The New York Jets and their absolutely horrific record of drafting WRs!

[jetstream23]

I knew it was bad but it wasn't until I took a detailed look at the Jets record of drafting Wide Receivers that I realized how truly atrocious it has been.  I'm being generous in highlighting Quincy Enunwa and Jeremy Kerley (in green below) as successes simply because everyone else turned out so incredibly bad.  The Jets drafted no WR in 2019 or 2018, following a class of 2 WR busts in 2017.

Here are the past 5 years of Drafting.  4 WRs taken, 52 combined total catches in their careers.  Charone Peake and Devin Smith continue to hang on to roster spots in the NFL, neither with the Jets and neither as a starter.  I could argue that the Jets have not been successful in drafting a WR1 or WR2 in 11+ years!

 

The years prior to 2015, weren't much better.  The Jets took 3 Wide Receivers during the infamous "Idzik 12" Draft of 2014, with Enunwa becoming the only reasonably successful player.  Reminder here - The Jets took 3 WRs.  They passed on the following guys - Jarvis Landry, John Brown, Davante Adams, Allen Robinson, Marquise Lee, Brandin Cooks and others.

Jeremy Kerley is probably the most successful WR drafted by the Jets in the past 11 years!  Read that sentence again.  He's the bright spot.  Good player, excellent punt/kick returner, but not a WR1.

So, that's 11 years of drafting.....11 WRs taken of which 2 have become mildly successful.  All of this taking place as the NFL game is revolutionized by the passing attack and the League is now full of incredible playmakers from Michael Thomas and Davante Adams to Tyreek Hill and DeAndre Hopkins.  I could have gone back several more years and it wouldn't look any better.  I'd submit that the last truly successful WR draft pick (excluding Enunwa and Kerley) was Jerricho Cothery....in 2004!

The Jets best current WR is Robby Anderson, undrafted and not under contract.  He's also widely considered a solid WR2 type player.

Is now the time to invest in WR with an early pick?  With multiple picks?  The 2020 Draft is sizing up to be the best one for WRs since the aforementioned 2014 Draft that produced Mike Evans, Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, Devante Adams, and the other guys I mentioned above.

The offensive line is important and the Jets need to invest in it through both Free Agency and the Draft, but for the first time since 2017, the Jets need to go after a playmaker.  And, they need to get it right!

#weaponz

 

 

[RutgersJetFan]

WR is probably the one position the Jets had a proud history in. Maynard/Sauer, Toon/Walker, Keyshawn/Chrebet, Coles/Cotch...etc. I dunno, despite all their problems over the decades they regularly managed to get guys that were both exciting and likeable. The past several FO's really let that go to crap. Turns out when you don't invest valuable assets in skill positions it eventually comes back to haunt you. Go figure.

[BornJetsFan1983]

This is depressing. But hot damn

OT WR OT OT sure sounds like a good draft to me

[jetstream23]

4 minutes ago, RutgersJetFan said:

WR is probably the one position the Jets had a proud history in. Maynard/Sauer, Toon/Walker, Keyshawn/Chrebet, Coles/Cotch...etc. I dunno, despite all their problems over the decades they regularly managed to get guys that were both exciting and likeable. The past several FO's really let that go to crap. Turns out when you don't invest valuable assets in skill positions it eventually comes back to haunt you. Go figure.

The last time I see anything resembling a pattern of success in WR Drafting by the Jets was when they took Laverneous Coles in 2000 and followed that up with Santana Moss in 2001.

 

[BornJetsFan1983]

2 minutes ago, RutgersJetFan said:

WR is probably the one position the Jets had a proud history in. Maynard/Sauer, Toon/Walker, Keyshawn/Chrebet, Coles/Cotch...etc. I dunno, despite all their problems over the decades they regularly managed to get guys that were both exciting and likeable. The past several FO's really let that go to crap. Turns out when you don't invest valuable assets in skill positions it eventually comes back to haunt you. Go figure.

You duos mentioned all just kept going down in talent and success I remember Cole's I feel like he was the last wr we had that could get open consistently. And that was with Penny throwing his the rock.

Damn our WR suc

[Patriot Killa]

Too bad we don’t have TWO Jamal Adams to trade and that way we could get CeeDee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy back to back.

but seriously.. the 2014 WR Class was historic and we folded like a lawn chair. Disgusting. 

Guess what we took? A SAFETY BABY.

[New York Mick]

If they keep Anderson and hit on a WR in this draft they’ll be fine. 

[Jetty]

Izdik should have been escorted out of MetLife in handcuffs for that 2014 draft.

 

[rangerous]

someone needs to take all of that draft history and bury it with rex's game ball.  just looking at it brings back some really bad memories.

[Jetster]

It's an absolute crime that the people in charge of this organization have failed loyal Jet fans for years. 

