Getty Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb working out ahead of an NFL game.
New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas’ first selection running the operation was Mekhi Becton.
He selected him with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft to be his franchise left tackle of the present and future.
Although if he had a do-over, would he make the same selection two years later? An interesting re-draft scenario put that to the test this week.
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A Good Ole Fashioned Switcharoo
Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report was recently tasked with re-drafting the 2020 NFL draft class with all of the knowledge over the last two years at his disposal.
After taking Becton in the real draft, this time around the Jets decided to go in a different direction selecting wide receiver CeeDee Lamb out of Oklahoma.
Interestingly enough rewinding back to draft day, the debate among Jets fans was which position should they attack? Wide receiver or offensive tackle?
Both were clear needs for the Jets heading in, but the overwhelming thought was positional value would rule the day. Especially considering who was making the decision (Douglas a former offensive lineman).
Leading up to the draft, Lamb seemed destined for superstardom and he manifested that through the first two years of his career in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys:
- 153 catches
- 2,037 yards
- 11 touchdowns
Everyone loves playing Monday morning quarterback and saying what they would’ve done after the fact, but even looking back at that decision now, the Jets made the right call.
While Becton has had his fair share of issues, in particular staying healthy, going offensive tackle over the skill position was clearly the right choice.
Filling the Void Years Later
Now the Jets will have to solve their Lamb issue two years later with two picks inside the top-10 of the 2022 NFL draft.
Gang Green got lucky landing Elijah Moore with the No. 34 overall pick in the second round of last year’s draft, they can’t bank on that happening twice in a row.
So they’ll either be forced to use one of their first-rounders or have to pull off a potential trade-up.
I did an exclusive interview with NFL draft analyst Dane Brugler of The Athletic this week on my YouTube channel and he is an advocate of the Jets trading back up into the first to go get your guy:
“I’m always a fan of these teams being aggressive. If you see your guy, go get him. Let’s just say the Jets go pass rusher and say cornerback or offensive line at No. 10. You’re sitting there with picks No. 35 and No. 38 and one of your top-ranked receivers start falling to like No. 22. Is it worth it to go up and get a Chris Olave or a Jameson Williams? Here is a chance to go get your guy that you even considered at No. 10.”
.@dpbrugler of @TheAthletic would be an advocate for the #Jets trading up from the 2nd round back into the 1st, ‘if you see your guy, go get him’ + ‘that’s why you have all these picks so you can be aggressive’: #TakeFlight #NFLDraft #NFL
The Jets’ narrative that they have pushed out this offseason is an aggressive mentality to surround Zach Wilson with as much talent as possible. Sitting where they’re currently slotted in the second round would be a level of complacency and laziness just waiting to see what falls to them.
It is paramount for the Jets to put on their big boy pants and make sure they walk out of this draft with a top-flight wide receiver.
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