Gang Green Nation
Every year, when fans turn to the NFL Draft as their team’s seasons come to an end early, certain prospects rise up boards because of a highlight reel or athletic profile that makes for a great social media post. Sometimes those players turn out well; most of the time, they don’t. So in an effort to avoid that, I want to highlight three players that I’ve seen getting massive hype that I’m hoping the Jets avoid at all costs.
I’m going to start with a player who will likely draw attention from the Jets. Given the team’s big hole at DT after trading Quinnen Williams, using a top pick on the position could be enticing. And Peter Woods has been the consensus top DT in the draft since the preseason. In fact, he was a preseason top-5 pick.
Don’t fall for the hype here, though. Woods is not in any world a top-5 player in this draft class. Woods has just three sacks this season, matching his career total prior to this season. He has an abysmal 4.0% pressure rate this year. To give you an idea, Jordan Davis had the worst pressure rate of any DT drafted in the 1st round since pressures have been recorded, and he was at 6.3%.
To say Woods is a poor pass rusher is an understatement. Yet, he’s athletic enough that you can dream on more, and NFL teams do love to dream on being the ones to unlock a skill that no coach before has been able to unlock. It didn’t work for Davis, who’s never had more than 4 sacks in a season, nor has he ever posted a league-average pressure rate. Woods isn’t the athlete Davis is either.
Woods is a great run defender, but he’s not elite there either. His 11.1% run stop rate is good, but just good. His 78.4 run defense grade is 33rd in the NCAA and 21st among Power 4 schools, minimum 50% snaps. It’s above average, but it’s not an elite mark.
Woods is going to get to the combine and grade out as an elite athlete. And that will carry his profile heading into the draft. But statistically, Woods is a Day 3 guy. Some team is likely going to take a shot on him in the first round, and potentially in the top-15. I’m hoping the Jets aren’t the team suckered into believing that they’re the ones who can help an underperforming prospect hit his ceiling.
Similar to DT, the Jets have a massive hole at CB after a move at the trade deadline. Without Sauce Gardener, the Jets are in need of a CB1. And the odds they turn to the draft to develop a CB are high given their head coach. And one guy I’m worried that Aaron Glenn may fall in love with is Avieon Terrell.
Terrell is a lot like Glenn was as a player in many ways....
