Another draft review & grade - Rotoworld

[CTJetsFan]

New York Jets

1. (3) USC QB Sam Darnold
3. (72) Fort Hays State DT Nathan Shepherd
4. (107) Miami TE Chris Herndon
6. (179) Tulane CB Parry Nickerson
6. (180) UConn DT Foley Fatukasi
6. (204) Virginia State RB Trenton Cannon

Overview: The Jets’ aggressive move to trade three second-round picks to climb just three spots in the draft paid off beautifully, landing top-rated quarterback Darnold after his surprising fall. Shepherd destroyed his D-IAA competition as an athletic space eater, but will be a rare 25-year-old rookie after bouncing around schools. On tape, Herndon reminded me of Charles Clay as an H-back/slot tight end. The Jets got a discount on Herndon because he tore his MCL in the Hurricanes’ regular season finale and could not test at full speed before the draft. Nickerson was one of the best later-round slot cornerback prospects in the draft with 4.32 speed, elite ball skills, and a 45% completion rate allowed when targeted over his final two seasons. As a wide body with plus length and size-adjusted athleticism, Fatukasi should have gone earlier. Cannon is a tiny (5’10/185) scatback without an NFL future. My favorite move of the Jets’ draft was their acquisition of stud DE Henry Anderson from the Colts for the No. 235 pick. When healthy, Anderson is one of the NFL’s best young 3-4 ends.

Grade: A-

[JoJoTownsell1]

PFF loved our draft. Rotoworld loved our draft. But SOJFs complaining that we didn't draft Anthony  Munoz in the 6th round are right, this draft was a C-. 

[Jetster]

Why does this sound so strange to me? high praise for a guy traded for a 7? what don't I know about regarding this guy?

"My favorite move of the Jets’ draft was their acquisition of stud DE Henry Anderson from the Colts for the No. 235 pick. When healthy, Anderson is one of the NFL’s best young 3-4 ends."
 

[LIJetsFan]

Ok so after a GREAT start, maybe the 25yo set the tone for the naysayers.  I must admit I was one of them but I am starting to come around.  Cannon was another late round head scratcher but overall the rest are looking better the closer I look.

Also seems like we hit on at least one UDFA if not two in the FB and OL slots.        

[jbt]

if we hit on Darnold rest of draft really does not matter.  they did upgrade the DLine especially trading a 7th rounder for Anderson who can start right away.

Would of been nice to take a chance on Brown in the 3rd or one of the pass rushers but next year they better take a bunch of OL, OLB and more weapons for Darnold

[JetFaninMI]

6 minutes ago, JoJoTownsell1 said:

PFF loved our draft. Rotoworld loved our draft. But SOJFs complaining that we didn't draft Anthony  Munoz in the 6th round are right, this draft was a C-. 

Homers gotta love 'em. Another positive rating. Time will tell. Meanwhile SOJJ.

[LIJetsFan]

I'm hearing that Brown wasn't a fit in the zone blocking scheme.....just saying. 

[Embrace the Suck]

Hopefully the D-Line we drafted works out and as a team the Jets will stop wasting high first round picks on space eaters which is all our D-Line really does in the 3-4.

[Warfish]

12 minutes ago, JoJoTownsell1 said:

PFF loved our draft. Rotoworld loved our draft. But SOJFs complaining that we didn't draft Anthony  Munoz in the 6th round are right, this draft was a C-. 

I was unaware we all had to march in disciplined lockstep with PFF, Rotoworld and the Thought Police here at JN.

Dissent shall not be tolerated!  You must express teary-eyed thanks to the Glorious Leader Maccagnan.....or else! 

 

[Philc1]

2 minutes ago, LIJetsFan said:

I'm hearing that Brown wasn't a fit in the zone blocking scheme.....just saying. 

I wanted him but he ran like a 5.87 40.  Defensive line is putrid after the Wilkerson fiasco Mike Pennel is not even league mediocre for a starter

[The Crusher]

I can’t wait for Shepard to say “ Fort Hayes state Tigers“ when they introduce the defense. 

[JoJoTownsell1]

3 minutes ago, Jetster said:

Why does this sound so strange to me? high praise for a guy traded for a 7? what don't I know about regarding this guy?

"My favorite move of the Jets’ draft was their acquisition of stud DE Henry Anderson from the Colts for the No. 235 pick. When healthy, Anderson is one of the NFL’s best young 3-4 ends."
 

