The mock draft season is upon us, with ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr. releasing his first version on Thursday.

First, let's say this: Any mock draft before the scouting combine, pro days and free agency is strictly guesswork. At this point, no one knows what teams are thinking. Things will crystallize (hopefully) once we get into late March and early April.

Enough of the disclaimers; Let's get to Kiper's mock.

Kiper has the New York Jets selecting Ohio State cornerback Marshon Lattimore with the sixth pick. Well, the Jets need a cornerback -- a new Darrelle Revis, if you will -- and Lattimore is generally regarded as the top cornerback prospect in the draft. He's described as a more talented version of former Ohio State teammate Eli Apple, who went 10th last year to the Giants.

I'm not going to critique Lattimore this early in the process, although it should be noted he started only one season. It's hard to evaluate a corner off TV, but he certainly didn't stand out to me against Clemson in the College Football Playoff semifinals.

What's intriguing about Kiper's mock is the player the Jets don't pick -- quarterback Deshaun Watson, who goes 10th to the Bills. If he's still on the board for the quarterback-needy Jets ... well, that would be a dramatic moment.

Could they afford to pass on one of the most accomplished college quarterbacks in recent memory? It'll be a talking point over the next three months. How they address the position in free agency will impact that debate.

>     http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/66443/mel-kipers-first-mock-draft-jets-pass-on-qb-deshaun-watson