice body of work in the 4th round is a pretty good get here.  Burris also does not seem to be a reach, as most sources had him valued around this range.  Again, not a guy that blows anyone away, but simply a solid pick.

Grade:  B+

5.158:  Brandon Shell, OT, South Carolina

Finally the Jets were able to add some O-Line help in this draft.  To do so they had to give up future draft capital, which hurts the grade on this pick slightly.  Clearly the Jets love the kid or they would not have made this move, though it also could have been a "need" pick they felt had to happen.  In either instance we'll have to "wait and see" on this one.  If Shell does not end up Breno Giacomini's eventual replacement at RT or at least a solid backup, it will end up being a high risk, low reward pick.

Grade:  C+

 

7.235:  Loc Edwards, P, Sam Houston St.

Ryan Quigley is gone, and with a pair of 7th rounders to play with, the Jets made sure to grab the top candidate to be his replacement before waiting for the UDFA pool to materialize.  Kudos for the pick!

Grade:  A

 

7.241:  Charone Peak, WR, Clemson

A Scotty McKnight, Peak is not.  At 6-2, 209 lbs and with great speed, the Jets are very clear about what they look for out of WR's these days.  And that's good to see.  Peak is well worth the flyer despite his knee injuries, and will add some needed depth to an aging WR corps. 

Grade:  A

 

OVERALL 2016 DRAFT GRADE:  B+

Rather take Cook anytime. Will be a better player than Hackenbus and when that happens I will be back on this board bashing my other Jet fans who have supported this pick. You fail on a QB you get fired. That is simple. Hopefully I am wrong.