Colts are going with a 4-3 defense (he is a 3-4 DE) and he has a history of injuries. If he stays healthy he can be really good, but there is a legit chance he just isn't the same player he was when he showed flashes as a rookie. 

It's like bringing in Mo Claiborne last year and trading for Demario Davis. Cheap options that have decent upside. That has been Macc's plan outside of big moves for guys like Cousins, Johnson, Williamson, Crowell. This year those guys are Terrell Pryor, Anderson and Bridgewater. 

The one thing about Macc, as opposed to the way things were with Rex, is that he doesn't fall in love with players. He made a great trade for Demario last year and instead of falling in love with his own move he went out and found a player he thought was better to replace him. 

[bigalbarracuda]

3 minutes ago, JoJoTownsell1 said:

PFF loved our draft. Rotoworld loved our draft. But SOJFs complaining that we didn't draft Anthony  Munoz in the 6th round are right, this draft was a C-. 

I personally like this year's draft but all the b1tching and moaning is coming from a place where year after year they seem to neglect OL and pass rusher. It's been a glaring need and they've drafted Mauldlin, Shell, and Donohue the last 3 years. Of those 3 only Shell has shown anything and not been arrested.

To me this underscores the OVERWHELMING failure that was the 2014 Idzik 12.... of which we only have Enunwa and Dozier left and the others essentially provided zero value. If you look at the past few drafts we went heavy on DB/WR/LB in order to make up for the gaping holes Idzik left there.

[freestater]

8 minutes ago, Warfish said:

I was unaware we all had to march in disciplined lockstep with PFF, Rotoworld and the Thought Police here at JN.

Dissent shall not be tolerated!  You must express teary-eyed thanks to the Glorious Leader Maccagnan.....or else! 

 

I read that thinking of it being read to me by...

 

[JoJoTownsell1]

2 minutes ago, bigalbarracuda said:

I personally like this year's draft but all the b1tching and moaning is coming from a place where year after year they seem to neglect OL and pass rusher. It's been a glaring need and they've drafted Mauldlin, Shell, and Donohue the last 3 years. Of those 3 only Shell has shown anything and not been arrested.

To me this underscores the OVERWHELMING failure that was the 2014 Idzik 12.... of which we only have Enunwa and Dozier left and the others essentially provided zero value. If you look at the past few drafts we went heavy on DB/WR/LB in order to make up for the gaping holes Idzik left there.

Ok, but we took Darnold with our 1st round pick and any edge rusher/OL we would have taken in the 3rd-6th rounds would have likely been another Shell/Mauldin type.

 

You just don't find edge rushers in the later rounds. You find Mauldins. Look through the last 7 drafts and not a SINGLE edge rusher taken had more than 10 sacks last year. It was all former 1st/2nd rounders. For every Cam Wake there are a 100 Mauldins. 

 

 

[ASH1962]

25 minutes ago, JoJoTownsell1 said:

PFF loved our draft. Rotoworld loved our draft. But SOJFs complaining that we didn't draft Anthony  Munoz in the 6th round are right, this draft was a C-. 

A guy who idolizes Todd Bowles calling others a SOJF.

 

LMFAO

[Jetster]

13 minutes ago, JoJoTownsell1 said:

Colts are going with a 4-3 defense (he is a 3-4 DE) and he has a history of injuries. If he stays healthy he can be really good, but there is a legit chance he just isn't the same player he was when he showed flashes as a rookie. 

It's like bringing in Mo Claiborne last year and trading for Demario Davis. Cheap options that have decent upside. That has been Macc's plan outside of big moves for guys like Cousins, Johnson, Williamson, Crowell. This year those guys are Terrell Pryor, Anderson and Bridgewater. 

The one thing about Macc, as opposed to the way things were with Rex, is that he doesn't fall in love with players. He made a great trade for Demario last year and instead of falling in love with his own move he went out and found a player he thought was better to replace him. 

Thanks for the info. I like his wing span, another guy that can bat down passes, an underappreciated talent & something you see Pats players doing all of the time.

[bigalbarracuda]

1 minute ago, JoJoTownsell1 said:

Ok, but we took Darnold with our 1st round pick and any edge rusher/OL we would have taken in the 3rd-6th rounds would have likely been another Shell/Mauldin type.

