NFL Draft

Early April Mock Drafts

Admin - April 3, 2020

We're just 20 days away from the NFL Draft. Most Pro Days have been canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which means that hardly any player's stock is going to move before the Draft Day. Performances displayed at the NFL Scouting Combine will most likely be the final grades before the Draft, as NFL teams told their coaches and scouts to suspend all travel.

If the NFL Draft does go as planned, there are various online bookmakers and Online Casino UK where fans can place bets on the Draft's outcome. This year's crop of wide receiver prospects is loaded with talent. The bookies are taking bets on 5.5 over/under receivers being selected in the first round. The over/under on offensive linemen, another position of need for the New York Jets, is 5.5 as well. The highest position over/under is for defensive backs - 6.5.

Let's take a look at the latest projections of who the Gang Green might select in the first round:

Charles Davis, NFL.com (April 2nd)

Pick 11: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama

Burner Robby Anderson is off to Carolina, so New York takes Jeudy, a tremendous blend of athlete and technician, who fires up Sam Darnold and the Jets' offense.

 

Peter Schrager, NFL.com (April 1st)

Pick 11: Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa

The Jets re-stocked their offensive line the best they could in free agency, but they're not done. If Wirfs is still on the board at 11th overall, I could see GM Joe Douglas -- a former offensive lineman himself -- taking very little time submitting the pick to the league. Wirfs can be an NFL offensive tackle or guard. He's an athlete with tremendous power who comes from an offensive line factory. He's a Day 1 starter wherever you use him.

 

Kevin Hanson, Sports Illustrated (April 2nd)

Pick 11: Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville

The Jets ranked near the bottom of Football Outsiders’ offensive line rankings in both run blocking (31st) and pass blocking (30th) in 2019. While the Jets have made several additions to the offensive line via free agency, I don’t think Joe Douglas is done yet. A mountain of a man at 6' 7" and 364 pounds with vines for arms (35 5/8"), the 20-year-old Becton has work to do on technique, but he has rare movement skills for his size.

 

Joe Marino, TheDraftNetwork.com (March 30th)

Pick 11: Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama

After general manager Joe Douglas blitzed the offensive line by agreeing to terms with five blockers in free agency, the New York Jets are positioned to get a weapon for Sam Darnold. No receiver in this class is more dynamic than Henry Ruggs III. He brings a big-play element to the Jets’ offense that currently does not exist.

 

Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports (April 1st)

Pick 11: Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama

Rumors are floating that Ruggs will be the first receiver off the board. The Jets give Darnold an exquisitely fast burner with a surprisingly big catch radius for his size.

 

Will Brinson, CBS Sports (April 2nd)

Pick 11: Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama

How do you replace Robby Anderson? With a cleaner, better, faster receiver who is quickly drawing interest as a guy who could be the first receiver off the board in the draft.

 

Tom Fornelli, CBS Sports (April 1st)

Pick 11: CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma

The Jets would love to take a tackle here to protect Sam Darnold. The problem is the top three are off the board, so instead of getting Darnold some protection, they get him a weapon.

 

Andrew Kulp, NBC Sports (April 1st)

Pick 11: Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama

After a heavy free-agent investment in offensive line, the Jets are free to go after a playmaker for Sam Darnold. Other receivers might be more polished, but Ruggs' 4.27 speed is something you can't teach.

 

Luke Easterling, USA Today (March 29th)

Pick 11: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama

This is a good problem to have for the Jets, who need both a franchise left tackle and a No. 1 receiver, both of which would be huge helps for Sam Darnold. Yes, the WR class is deeper, but the Jets might prefer getting to pick the best of the bunch at that position instead of taking the fourth-best offensive tackle. Jeudy is the most polished and pro-ready pass-catcher in this year’s loaded class.

 

Henry McKenna, USA Today (April 2nd)

Pick 11: Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU

Yes, Ruggs and Jeudy are excellent players. But Jefferson's versatility and production in big games may just make him the second-most desirable receiver in the draft class. He is the perfect, pro-ready target for Sam Darnold.

 

As the Jets have addressed most their offensive line needs in free agency and WR Robby Anderson signed with the Panthers, the wide receiver position has possibly become the team's number one priority in the Draft. Speedy WR Henry Ruggs III is an even faster version of Robby Anderson. Ruggs, 6'0", 190 lbs, also has the size to become the team's primary receiver. He's ranked as #3 receiver in this draft by the NY Post, behind Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb. Ruggs' 4.27 40-yard dash was one of the fastest ever posted at Scouting Combine. He started in 12 games as a junior, catching 40 passes for 746 yards, 7 TDs. 13 of his catches as a sophomore were for 20 or more yards.