NFL Draft 2017: Darryl Slater's Jets 7-round mock, 1.0 | Deshaun Watson? Leonard Fournette?

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NFL Draft 2017: Darryl Slater's Jets 7-round mock, 1.0 | Deshaun Watson? Leonard Fournette?

 

Updated February 16, 2017 
Posted February 16, 2017

 

 

Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Who will the Jets select sixth overall in the 2017 NFL Draft? If a quarterback (like Mitch Trubisky, Deshaun Watson, or DeShone Kizer) is there, should the Jets take him? As the NFL Scouting Combine approaches, let's bring you our first official Jets seven-round mock draft of 2017. 

 

Our methodology for this mock draft 

Yes, we spitballed two of these mock drafts before the Super Bowl (here and here), but we are starting fresh as draft preparations get underway in earnest — with the help of Fanspeak.com's mock draft simulator and CBSSports.com's prospect rankings. Here goes ... 

AP Photo | Michael Conroy

Round 1: Texas A&M DE/OLB Myles Garrett 

The reasoning: Quite simply, he is the best player available here ... and the Jets need better edge-rushing production. Will he fall to the Jets? Probably not. But people said the same thing about Leonard Williams leading up to the 2014 draft, when the Jets also had the sixth pick ... and he fell to them. The simulator's first five picks: quarterback Mitch Trubisky, quarterback Deshaun Watson, quarterback DeShone Kizer, defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, and wide receiver Corey Davis. That's why Garrett falls in this scenario (emphasis on those last three words). He projects as a 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL. 

Scouting report (from NFL.com): "Elite edge rusher who possesses rare explosiveness and the fluid-movement skills and agility of an NBA shooting guard. Good size, but he's never likely going to be a hold-your-ground run defender, and might be best suited as an outside linebacker. However, his ability to explode into the backfield through a gap or around the edge gives him disruptive potential on every snap. Garrett still needs to fine-tune his pass-rush strategy and could stand to give more consistent effort from the start of the snap until the whistle. But his pass-rush production and athletic traits point toward an all-pro career." 

Scott Halleran | Getty Images

Myles Garrett's tape

 

via YouTube

 

Round 2: Iowa CB Desmond King

The reasoning: This is a deep draft for cornerbacks, and the Jets need serious help at the position. Darrelle Revis is declining, and the Jets might cut him. Buster Skrine is better suited to play in the slot, rather than at outside corner. Marcus Williams is a pending restricted free agent. And the jury is still out on Juston Burris, a fourth-round draft pick last year. The Jets need a promising, young player who can perhaps become a No. 1 corner, since Revis is no longer capable of filling that role. If things don't work out with King at corner in the NFL, he could play safety, which is fine for the Jets, because they should be rebuilding there as well. 

Scouting report (from NFL.com): "Lack of size and speed combined with his ball skills, instincts, and competitiveness all point to a transition to safety. While he can improve as a tackler, he's got the toughness and mentality to take on run-support duties. Can cover in man when asked and has the ball-tracking skills and anticipation that should allow him to thrive in two-deep and single-high situations. A likely second-day (Rounds 2-3) selection and could be targeted as a zone corner or a safety with early starting potential." 

Jeffrey Becker | USA TODAY Sports

Desmond King's tape 

 

via YouTube

 

 

 

 

Round 3: LSU C Ethan Pocic 

The reasoning: The Jets might cut Nick Mangold, who is entering the final year of his contract. The move would create $9 million in salary cap space, with no dead money attached. Even if Mangold sticks around for 2017 and plays out his contract, he's not getting any younger, at 33. Time for the Jets to find a replacement, presuming they aren't fully sold on Wesley Johnson, a pending restricted free agent who replaced Mangold when he battled a nagging ankle injury last season. CBSSports.com rates Pocic as this draft's best center. 

Scouting report (from NFL.com): "Flexible, natural athlete with starting experience all along the LSU offensive line. Scouts say Pocic has the intelligence teams look for from a center and is highly regarded by LSU coaches and teammates in the locker room. Pocic is an excellent "work-up" blocker with the ability to thrive in a running game that operates in space, but his lack of power will produce some extremely challenging matchups for him at times." 