Pro football is entertainment. Obviously all of us here love the game, love the Jets but the ignoring offense #1 obtaining a young good QB (even Darnold cost because they kept making mistakes like Hackenberg & ignored players like Wilson, Watson & Mahomes who were right in our sights. 

Then, they secure a QB & totally ignore the Oline & WRs. This league is literred with free agent safeties (Rex got by with Jim Leonard), but the Jets have used 2 firsts & a high 2nd on three safeties, Pryor, Adams & Maye. 

In the last draft it was completely obvious we needed a pass rusher, Josh Allen was staring us in the face & we took a DT again in QW. 

The New York Jets have had one of the worst offenses I have seen the last 10 years. BORING uninspired offensive football for 10 years. Honestly, I give all of you STHs huge kudos for battling traffic, parking ect. to watch a team with an Offensive line that's so poor our RBs barely average 2 yards, our #1 WR is a skinny #2 who can't win a 50/50 ball, and our suspended TE never even made it to the field this year so we ended up with a TE that the Texans didn't even want & just let walk away. 

When you switch from a Jet game to Redzone it's like a completely different game is being played. You see WRs & TEs bailing out their QB all of the time with circus catches, or catching 7 yarders & turning them into 25 yard gains. 

While fantasy football is much different than the real game, just the fact that Jet players last until the last rounds are an indictment of the Jets Brass. All of us can only hope & pray that Joe Douglas can reverse this ugly trend & put together a football team with an offense that excites the fan base & makes going to a Jet games or tuning in on TV fun again. 

There is no doubt in my mind that the NY Jets offense over the last 10 years leads the league in 3 & outs. Just depressing. 

[BUM-KNEE]

This thread hurts my heart....

[bealeb319]

How many did we take in the first round? I really only want us to draft offensive linemen this year but if we are trying to make fair and honest posts of course we are whiffing on positions we don't buy into until late in the draft. Hill and d. Smith were the only two second rounders I can think of.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using JetNation.com mobile app

[section314]

6 minutes ago, bealeb319 said:

How many did we take in the first round? I really only want us to draft offensive linemen this year but if we are trying to make fair and honest posts of course we are whiffing on positions we don't buy into until late in the draft. Hill and d. Smith were the only two second rounders I can think of.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using JetNation.com mobile app
 

Think last one was Santana Moss, think 2002/03?  It's crazy now, but remember Stephen Hill's 1st game? Had 2 td's and 100 yds. Once again, fools gold.?

[derp]

Last first round WR was Moss in 2001. The only one between then and now I can think of who was better than Kerley was Cotchery back in 2004. It’s been a wasteland.

Since 2001 I believe the only first round offensive players have been Sanchez, Darnold, Brick, Mangold, and Keller. 

Eighteen years, twenty picks (none in 2005, two in 2006, 2008, and 2013), five offensive players, one on the current roster. Though to be fair that only beats defensive players by one since Adams and Williams are the only two left there.

[Sarge4Tide]

[Paradis]

No one knows that the pain of WR neglect better than myself. Good post/read. 

19 years since drafted a receiver in the 1st, people. I turn 40 today I was 21 when we drafted Santana Moss. 

19 years. 

[sec101row23]

1 minute ago, Paradis said:

No one knows that the pain of WR neglect better than myself. Good post/read. 

19 years since drafted a receiver in the 1st, people. 

19 years. 

?‍♂️    

[Paradis]

Just now, sec101row23 said:

?‍♂️    

Haha touché!

[BROOKLYN JET]

Could find better wide receivers on work release...

[Jet Nut]

6 hours ago, Patriot Killa said:

Too bad we don’t have TWO Jamal Adams to trade and that way we could get CeeDee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy back to back.

but seriously.. the 2014 WR Class was historic and we folded like a lawn chair. Disgusting. 

Guess what we took? A SAFETY BABY.

The 2014 draft wasn't historic for WRs.  Especially the players taken in the first after we drafted. 

And we didnt take a safety in 2014, we took a CB

We took a S in 2017.  

Adams

A better player than the immortal John Ross who we could have drafted or Mike Williams.  Two studs taken after Adams in the first

 

[Nixhead]

6 hours ago, jetstream23 said:

The offensive line is important and the Jets need to invest in it through both Free Agency and the Draft, but for the first time since 2017, the Jets need to go after a playmaker.  And, they need to get it right!

Heres the Problem: There could be say 10 receivers considered 1st or 2nd rounders and with the Jets having probably their pick of the crop DO YOU REALLY THINK THEY WILL GET IT RIGHT THIS TIME? History says NO!

[Long Island Leprechaun]

1 hour ago, rangerous said:

someone needs to take all of that draft history and bury it with rex's game ball.  just looking at it brings back some really bad memories.

Too true. And completely irrelevant to a new GM and head coach. Let's see what they do before assuming that they are continuing some fractured tradition.

