The Jets haven’t drafted well over the past two decades, but they’ve been particularly been bad at picking wide receivers. With the presumption that Gang Green will grab at least one pass-catcher with their first four picks in the next week’s draft, whomever they choose needs to be significantly better than the wideouts the Jets have drafted in recent years.
Only one of the 18 receivers the Jets drafted since 2000 has tallied more than 20 touchdowns for New York. Laveranues Coles caught 459 receptions for 5,941 yards and 37 touchdowns in two separate three-year stints with the Jets after he went in the third round of the 2000 draft. No other drafted receiver has produced as well as Coles did for the Jets since. Santana Moss and Jerricho Cotchery were close but only caught 19 and 18 touchdowns, respectively.
The Jets picked wideouts poorly on an amazingly consistent basis. Though the Jets only drafted five of their 18 receivers in the first three rounds, three of those picks were duds: Stephen Hill, Devin Smith and ArDarius Stewart. For reference, players like Alshon Jeffery, T.Y. Hilton, Tyler Lockett, Stefon Diggs and Chris Godwin all went after Hill, Smith and Stewart in their respective drafts.
Of the 18 receivers New York has drafted since 2000, ten didn’t catch a touchdown. Four never even played a down for the team.
Bad drafting forced the Jets to overpay wide receivers in free agency in the past – including Eric Decker, Santonio Holmes and, to a lesser extent, Jamison Crowder. Such spending left other positions woefully without depth throughout the years. But with a competent general manager, solid draft capital and a young quarterback, the Jets finally have a chance to change course this year.
New York hasn’t picked a receiver since 2017 when it took Stewart in the third round and Chad Hansen and the fourth round, but that streak should snap in 2020.
The Jets had pre-draft conversations with Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb and Denzel Mims and also said heavily linked to Henry Ruggs III. But, with a heavy need at offensive tackle, it’s more likely the Jets will wait to grab a wideout until the second or third rounds in one of the deepest receiver classes in recent memory. Prospects like Laviska Shenault Jr., Michael Pittman, Van Jefferson, Donovan Peoples-Jones and Tyler Johnson all have the makings of solid offensive contributors and could be targets with the Jets’ 48th, 68th and/or 79th picks.
If the Jets use one of their early picks on a receiver, he’ll need to be a playmaker. The Jets’ receiver depth at the moment leaves much to be desired between Jamison Crowder, Breshad Perriman, Quincy Enunwa (if he’s healthy), Josh Doctson, Vyncint Smith and Braxton Berrios. Burning another pick on a receiver who can’t catch, stay on the field or run the right routes will be detrimental to the development of Sam Darnold and the rest of the offense.
Joe Douglas has a chance to turn this trend around for the Jets, but he doesn’t have a great track record with receivers in the draft. He drafted three receivers for the Eagles between 2016-19 when he was their vice president of player personnel, and none of them have panned out so far. The Bears drafted Kevin White seventh overall in 2015 when Douglas was Chicago’s director of college scouting. White never caught a touchdown in only 14 games of action in three seasons.
Douglas and the Jets both need to be better at finding young, talented receiver prospects in this draft. If they don’t, the Jets will continue to wallow in mediocrity at one of the most important offensive positions in the game.