Getty Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans fighting off a tackle attempt from a New York Jets defender.
For the New York Jets, it has been mock draft season since October, but the rest of the NFL is slowly catching up as each team is eliminated from the playoffs.
One purpose of this exercise is to familiarize fans with a variety of prospects and at the same time play general manager to work out several different scenarios.
One prospect, in particular, has been rising up draft boards and has been a popular favorite to the Jets.
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A Popular Mock Draft Landing Spot
In Mel Kiper’s mock draft 1.0 for ESPN, he mocked USC wide receiver Drake London to the Jets with the No. 10 overall pick (via the Seattle Seahawks).
As he broke down the prospect for the First Draft podcast, Kiper waxed some pretty sweet poetic on the player and his fit with the Jets:
“London is a freakish talent and he has that Mike Evans-Plaxico Burress frame. He is going to go very high in round one. Drake is a nightmare to handle, when you think you have him covered, you don’t. I think the Jets would be a great opportunity at pick 10. With his height, length, and ball skills Drake is the clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver in this draft class after the Jameson Williams injury. There is no question about it.”
.@MelKiperESPN mocked @USC_FB WR Drake London (@DrakeLondon_) to the #Jets in his Mock Draft 1.0. He called him the ‘clear cut’ No. 1 WR in this draft class + has that ‘Mike Evans-Plaxico Burress’ frame + ‘freakish talent’: 🎥 First Draft w/ @FieldYates #TakeFlight #NFLDraft
Although Kiper wasn’t the only one jumping on that bandwagon, as Trevor Sikkema from PFF, recently pegged London to the green and white in the same exact spot for his mock draft.
“London seems like a match made in heaven for the Jets. No wide receiver recorded more contested catches this season, and that’s with him only playing eight games due to injury.
But if you ask me, he’s more than that. I believe he’s more athletic than people are giving him credit for, and his mentality for yards after the catch is proof that he’s not just a “win in the air” guy.
He’s the big target player quarterback Zach Wilson would feed every week.”
Start Drooling Now Jets Fans
This is exactly the kind of player the Jets are missing on their offense.
A big freak athletic freak wide receiver that can win 50-50 ball situations and dominate in the red zone. Also as Sikkema noted he has the ability to make things happen when he gets the ball in his hands as well.
One way or another the Jets are going to add a true No. 1 wide receiver this offseason. Whether that is by hook or by crook, they have the means to do it.
This offseason is really a what is your flavor at the receiver position whether you’re talking about potential free agency targets, trade options, or even the 2022 NFL draft.
If they can get half the player that Evans/Burress became, then the Jets will have hit an absolute home run in the first round of the draft.
They lack size and star power in their receiving corps and London could solve all of those problems for this team. Plus with him making plays on offense, everything else is going to open up for the rest of the Jets playmakers.
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