Jets GM strikes gold in what could be a franchise (and legacy) altering draft.
June 4, 2022 | Nick Frangopoulos
When Joe Douglas arrived at 1 Jets Drive in 2019, fans of Gang Green were beyond elated to land the former Ravens, Bears, and Eagles scout. How could they not be? Joe was coming fresh off a Super Bowl win with Philadelphia as their VP of player personnel, was highly thought within league circles, having started his career by learning under one of the best minds in Ozzie Newsome, and the hire was considered by many to be the best hire the Jets have made since Bill Parcells. The Jets looked primed to finally end the âSame Old Jetsâ narrative that has plagued the team for so many years.
Fast forward to 2022.
After stripping down the roster left to him by former Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan in 2019, the Jets are coming off 2 seasons where they finished a combined 6-27, a once promising 2020 draft is looking shaky, and the book is still open on the 2021 class which will, undoubtedly, be judged heavily on the selection of quarterback Zach Wilson, especially after Douglas made the decision to jettison the 2018 3rd overall pick in Sam Darnold. Itâs safe to say that the pressure is now on for Joe Douglas to mold this team into what he wants it to be and turn this thing around. Last year was the first step in doing so when he finally was able to choose his own head coach in Robert Saleh, along with his own franchise QB, and this draft was another chance for him to infuse the Jets with some young and exciting talent at key positions. Armed with a treasure trove of draft picks from the Jamal Adams and Sam Darnold trades, Douglas looked to make a large splash during draft weekend. What he managed to do was create a tidal wave.
After the board went Travon Walker (JAX), Aiden Hutchinson (DET), and Derek Stingley Jr. (HOU), the Jets decided to add a little flavor to their secondary, selecting Ahmad âSauceâ Gardner at 4th overall. Gardner was, arguably, the best the best defensive back in this yearâs draft class, and maybe the entire nation, after he finished his 3 year career at Cincinnati without giving up a single touchdown, tallying 9 interceptions and 16 passes defended along the way. For a defense that allowed almost 30 points and 398 yards per game to opposing offenses, this seemed like a good way to try and rectify that issue. Especially when the Jets will now be facing Tyreek Hill twice a year, on top of Stefon Diggs.
The Jets first selection at #4 may have been the higher draft slot, but their second pick at 10th overall was the more interesting one and had far more eyes on it. This was due to the rumors that the team was willing to pony this pick up for disgruntled star wide receiver Deebo Samuel, of the San Francisco 49ers, in the days leading up to the draft. Ultimately, the price tag was too rich for the Jets and Joe Douglas decided to add a young playmaking wide receiver in Garrett Wilson to Zach Wilsonâs arsenal. With his smooth route running, excellent speed, and off-the-charts athleticism, the Jets gave their franchise quarterback another weapon that could grow alongside him, after they selected Elijah Moore, another dynamic wideout, last year in the 2nd round.
With those two selections, the Jets draft was already off to a hot start. With two 2nd rounders primed for use on Friday during the second round, you would think that the Jets brass was ready to hit the hay and prep for the next day, right? Wrong. Douglas immediately got to work on trying to find a trade partner once it became abundantly clear that their 2nd highest rated pass rusher, Jermaine Johnson II, was falling. 16 picks later, Joe and co. were finally back on the clock, trading picks 35, 69, 163 for picks 26 and 101, and they used that 26th pick to get their guy. Johnson II is long, strong, and relentless. He used all of those traits to notch 12.5 sacks last year at FSU and show out at the Reeseâs Senior Bowl, where the Jets coaching staff got an extensive look and, reportedly, fell in love with him. This type of aggressive move was previously out-of-character for the Jets GM, but the idea of potentially drafting the first true EDGE rusher the Jets have had since John Abraham was too tantalizing.
That would mark the end of the first round, but there was plenty more to come from Joe Douglas and company. It didnât take long for round 2 to get off to fast start, especially as it pertains to the Jets. Word on the street going into the day was that New York was targeting Iowa State running back Breece Hall. It was even reported that they had tried to trade back into the first round a second time the night prior in order to grab him. However, they werenât alone. As the clock ticked, rumors were swirling that the Houston Texans were all but guaranteed to be taking him if he fell to them. However, Joe Douglas decided he wasnât going to let that happen. He swapped picks with the Giants, who held pick 36 (the Jets had 38) and sent a 5th rounder (146) to move up to snag Hall, who was, widely, viewed as the best from this year’s class, coming off back-to-back seasons of more than 1,400 rushing yards. Over the course of three years at Iowa State, Hall also managed to notch 50 touchdowns on the ground. Adding that type of explosive talent to the Jets rushing attack should help out the offense immensely, especially when you figure that he will be sharing the backfield with the talented Michael Carter, who is coming off a very promising rookie campaign.
With one pick remaining in day two, the Jets would look to continue to add to their offense, selecting another player they got up close and personal with at the Senior Bowl, Ohio State tight end Jeremy Ruckert. Ruckert, who grew up a huge Jets fan, is a tantalizing, yet raw, prospect. Over the course of 4 seasons with the Buckeyes, his role in the passing game slowly increased each year, but every single time he stepped on the field it seemed like he made a big catch or play to spark something for the offense. The Jets are hoping that with some developing and more opportunities for Jeremy to show what he can do in the passing game, they can finally add a young, home-grown, dynamic tight end to their list of offensive weapons, something they really havenât had since Dustin Keller.
With 2 days in the books, a ton of wheelinâ and dealinâ, the Jets only had 2 picks remaining (111 and 117) going into day three. The first of those would be used to add another mountain to the offensive line, Louisiana tackle, Max Mitchell (6â6 – 307lbs). While he didnât play against top tier competition, a lot of Mitchellâs film pops out at you, particularly when he is in pass protection, as he only gave up three sacks over the course of his collegiate career. He has pretty impressive feet, uses his hands very well, and recover if he is initially knocked back from a bill rush. He doesnât possess elite athleticism, however, he has been working on snapping the ball and can play all over the line, so there is some potential there for him to develop into a very good versatile back-up, or even starter, on the o-line.
And then there was one. The last selection of the 2022 New York Jets draft class went back to the defensive side of the ball when Joe Douglas selected defensive end, Micheal Clemons. Clemons was a polarizing prospect entering the draft, as he was incredibly talented player with good speed, agility, power, length and pass-rushing moves. However in September 2021, he was arrested for multiple charges including unlawful carrying of a weapon, failure to identify/giving false information, less than two ounces of marijuana possession and driving with an invalid license. This, along with his age (24 years old) and a knee injury from 2020, caused many teams to take him off their board entirely. The Jets decided he was worth a chance though, as his talent is certainly exciting, and took him with their last pick.
As with any draft class, time will tell if Joe Douglas nailed this draft as much as the pundits think he did. That being said, you would be hard pressed to find a Jets fan who wasnât beaming with excitement at the end of the draft. It may not have been smooth sailing at first, but in year 4 as GM, Joe Douglas is finally giving Jets fans reasons to feel like he really is the man to lead this ship to treasure.
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