The early idea of the New York Jets’ draft decisions continues to be something to talk about, and the latest projection brings up the idea of a team looking to fix its defense while also trying to find a quarterback.
In Chad Reuter of NFL.com’s latest mock, at No. 2 overall, the Jets were predicted to land Arvell Reese, an edge rusher who's gone up draft boards after an impressive showing at Ohio State. While the Jets could go with a quarterback at No. 2, it feels like Reese might be the safest pick at the moment.
“Given a chance to start in his junior year, Reese exploded on the scene, becoming a disruptive force with his length and closing speed, racking up 6.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss,” Reuter wrote. “Should veteran Quincy Williams head elsewhere in for free agency, Reese can step in.”
Quincy Williams has been good for the Jets but also didn’t play as much as he likely wanted to last year. It seems all but certain that he’ll depart in free agency after New York traded his brother at the trade deadline last season. Reese would offer a younger player, who is perhaps better, and would help the Jets in the short and long-term.
However, arguably the most important pick came later in Reuter’s article, as the Jets clearly need a quarterback.
Instead of forcing a quarterback at the top of the draft, he had the Jets trying to fix the position at No. 16 overall, predicting them to select Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. Simpson is another decent name and had a pretty good season at Alabama.
“Like the Giants when they took Abdul Carter (third overall) and Jaxson Dart (25th) last year, the Jets follow their early selection of an impact defender (Arvell Reese) with a potential starting quarterback later in Round 1,” Reuter wrote. “Simpson might not be a top-10 pick, but the son of a longtime college head coach clearly knows the game and possesses the arm strength, pocket poise and mobility to excel.”
Simpson’s background and tools make him an intriguing player to consider. However, drafting him would require the Jets to develop a quarterback, something they haven’t done recently.