 

You just don't find edge rushers in the later rounds. You find Mauldins. Look through the last 7 drafts and not a SINGLE edge rusher taken had more than 10 sacks last year. It was all former 1st/2nd rounders. For every Cam Wake there are a 100 Mauldins. 

 

 

You're not wrong but the same can be said about taking two DLs... how much better will Shepard and Fatukasi be then Pennel and Deon Simon?

O. Brown wasn't a great fit but there were 6 OL taken in the 3rd round after Shepard... you come away with Rankin, Cappa or Noteboom in the 3rd and you have another tackle that can compete and possibly emerge.

[JoJoTownsell1]

6 minutes ago, ASH1962 said:

A guy who idolizes Todd Bowles calling others a SOJF.

 

LMFAO

I don't like Bowles, but I am not going to cry about him every day like some of yo do. 

 

[HessStation]

37 minutes ago, JoJoTownsell1 said:

PFF loved our draft. Rotoworld loved our draft. But SOJFs complaining that we didn't draft Anthony  Munoz in the 6th round are right, this draft was a C-. 

Guilty. My issue is more on strategy than players. The only asset that really matters in the big scheme is Darnold. I didn't see anything that suggests they're all in on keeping him upright. That said if he's taking a red shirt for most of the season and they go all in doing that next year, then that works and I get it. Crosby in the 4th made so much sense (scheme + value) though, but all good. For now.

[dbatesman]

30 minutes ago, Jetster said:

Why does this sound so strange to me? high praise for a guy traded for a 7? what don't I know about regarding this guy?

"My favorite move of the Jets’ draft was their acquisition of stud DE Henry Anderson from the Colts for the No. 235 pick. When healthy, Anderson is one of the NFL’s best young 3-4 ends."
 

Anderson’s a crazy athlete who’s only 26. The Colts are dumping him because he doesn’t fit what they’re doing on defense and because he’s had a lot of injuries. He’s also entering the last year of his contract. 

[UnitedWhofans]

Just now, dbatesman said:

Anderson’s a crazy athlete who’s only 26. The Colts are dumping him because he doesn’t fit what they’re doing on defense and because he’s had a lot of injuries. He’s also entering the last year of his contract. 

YEah kind of an odd man out situation.

[JoJoTownsell1]

2 minutes ago, bigalbarracuda said:

You're not wrong but the same can be said about taking two DLs... how much better will Shepard and Fatukasi be then Pennel and Deon Simon?

O. Brown wasn't a great fit but there were 6 OL taken in the 3rd round after Shepard... you come away with Rankin, Cappa or Noteboom in the 3rd and you have another tackle that can compete and possibly emerge.

I would have gone OL with the 3rd pick, but if they think Sheppard has a legit shot to be really good and the OL they take isn't much better than the the likes of Shell/Ijalna/Qvale then bringing in another depth OL would be pretty stupid. Why pass on a kid you think can be really good at DL for a player you think will be an average OL? 

If they would have passed on Sheppard for an average OL and that OL turns out to be another middling talent, the same people complaining about us not drafting an OT would be complaining that we wasted a pick on a talentless OL. 

Ideally, the Jets would have signed Cousins, used their high draft picks to build their OL and we go from there. Once Cousins was off the table, we lost any chance of getting any of the top 10-12 OL prospects in this class. 

[Jetster]

5 minutes ago, dbatesman said:

Anderson’s a crazy athlete who’s only 26. The Colts are dumping him because he doesn’t fit what they’re doing on defense and because he’s had a lot of injuries. He’s also entering the last year of his contract. 

Interesting..hope it works out.

[JoJoTownsell1]

5 minutes ago, HessStation said:

Guilty. My issue is more on strategy than players. The only asset that really matters in the big scheme is Darnold. I didn't see anything that suggests they're all in on keeping him upright. That said if he's taking a red shirt for most of the season and they go all in doing that next year, then that works and I get it. Crosby in the 4th made so much sense (scheme + value) though, but all good. For now.

Even if they plan on starting Darnold this year, there is virtually ZERO chance any OL they took in the 3rd round would be ready to step in this year and start. Usually lineman taken on days 2/3 of the draft are projects...at best. 

The only chance we had at taken a really good lineman was if we had passed on Darnold.  

[rangerous]

37 minutes ago, jbt said:

if we hit on Darnold rest of draft really does not matter.  they did upgrade the DLine especially trading a 7th rounder for Anderson who can start right away.

