A contrarian approach: What if Jets went all-in on drafting 3 players? (Trading up instead of down)

[jetstream23]

We've heard a lot about trading down and accumulating picks, and I'm in support of it.   But I was also thinking about the merits of a very different approach.  Hear me out on this...

The Jets have 6 picks in 2019 as outlined above.  There is also the UDFA period right after the Draft where non-drafted players are free to sign with whomever they choose.  Instead of looking to accumulate more picks and go from 6 to say something like 8 or 9, what if the Jets focused their efforts on trying to get something like 3 or 4 quality starting caliber players instead?

What if the Jets attempted to solve 3 of their biggest needs and then simply used UDFA to fill out the roster with more bodies and attempted depth?  How valuable have our late round picks been in recent years outside of Lachlan Edwards?

I'm wondering if it would make sense to do something like the following:

• Stay at #3 and solve the Edge Rusher need with Josh Allen (or Nick Bosa)
• Trade the Jets own 3rd rounder and 4th rounder to move into the middle of Round 2 and get a starting Center like Garrett Bradbury, Elgton Jenkins or Erik McCoy
• Trade the 3rd rounder from New Orleans and the 5th and 7th to move into the earlier part of the 3rd and take a Cornerback like Julian Love or Trayvon Mullen.  WR, DT and OT could also be candidate positions here.

At this point the Jets draft is over but they'd have 3 high-quality, targeted prospects at positions of need.  They could then use UDFA to get "bodies" and take shots at some high risk/reward players and pure Special Teamers.  The Jets would also have the continued free agency period, post-June 1st cuts and August camp cuts to try to cherry-pick a few other players.

Is trying to increase the likelihood of getting quality long-term players at the expense of quantity an approach worth considering?

 

[Beerfish]

Sounds like a Tannenbaum strategy.

In principle ideas like this sound good.  The assumption being higher picks always = better results.

When you draft 3 or 4 players in a draft you MUST hit on them.  And as we can see by macs history and other teams you do not hit on all of them.

Having 7 or more picks insulates you from total bust drafts as you can find players in lower rounds.

There is no 'right' answer.

[sec101row23]

The problem is that trading back up into the middle of the second round will cost more than just pick 68 and 105.   You would most likely need to trade 68, 93 and 105 to get to around pick 45.  That would leave you with a 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th.  

You could get back into the end of the second round, maybe pick 58 or 59 by trading just 68 and 105.   

[derp]

Agree with the earlier posters. The franchises that draft well don't hit on all of their players, but they have a bunch of selections so they have more opportunities to find players that fit. The John Idzik approach was pretty sound but the execution of it was just horrific. I do think you'll see the Jets move down, just probably not from 3. He'll move down from 93 and pick up a 5 or something.

I could see him moving up a little from 68 if he thinks he's going to miss somebody in a tier but I'd be surprised.

[jeTMAC]

Trade back and get acouple 2nd rounders and a 3rd.. I guess

[jeTMAC]

Jets r in a great spot

[Sonny Werblin]

We can't give Mac LESS picks. Take away his chalk picks at the top of the first round and his hit rate is less than 20%. Mac needs more picks, not less. 

[Thai Jet]

5 hours ago, Sonny Werblin said:

We can't give Mac LESS picks. Take away his chalk picks at the top of the first round and his hit rate is less than 20%. Mac needs more picks, not less. 

No thanks. IMHO we have too many holes to fill plus we need some depth. We need MORE not less draft picks this year.

[varjet]

If the Jets stay put they will likely get a great player and good players in the 3rd round, but to be competitive it will take a full other off season/draft.  

If the Jets found a way to get some more high picks in this draft, they could conceivably improve EDGE, C, T and WR and be a much better team this year.  It will cost them in depth, because presumably the late round picks is where that comes from.  During the Tanny years, the Jets relied on UDFA for that, and it did not work out well.  Mac just drafts poorly, but he also traded away a handful of picks during his 4 years for zero return.  

[jetstream23]

Fair points.

I'm just looking at our draft history and trying to understand whether picks in rounds 5, 6, 7 have really had any better "hit rate" than guys we sign as UDFAs.   We've got a starter in Robby Anderson and yet 11 of the "Idzik 12" are no longer here.

I'm not advocating this "all in" approach, just suggesting it for consideration.  I do agree that more picks = more chances to hit on a player.  Give a better 5 strikes instead of 3 and you increase his likelihood of getting a hit, but the analogy would also have to factor in that those later pitches are curve balls coming in at 129 MPH.

[nyjbuddy]

 

 

[Ohio State NY Jets fan]

Not sure I want Mac picking after the top 10, until the 5th round - UDFA

Maye is his only 2nd, he has not hit on a 3rd round pick  Herdon is only 4th round pick  after 4 drafts...