2007 NFL Draft Review - New York Jets

The New York Jets surprised many NFL fans last season by making the playoffs in coach Eric Mangini's rookie season. The Jets looked to build upon last year's success by adding more talent to their roster in this year's NFL Draft.

The Jets were one of the most aggressive teams in this year's NFL Draft. It started early, as the Jets made the first big move of the day trading with the Carolina Panthers to move up 11 spots from #25 to #14 in the 1^st round.

With the 14^th selection, the Jets selected Pittsburgh CB Darelle Revis.

Revis was considered by many to be the best CB in this year's draft. He was a 3 year starter at Pitt, starting every game since the 2^nd game of his freshman season. Revis had 8 interceptions in his 3 years at Pitt, and was a 2-time All Big East selection.

Cornerback was easily the Jets biggest need, and they filled that need with the best player available.

In order to move up and select Revis, the Jets gave up their 1^st round pick(#25), 2^nd round pick(#59), and 5^th round pick(#164). They also acquired a 6^th round pick (#191) from the Panthers.

Revis' tough and aggressive style makes him a good fit for the Jets. He is a solid cover corner who is also able to come up and make plays in run support.

The only real knock on Revis is that he has a tendency to gamble too often in coverage. While this can sometimes be a weakness, it also helps Revis make big plays at the CB position - something Revis was known for in college.

Revis also has some value as a punt returner. It will be interesting to see if the Jets use him in this capacity.

In Round 2, the Jets got aggressive again when they saw Michigan ILB David Harris start to slide down the draft board. In order to acquire Harris, the Jets packaged their other 2^nd round pick(#63), their 3^rd round pick(#89), and the 6^th round pick they acquired from Carolina (#191) to the Green Bay Packers for their 2^nd round pick (#47).

Harris is a bigger LB, but possesses good speed for a player of his bulk. Harris didn't see significant playing time at Michigan until his junior season, but once he did his talent was obvious. In 2006, Harris was the leader of a dominant Michigan defense while also making 103 tackles.

The Jets will likely plug Harris in at ILB next to their other star ILB, Jonathan Vilma. The combination of Vilma and Harris gives the Jets an exciting young duo at linebacker to anchor their 3-4 defense.

Many draft experts expected Harris to be a 1^st round pick, so the Jets got significant value with this pick by landing Harris in the middle of Round 2.

In the 6^th round the Jets selected Jacob Bender, an offensive tackle from Nicholls State. Bender is a bit of a project at the tackle spot, but has good size(6-5 ½) and a frame that could easily add 10-20 lbs. Bender was a dominant player at the Division 1-AA level, the question is whether or not he'll be able to move his feet against the quicker players in the NFL.

Bender did perform well head to head against Nebraska DE Adam Carriker, who was drafted with the #13 pick by the St. Louis Rams.

With their final selection, the Jets selected Clemson WR Chansi Stuckey in the 7^th round. Stuckey is a guy who showed some flashes of greatness at times while at Clemson.

Stuckey is elusive with the ball but doesn't have blazing speed. He's a good all-around athlete who caught passes, ran the football, returned kicks, and even played a little quarterback when called upon.

Injuries slowed Stuckey at the beginning of his 2006 season and hurt his overall production. He also ran slower than expected in the 40 yard dash, which caused him to slip this far in the draft. If Stuckey can stay healthy, he could prove to be a nice value pick for the Jets. His athleticism should make him an immediate contributor for the Jets this season on special teams.

Conclusion : The Jets sacrificed some draft picks in order to get the players they wanted. They were active and aggressive, and instead of waiting to see who fell to them, they went up and got the players they felt were the best fit for them.

Moving up to get Revis may have been a bit of a reach, especially since the price they paid to Carolina was somewhat steep. However, the Jets needed a corner and got the one they had rated highest in the draft.

The Jets decision to move up again to get Harris may end up being their best move of the draft. Harris should step right in and start next to Jonathan Vilma. This pick should solidify the middle of the Jet defense for years to come.

With only 2 picks left the Jets did a decent job grabbing 2 "project" players who have some upside. It's obvious the Jets went into the draft thinking they were only a player or two away from taking that "next step" as a team, after their 10-6 season last year.

Grade : B-

The Jets went up and got their guy, Revis, in round 1, but may have paid a little too much to get him. Their best move was going back up and getting Harris in the 2^nd round. Bender and Stuckey have some upside, but only time will tell if either pick pans out.