There’s a good chance the Jets will draft an offensive tackle with the 11th pick in just over a week. But which lineman has the best odds of going to New York?
According to ESPN’s draft predictor, Andrew Thomas has the highest chance of being available to the Jets at 53 percent. He’s followed by Jedrick Wills Jr. at 43 percent, Mekhi Becton at 25 percent and Tristan Wirfs at 6 percent.
This seems to be in accordance with most mock drafts, as many pundits believe that three offensive linemen will go before the 11th pick. There’s a chance that all four are gone by the time the Jets are on the clock, in which case they would take a receiver.
Trades could change everything, but right now, the Cardinals, Jaguars, Browns and even the Giants could take an offensive tackle with their first pick. Teams like the Buccaneers and Dolphins could also leapfrog the Jets in an attempt to get one of the top four offensive tackles in this draft.
ESPN believes that the Jets will have a shot at Thomas or Wills if they stay put at 11. Of course, the percent chance they have at acquiring any of the four tackles increases if they elect to trade up.
If Joe Douglas doesn’t see a tackle he likes, one of the draft’s top-three receivers, if not all of them, should be available at No. 11. It could come down to whether or not Douglas would rather have the fourth-best tackle or whoever the Jets view to be the draft’s best receiver.