Would of been nice to take a chance on Brown in the 3rd or one of the pass rushers but next year they better take a bunch of OL, OLB and more weapons for Darnold

yep. i think most people are missing the fact that much of the oline was shored up through free agency so the need to get an olineman through the draft was mitigated.  and really, this draft was all about getting a qb.  they got darnold.  everyone should be happy.

[flgreen]

I don't get it.  Jets got a QB who might be a franchise changing player in the first round.  Every other selection they made upgrades his position. Most are either going to start before the year is out, or at least going to be in the rotation.  

The Jets are a better team then they were last week, a lot of outsiders love the draft, and yet Jets fans hate it, and want Macc fired.

I'm confused

[Patriot Killa]

1 hour ago, LIJetsFan said:

Ok so after a GREAT start, maybe the 25yo set the tone for the naysayers.  I must admit I was one of them but I am starting to come around.  Cannon was another late round head scratcher but overall the rest are looking better the closer I look.

Also seems like we hit on at least one UDFA if not two in the FB and OL slots.        

You think so? I thought Cannon made reasonable sense...

[jack48]

33 minutes ago, UnitedWhofans said:

YEah kind of an odd man out situation.

and a fractured larynx is a very unusual injury.  I would cross that one off.  As for his other injuries, he is still better than any 7th rounder we could have picked.  Get what you can from him

[Skeptable]

1 hour ago, Jetster said:

Why does this sound so strange to me? high praise for a guy traded for a 7? what don't I know about regarding this guy?

"My favorite move of the Jets’ draft was their acquisition of stud DE Henry Anderson from the Colts for the No. 235 pick. When healthy, Anderson is one of the NFL’s best young 3-4 ends."
 

Can't stay healthy

[ScarletKnight89]

For those of us who like PFF they said we had an ELITE draft. They loved the Darnold pick and felt that Parry Nickerson (CB Tulane) could be a huge steal for us in the 6th round.

To compare them to the rest of the AFC East they said the Bills and Patriots had AVERAGE drafts and the Dolphins had a GOOD draft. They also said the Giants had an ABOVE AVERAGE draft. 

[section314]

1 hour ago, JoJoTownsell1 said:

Colts are going with a 4-3 defense (he is a 3-4 DE) and he has a history of injuries. If he stays healthy he can be really good, but there is a legit chance he just isn't the same player he was when he showed flashes as a rookie. 

It's like bringing in Mo Claiborne last year and trading for Demario Davis. Cheap options that have decent upside. That has been Macc's plan outside of big moves for guys like Cousins, Johnson, Williamson, Crowell. This year those guys are Terrell Pryor, Anderson and Bridgewater. 

The one thing about Macc, as opposed to the way things were with Rex, is that he doesn't fall in love with players. He made a great trade for Demario last year and instead of falling in love with his own move he went out and found a player he thought was better to replace him. 

The Branch Rickey philosophy.....rather trade a guy one year too early than one year too late. Or in this case, let go in FA.

[C Mart]

Via Draftanalyst:

New York Jets: The Jets first two picks, Sam Darnold and Nathan Shepherd, have great upside but also a big bust factor. Parry Nickerson was a steal while Trent Cannon will surprise.

 

[C Mart]

1 hour ago, JoJoTownsell1 said:

Colts are going with a 4-3 defense (he is a 3-4 DE) and he has a history of injuries. If he stays healthy he can be really good, but there is a legit chance he just isn't the same player he was when he showed flashes as a rookie. 

It's like bringing in Mo Claiborne last year and trading for Demario Davis. Cheap options that have decent upside. That has been Macc's plan outside of big moves for guys like Cousins, Johnson, Williamson, Crowell. This year those guys are Terrell Pryor, Anderson and Bridgewater. 

The one thing about Macc, as opposed to the way things were with Rex, is that he doesn't fall in love with players. He made a great trade for Demario last year and instead of falling in love with his own move he went out and found a player he thought was better to replace him. 

This is from Dec 6, 2017 following his throat injury via indystar.com:

The timing of the injury stunk for Anderson, who’d come into his own after battling back from a torn ACL that dogged him for a year and a half. Before the Texans game, he’d had two sacks in his last three starts, and two weeks earlier against the Jaguars totaled four tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. Against Cincinnati a week later he compiled seven tackles and blocked a field goal.

 

[HessStation]

I had no idea about Anderson but this sounds like a potentially much better trade than I originally thought. Props to Maccagnan, although he deserves the initial doubts at this point.