Gang Green Nation
ESPN’s Matt Miller released his latest mock draft today and he extended it through the first two rounds.
In round one he had the Jets taking offensive tackle/guard prospect Will Campbell from LSU stating the following about the highly touted offensive lineman.
Despite drafting Penn State tackle Olu Fashanu with the No. 11 pick last year, the Jets could still use help in the trenches. Starting tackles Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses are free agents, which would allow Campbell to team up with Fashanu.
There are questions about Campbell’s shorter arms — I’ve been told scouts measured them under 33 inches this past summer — but his quick feet and understanding of angles served him well as a three-year starter. New York could try Campbell at tackle first, where he has the tools to be an impact starter, and then shift him to guard if necessary. Regardless, he gives the Jets another young, talented offensive lineman to build around.
It’s always important to look at the options available and in this scenario, both QBs were gone, Mason Graham had gone to the Patriots at #4, Abdul Carter to the Titans at #1 and Will Johnson to the Jaguars at #5. With that said, I have no real problems with Will Campbell. My personal preference there would be Tetairoa McMillan from Arizona, Kelvin Banks Jr from Texas or even Tyler Warren from Penn State. But I can live with that pick.
Then in the second round he has the Jets picking up a new signal caller for the future. Unfortunately it’s not Jaxson Dart who was taken at #40 by the New Orleans Saints in this scenario, but Quinn Ewers from Texas.
It will be fascinating to watch Ewers’ pre-draft process, and a strong combine could boost him into Round 1. The Jets need an heir apparent to Aaron Rodgers and might need that successor to start immediately. Three seasons as a starter at Texas would have Ewers ready for that task. He threw for 3,472 yards, 31 touchdowns and 12 interceptions this past season.
If this pick was Dart then I’d be all over it, but despite being a Longhorns fan over Quinn’s entire career there, I’m just not sold on his pro potential. He can get easily flustered under pressure and tends to float the ball. He was playing behind one of the best offensive lines in college, throwing to some of the best skill position players in college and I still never looked at him and thought he was a long-term solution for an NFL team needing a QB. He has plenty of talent and there’s absolutely a chance that in the right system under the right guidance, he could develop into an NFL starter, but it could take some time.
In that draft scenario you had guys like Elijah Arroyo, Nic Scourton and a handful of others who could help the Jets immediately.
