2021 NFL Draft: How many picks do the Jets have?
The New York Jets have some work to do this offseason, and the NFL Draft will be a telling sign of how they plan to do just that. With new head coach Robert Saleh now at the helm, the Jets need a new identity in order to erase one of the current longest playoff droughts in the NFL.
Since the beginning of 2019, the New York Jets have also traded three previous first-round draft picks, most recently being quarterback Sam Darnold.
This offseason, the Jets need to begin some sort of rebuilding process. Last season, it seemed that fans wanted the team to go defeated so that they could obtain the first overall pick. When it was made public that prospective first pick quarterback Trevor Lawrence preferred not to be drafted by the New York Jets, fans were even more distraught. The team then won two games en route to a 2-14 record.
So what will the New York Jets do in the 2021 NFL Draft? Seems like something that NFL fans have heard before. They are going to draft a quarterback in the first round. Below is a list of one of the New York Jets draft picks in the 2021 NFL Draft (pending any possible trades, of course!):
Round 1: 2 and 23
Round 2: 2 (34 overall)
Round 3: 2 and 23 (66 and 86 overall)
Round 4: 2 (107 overall)
Round 5: 2 and 10 (146 and 154 overall)
Round 6: 2 and 42 (186 and 226 overall)
Draft Preditions
As with all teams, there are many rumors when it comes to possible draft selections for the New York Jets. With two first-round draft picks, the Jets are predicted to take a quarterback with the first. BYU quarterback Zach Wilson is projected to go as high as second and could be a good fit for the Jets.
With their second first-round draft selection, the Jets are expected to draft some protection for the projected quarterback, then pick first by drafting offensive line help. One name that keeps appearing in mock drafts is USC's Alijah Vera-Tucker. He is a good run blocker which would also help get that offense rolling again.
Starting in the second round and onward should be used to fill in the necessary holes both on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.