[jwplayer dod6rxsg-ThvAeFxT]
The Jets have themselves a new pass rusher.
After addressing offensive tackle by taking Louisville’s Mekhi Becton with the 11th pick on Thursday night, adding a weapon for Sam Darnold to work with in Baylor wide receiver Denzel Mims and netting a versatile defensive back in California’s Ashtyn Davis, Jets general manager Joe Douglas turned his attention to New York’s pass rush. With his second selection of the third round, Douglas took Florida EDGE Jabari Zuniga with the 79th pick.
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Zuniga suffered from the injury bug and frequent misuse throughout his career at Florida. The Gators played Zuniga inside on sub-packages — a head-scratching move considering his prowess for getting to opposing quarterbacks. Although he was thrust into an unfamiliar role, Zuniga made the most of the situation, showcasing his ability and natural pass-rushing gifts when healthy.
Zuniga spent most of last season on the shelf due to a high ankle sprain, only recording 14 tackles and three sacks. His best season came in 2018 with 45 tackles and 6.5 sacks.
As long as he stays off the mend and progresses as expected, Zuniga has a good chance to begin the season starting opposite Jordan Jenkins. With Zuniga and Jenkins, the Jets now have a solid outside linebacker duo for defensive coordinator Gregg Williams to work with.
With Douglas addressing the offensive line, selecting a wide receiver, netting a defensive back and adding an edge rusher, he must now shift his focus to addressing other needs, such as interior offensive line and running back.