John David Mercer | USA TODAY Sports

Ethan Pocic's tape 

 

 

 

 

Round 4 (compensatory pick): Clemson RB Wayne Gallman

The reasoning: The Jets aren't guaranteed to get a compensatory pick, and the picks haven't even been awarded yet, so we're just projecting here. The Jets traded away their regular 2017 fourth-round pick during last year's draft, in order to take offensive tackle Brandon Shell in Round 5. Anyway, the Jets need to get younger at running back. Matt Forte is aging quickly. Bilal Powell is a fine complementary back, but he's not an elite No. 1 guy. Gallman would have a chance to learn from those veterans in 2017. 

Scouting report (from NFL.com): "Comes with NFL-ready body and a competitive running style. Gallman has limited instincts as an interior runner and needs lanes rather than creases, but he's physical enough to bang out tough yardage. Gallman runs with pace and shows traits of being a one-cut runner who is better off with focused, pre-set tracks rather than searching for his own. He could be an early contributor in a committee with a future as an eventual starter." 

Wayne Gallman's tape

 

via YouTube

 

 

 

Round 5: Florida State WR Travis Rudolph

The reasoning: The Jets have a couple good young receivers (Quincy Enunwa and Robby Anderson) and a couple guys on the back end of their careers (Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall). The Jets might cut Marshall this offseason. The move would create $7.5 million in salary cap space, with no dead money attached. Can't hurt to make a later-round investment in a receiver. 

Scouting report (from NFL.com): "Rudolph wasn't trying to make headlines when he decided to sit with Bo Paske at lunch during a middle school visit in August, but his actions made an autistic child, the young boy's mother, and the rest of the community very happy. He's been a class act since arriving in Tallahassee as a five-star recruit and three-time all-Florida pick, who won the Lou Groza Awards High School Player of the Year as a senior. Rudolph played in 13 games as a freshman, starting six contests and making 38 catches for 555 yards and four scores. He was an honorable mention All-ACC selection as the team's leading receiver in 2015 (59-916, seven TDs) and starring against Houston (7-201, TD) in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. Rudolph was named second-team all-conference as a junior, again leading the Seminoles in receiving (56-840, seven TDs)." 

Mark Konezny | USA TODAY Sports

Travis Rudolph's tape

 

via YouTube

Round 6: Arizona State K Zane Gonzalez 

The reasoning: At some point, the Jets will need to replace Nick Folk, who turns 33 in November. Folk is entering the final year of his contract in 2017. If the Jets cut him, they'd create $3 million in salary cap space, with $593,334 in dead money attached. Gonzalez looks like a potentially promising replacement. 

Scouting report (from NFL.com): "Self-made, four-year starter who has steadily increased his kickoff distance and range as a field goal kicker. As the most prolific field goal kicker in FBS history, Gonzalez has a good chance of being drafted and becoming an instant starter." 

Mark J. Rebilas | USA TODAY Sports

Zane Gonzalez's tape 

 

 

Round 7: Louisiana Tech S Xavier Woods 

The reasoning: Maybe the Jets can wait until Round 7 to get Gonzalez, and grab a late-round safety in Round 6. Either way, the Jets could use some young depth at safety ... and in their secondary in general. 

Scouting report (from NFL.com): "People in Ruston will tell you that they loved having Woods on their team for four years, and Conference USA coaches thought enough of his talent to name him first-team All-Conference USA each of the last three seasons. He started ten games as a true freshman and then exploded onto the college football scene in 2014 when making his sixth interception (and second pick-six) of the season in a win over Illinois in the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl. He ended up with 71 tackles, 3.5 for loss, seven pass breakups, and three forced fumbles. Woods also produced well in 2015 (56 tackles, 7.5 for loss, three INT, three PBU) and 2016 (89 tackles, 6.5 for loss, five INT, 6 PBU) all-conference campaigns." 

Jim Brown | USA TODAY Sports

Xavier Woods' tape

 

via YouTube 

Recapping Mike Maccagnan's Jets draft picks so far

Here's a look at who Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan has picked through two seasons on the job:

2014 

Round 1: DE Leonard Williams 

Round 2: WR Devin Smith 

Round 3: OLB Lorenzo Mauldin 

Round 4: QB Bryce Petty 

Round 5: OG Jarvis Harrison 

Round 7: DT Deon Simon 

2015 

Round 1: ILB Darron Lee 

Round 2: QB Christian Hackenberg 

Round 3: OLB Jordan Jenkins 

Round 4: CB Juston Burris 

Round 5: OT Brandon Shell 

Round 7: P Lachlan Edwards 

Round 7: WR Charone Peake 

 

Darryl Slater may be reached at dslater@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DarrylSlater. Find NJ.com Jets on Facebook.