The 2020 NFL Draft is less than 10 days away and Mel Kiper has released his latest two-round mock draft.
Kiper is staying very consistent with his selections, at least for the Jets. In Kiper’s third mock draft, he had the Jets taking Alabama OT Jedrick Wills Jr. with the 11th pick. That pick doesn’t change in his fourth mock.
Here’s Kiper’s explanation for the pick:
I thought about CeeDee Lamb here, but ultimately this class is much deeper with wide receivers than it is with offensive tackles. And if the Jets can get a starting tackle with Wills and address the receiver position in Round 2 (No. 48), that’s better than the inverse. They could get two immediate starters in the top 50 picks. According to my friends at ESPN Stats & Info, the Crimson Tide averaged 7.7 yards per rush outside the right tackle in 2019, which ranked third in the FBS. Wills would help get Le’Veon Bell going.
Kiper nailed it right on the head with his rationale for taking Wills Jr. This year’s wide receiver class is so loaded that the Jets can get a potential No. 1 wideout in the second round. That’s better than the Jets taking the best wide receiver in the draft in the first round and then snagging the sixth-best offensive lineman in the second round.
As for Wills Jr., he is possibly the most polished offensive lineman in this year’s draft. The numbers Kiper provides speak for themselves. He will be a day one starter and make an instant impact in both the running game and in pass protection.
Moving onto the second round, Kiper has the Jets picking Notre Dame wide receiver Chase Claypool with the 48th pick.
Here’s his reasoning for this pick:
Robby Anderson is gone, and Breshad Perriman and Jamison Crowder sit atop the Jets’ wide receiver depth chart. Let’s give Sam Darnold more weapons so Adam Gase can fully evaluate the third-year quarterback. The 6-foot-4, 238- pound Claypool lit up the combine with a 4.42 40 and 40.5-inch vertical, and he has a high ceiling if he can get in the right situation. He’d get early reps in New York.
If the Jets are going to take an offensive tackle in the first round, then they have to wide receiver in the second round. However, Claypool might not be the right guy. He’s an athletic freak at 6-foot-4 and 238 pounds while also running a 4.42 second 40-yard dash at the combine. However, he’s not the greatest route runner and does come with some injury concerns.
Kiper got the position right, but the Jets may want to think about a different name for their second pick.