Joe Douglas swung for the fences with his first draft pick as Jets general manager.
With both Tristan Wirfs and Mekhi Becton remaining on the board at No. 11, Douglas had a decision to make. Would he go with the safer bet in Wirfs? Or, would he go with Becton, who has the highest ceiling of any offensive lineman in this year’s draft?
Douglas opted for upside, going with Becton in his latest and grandest attempt to revamp New York’s offensive line.
In Becton, the Jets are getting an offensive lineman whose massive size matches his potential. Now the question is whether or not he can reach his ceiling and become the franchise offensive tackle New York desperately needs.
“We’re so excited to add a guy this size and athletic ability,” Douglas said. “A guy we feel can fortify our front for the long term.”
You can’t teach size and Becton has plenty of that. Listed at 6-foot-7, 364 pounds, the Louisville product is already one of the biggest players in the league. Becton’s size and 7-foot wingspan will play a major role in his ability to contain NFL pass rushers, but it could also wind up being a reason why he does not reach his full potential with the Jets.
Becton needs to do everything he can to keep his weight in check. If he balloons past his current weight — he prefers to play at around 350 pounds — it could become a serious problem. The heavier Becton gets, the harder it becomes for him to maintain his technique, which needs a lot of work. It could also lead to injury issues down the road, which would severely halt his development and diminish his odds of succeeding at the next level.
There’s also the issue of Becton’s drug test from the NFL combine getting flagged. Should the Jets be worried about that? Probably not considering he did not fail a single drug test in college. However, Becton starts his professional career in Stage 1 of the league’s program for drug use.
As long as Becton does not fail a drug test during his 60 days in the program, he will come out in the clear. He promised he will.
“It was a one-time mistake and it’s never going to happen again,” Becton said after getting picked Thursday night.
Wirfs had none of these issues, yet Douglas elected to go with Becton’s upside over the cleaner prospect with a more refined skill set. That decision was partly influenced by conversations the GM had with Becton and those around him prior to the draft. It’s going to take time to determine if he made the right pick, but Douglas sent a clear message with his selection on Thursday night.
He’s going to go with the player that has the best chance to develop into a star down the road.