Draft grades are in full force now that the three-day extravaganza is in the books. That includes the legendary Mel Kiper of ESPN. Kiper was overall in favor of the Jets’ draft haul, handing out a B grade to the team for their seven-player class. Here’s what Kiper had to say about the Jets’ draft.
Round 1 was always going to be a delicate balance for Jets GM Joe Douglas, who had to balance his team’s short-term championship window alongside 40-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers with the long-term vision of building a sustainable contender. He needed to add a player who could be a star both now and later, someone who could make a significant contribution as a rookie. That’s why I thought offensive tackle might be a tough sell to Rodgers — and to fans — at No. 10. New York added Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses in March to man those spots in 2024, and a rookie might have to be the swing tackle or move inside to guard for a year.
Instead, Douglas stuck to his board and got his guy with Olu Fashanu (11), a prototypical left tackle who can be Smith’s replacement in 2025. It wasn’t the flashiest pick, but if Fashanu can hit his ceiling, he could be a stellar player at a premium position for a decade.
Malachi Corley (65) had 29 receiving touchdowns over the past three seasons and makes cornerbacks look silly after the catch. The Jets took two running backs in Braelon Allen (134) and Isaiah Davis (173), who will duke it out to be Breece Hall’s backup. Allen is my fifth-ranked back in the class, while Davis lands at No. 10.
Qwan’tez Stiggers (176) is one of the most fascinating picks in the entire draft. He became the third player in the common draft era (since 1967) to be selected without attending college and the first CFL player with no college experience to be drafted. And he can play, too. Quarterback Jordan Travis (171) was tremendously productive at Florida State. Could he be stashed as the Jets’ third QB behind Tyrod Taylor this season?
Douglas also executed several trades throughout the weekend, maneuvering up and down the board, including a deal for the Lions’ 2025 third-rounder. Corley might be the most important pick of this class in the short term, as I could see him having a role in 2024. Douglas did a nice job getting value throughout.