Tag: D’Brickashaw Ferguson

Ex-Jets GM says Joe Douglas should target offensive line with 23rd pick

Mike Tannenbaum thinks the Jets should draft an offensive lineman with the 23rd overall pick.

The question over what the Jets should do with their second first-round pick is a big one.

After grabbing a quarterback second overall, the Jets could go in a myriad of directions with the 23rd overall pick. That includes beefing up the pass rush, fortifying the offensive line, snagging another offensive weapon or strengthing the secondary.

All options should be on the table for Joe Douglas, but former Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum thinks New York needs to grab another lineman to block for their new quarterback.

Tannenbaum is already a fan of Zach Wilson – the Jets’ presumptive pick at No. 2 – and he would know the importance of drafting offensive linemen early. His first two picks as Jets general manager in 2006 were offensive linemen. He picked tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson fourth overall and used his second first-round pick on center Nick Mangold with the 29th overall selection. The Jets went 10-6 that year under new coach Eric Mangini and Chad Pennington won Comeback Player of the Year thanks to a better offensive line.

Ferguson and Mangold became two of the Jets’ best offensive linemen of all-time and combined for 10 Pro Bowls from 2006-2015. Ferguson retired in 2015, while Mangold retired in 2016.

The Jets had not drafted an offensive lineman in the first round for 14 years until last year, when Douglas took Mekhi Becton with the 11th overall pick. That decision worked out well for the Jets and now Douglas has the opportunity to add another young player to his offensive line if he goes that route with the 23rd pick. There are a lot of good prospects in this draft, so even if Douglas chooses not to pick a lineman with his second first-rounder, he’ll have plenty of chances to find a starter later on.

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