[Patriot Killa]

21 minutes ago, Jet Nut said:

The 2014 draft wasn't historic for WRs.  Especially the players taken in the first after we drafted. 

And we didnt take a safety in 2014, we took a CB

We took a S in 2017.  

Adams

A better player than the immortal John Ross who we could have drafted or Mike Williams

 

So we didn’t pass on Cooks and others for Calvin Pryor? That was the year before now that you mention it but we did take a safety.

[Jet Nut]

12 minutes ago, Nixhead said:

Heres the Problem: There could be say 10 receivers considered 1st or 2nd rounders and with the Jets having probably their pick of the crop DO YOU REALLY THINK THEY WILL GET IT RIGHT THIS TIME? History says NO!

Except that history says they do.  History doesn't end with Idzik and Macc.

Thankfully.

[Jet Nut]

6 minutes ago, Patriot Killa said:

So we didn’t pass on Cooks and others for Calvin Pryor? That was the year before now that you mention it but we did take a safety.

The immortal Brandon Cooks.  Our history would be drastically different with him.  A how could we not draft him player.  

Pryor didnt work out to say the least but Cooks is no big deal.  And that draft wasn't a historic draft for WRs

 

 

[chirorob]

To be fair, what position do the Jets show success in drafting over the past 10 years?

Running back?   Tight End?   O Line?   I think we finally got a QB now, but the 8 picks before that one, not so much.   Pass rusher?   Corner?

[chirorob]

2 hours ago, Young Jetty said:

Izdik should have been escorted out of MetLife in handcuffs for that 2014 draft.

 

Lot of talent taken before and after our safety.

[Biggs]

I'm still convinced Johny Lam Jones was a great WR.  Did you see the short pass over the middle he took to the house?  I think it was a pre-season game.

[section314]

1 hour ago, Sarge4Tide said:

Instead of Anthony Munoz. Bonus points...who was our 2nd rd pick that year? Hint....not in Ring of Honor.?

[section314]

2 minutes ago, Biggs said:

I'm still convinced Johny Lam Jones was a great WR.  Did you see the short pass over the middle he took to the house?  I think it was a pre-season game.

? Caught it from Hack, right?

[jetstream23]

49 minutes ago, Jet Nut said:

The 2014 draft wasn't historic for WRs.  Especially the players taken in the first after we drafted. 

And we didnt take a safety in 2014, we took a CB

We took a S in 2017.  

Adams

A better player than the immortal John Ross who we could have drafted or Mike Williams.  Two studs taken after Adams in the first

 

I'm sorry, Nut, but this post doesn't make sense to me.  It was the best WR draft in a generation.  Mike Evans, Sammy Watkins, OBJ, Brandin Cooks, Kelvin Benjamin, Marquis Lee, Davante Adams, Paul Richardson, Jordan Matthews, Allen Robinson, Jarvis Landry, etc. is a pretty large group of contributing starters and outright stars to come from one Draft class.

And we absolutely took a Safety in Calvin Pryor in 2014.  I think you need to go back and look at that Draft....both what the Jets did as well as all the WRs taken.

 

Quote

The 2014 wide receiver class is the greatest for the skill position in recent history, maybe even of all-time, and now that four full seasons have passed we can look back and see what this group of incredible players has accomplished. I didn’t include every wide receiver taken. I only wrote about the ones that I felt had put up significant stat lines or are still in the league. Obviously writing about a guy who was out of the league after two years isn’t very interesting. Nonetheless, there were still a lot of players to discuss.

https://thegruelingtruth.com/football/nfl/a-look-back-at-the-2014-nfl-draft-wide-receiver-class/

 

 

 

 

[JustInFudge]

And this is why I want either Jeudy/Lamb/Higgins at #11. 

[sec101row23]

12 minutes ago, chirorob said:

Lot of talent taken before and after our safety.

The entire first round of that draft was pretty impressive.   I think 17 pro-bowlers so far, the only real busts were Greg Robinson, Johnny Manziel and of course Calvin Pryor.  The Pryor selection was just abysmal on so many levels.  

[joewilly12]

Let's not forget the SLUGS we're brought in over the years the old re-treads or the unknowns who amounted to nothing and then expected our QB's to be better than what they were. 

Holmes(2010) -Edwards-Cotchery  back to back AFC Championship games. 

[Ohio State NY Jets fan]

In the time since Sideline Santana, the Jets invested 8 first round picks on DL, 3, CB, 2 QB, 2 ILB, 2 SS, 2 CB, 2, OL, 1 TE, can't make this up...

and Enunwa does not belong with Kerley or Cotchery (both were much better) Enunwa played 16 games only once in 5 years (only 41 games of 80 possible, 1617 yards, 5 TD's total) fine for a low round pick but not even mildly successful, guess a D- looks good next to F's

3 GM's in this time and they finally fired Mac last year, now the entire scouting team needs to be fired, even the lunch lady