Now that the 2024 season is officially in the rearview, it’s NFL mock draft season.
With new coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey, the Jets are expected to make several changes to their roster, which finished 5-12 last season.
Aaron Rodgers is among those changes, as reports are he will not return to the Jets after two disappointing seasons. Now, Gang Green will spend this offseason attempting to find a long-term solution at quarterback.
Unfortunately for the Jets, Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, the two consensus top quarterbacks available in this year’s draft (April 24-26), are projected to be off the board by the time they pick seventh overall. In addition, 28 Jets players are scheduled to become free agents on March 12, the start of the new league year.
Needless to say, the Jets have several holes to fill. Because of that, the team could go in many directions with their top three selections. Let’s project where Gang Green could go with their top three draft picks in our first mock draft of the offseason.
ROUND 1, PICK 7: OL WILL CAMPBELL, LSU
Taking an offensive lineman probably won’t be a popular pick among Jets fans, considering the team selected Olu Fashanu last year, but it’s the right move. Even if Gang Green re-signs veteran right tackle Morgan Moses, he will be 34 in March and played through several injuries last season, including an MCL tear.
Will Campbell is one of the best players in the draft and would be a more than suitable replacement for Moses. At 6-6, 323 pounds, Campbell was a three-year starter for the Tigers and is arguably the best offensive lineman available due to his excellent footwork and overall strength. In three seasons, Campbell allowed five sacks in 2,553 snaps.
Depending on the quarterback in 2025, the Jets could have a more run-heavy scheme under offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand, who came over from the Lions. Assuming that is the case, Campbell would be a nice fit, as he finishes blocks aggressively in the run game.
He is also an excellent pass protector who can move to a particular spot and consistently keep speed and power rushers in front of him. Campbell played left tackle at LSU, but right tackle, when he’s not protecting the quarterback’s blind side, could be a better position for him long-term. He has below-average arm length and tends to drift as a pass protector, which could allow opposing pass rushers to beat him inside.
Despite the question marks with Campbell, he has the potential to be a perennial Pro Bowl player in the league.
ROUND 2, PICK 42: S XAVIER WATTS, NOTRE DAME
Xavier Watts was a leader of the Fighting Irish team that reached the College Football National Championship before losing to Ohio State. He is a player who always plays with full effort and intensity.
In 2023, Watts was a unanimous All-American after finishing with 52 tackles and seven interceptions. He followed that up with another All-American season in which he registered 82 tackles and six interceptions.
The Jets could use help at safety, especially with Chuck Clark scheduled to become a free agent and Tony Adams a restrictive free agent next month. Watts can be a factor in both pass coverage and stopping the run. He is a physical tackler at the point of attack and a downhill player who always wants to make plays on ball carriers.
Watts could be selected anywhere from late Round 1 into Round 2 of the draft. If he is on the board at 42nd overall, the Jets should run to the podium to select him.
ROUND 3, PICK 92 (FROM LIONS): QB WILL HOWARD, OHIO STATE
No matter what the Jets decide to do at the quarterback position, they would be wise to select one during the 2025 draft. So, why not select a player whose stock is rising after a tremendous playoff run with the Buckeyes?
At 6-4, 237 pounds, Will Howard is an athletic quarterback with a good enough arm to make NFL throws inside and out of the pocket. He also has the athleticism to evade pass rushers and escape the pocket when needed.
In 16 games for Ohio State, Howard passed for 4,010 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. But the Buckeyes’ run to a national championship helped Howard elevate his stock. In four playoff games against Tennessee, Oregon, Texas, and Notre Dame, he passed for 1,150 yards, eight touchdowns, and only two interceptions.
Howard has all the attributes to be a development project down the road. With questions about the quarterback depth in the draft after Ward and Sanders, selecting Howard late on Day 3 would be a low-risk, possibly high-reward move.