The New York Jets sitting at No. 2 overall in the upcoming draft puts them in an interesting and decent spot, depending on what the front office wants to do. They aren’t a roster with plenty of talent, and while selecting a quarterback makes sense, the Jets have to be smart in a sense.
That’s why some are starting to believe the Jets will take a non-quarterback.
Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic was the latest to do so, predicting that the Jets would select Arvell Reese with the No. 2 pick. If that ends up being the case, it’s one I’d be fully on board with.
“The most talented defender and arguably the most talented football player in the class, period, Reese has the potential to be a total game wrecker on the edge. He also has enough versatility to move around the front seven. He’s a prospect with an elite-level ceiling,” he wrote.
Reese could be a difference-maker and someone who changes what the Jets are right now on the defensive side of the football.
What I like most about Reese for the Jets is how cleanly he fits what this team needs, not just what looks good on a draft board. New York has spent the past few years in a weird spot on the defensive side of the football, and with how good the unit was a couple of seasons ago, it is an area that has to improve.
Reese can come off the edge and play multiple other ways. For a Jets’ defense that has struggled with versatility and doesn’t have a lot of players who can do so, he’d be ideal there.
There’s also the simple reality of where the Jets are as an organization. Yes, again, the Jets need a quarterback, but if they don’t have one they love, there’s just not a reason to force it. The Jets simply need more talent and until they get some, even if they find a quarterback, they won’t be a good team.
Quarterbacks, especially for the Jets, will always dominate draft talks, but elite defensive players still change franchises. If the Jets are serious about building something on that side of the football to help Aaron Glenn, this would be a move I’d love.