The Jets’ biggest offseason addition came earlier in the week, but it didn’t stop them from making some noise at the 2023 NFL Draft anyway.
Days after officials bringing quarterback Aaron Rodgers into the fold, Joe Douglas added defensive end Will McDonald with the 15th pick of the draft, shoring up his pass rush.
“When you’re sitting there at pick 15 and you feel like you’ve got your best pass rusher staring at you in the face I just feel like it’s an easy decision,” the Jets GM said.
Douglas, with five more picks in his pocket for the rest of the weekend, will continue bringing the Jets closer to their goal of breaking a league-high 12-year playoff drought.
Rodgers, introduced as a Jet on Wednesday, is already thinking much bigger.
“I’m an old guy so I want to be part of a team that can win it all,” Rodgers said at his introductory press conference on Wednesday. “I believe this is a place we can get that done.”
The Gang Green brass, however, isn’t going to change up the plan of attack this weekend.
“No true effect, our board still stays the same,” assistant GM Rex Hogan said this week. “We’ll continue to follow along the process and with the way we’ve built the roster, it gives us some flexibility to go whatever direction we want with the player that is available.”
Here is the full list of picks the Jets have at the 2023 NFL Draft:
Round 1, Pick 15 (No. 15 overall)
The Jets grabbed another pass rusher for Robert Saleh’s defense. McDonald had 34 sacks in five seasons for the Cyclones. He had 10 ½ in 2021, 11 ½ in 2022 and five last year. He also had 10 forced fumbles for the Jets. He could be a designated pass rusher for the Jets as a rookie as they have a crowd on the outside right now. — Brian Costello
Round 2, Pick 43
The Jets missed out on an offensive lineman in Round 1 of the Draft but they landed one in Round 2. Tippmann is 6-foot-6 and is known as an athletic center who can get out and pull and also has a nasty streak. He should be the Jets starting center in Week 1 although the Jets will make him earn it over veteran Connor McGovern during training camp. — Brian Costello
Round 4, Pick 120*
The 6-foot-5, 311-pounder can be a developmental player for the Jets who could become a starter in a year or two. Warren, a Patterson, NJ native was a four-year starter for the Panthers but missed all but four games last season after tearing the meniscus in his left knee.
Round 5, Pick 143
Israel Abanikanda, RB, Pittsburgh
Abanikanda, a 5-foot-10, 216-pound back, put up big numbers for the Panthers last season. He rushed for 1,431 yards and 20 touchdowns. The Jets currently have Breece Hall, who is recovering from ACL surgery as their top back.
Round 6, Pick 204+
Zaire Barnes, LB, Western Michigan
Barnes figures to be a special teams contributor as a rookie and provide some depth at linebacker. He tore his ACL in 2020 and then became a full-time starter in 2021.
Round 6, Pick 184 *
Jarrick Bernard-Converse, DB, LSU
The 6-foot-1, 197-pound Bernard-Converse played safety during his first four years in college before shifting to corner with the Tigers, giving Gang Green some versatile depth in the secondary.
Round 7, Pick 220*
Zack Kuntz, TE, Old Dominion
The 6-foot-7, 255 pound tight end ran a 4.55 40-yard dash. He had 12 catches for 144 yards and two touchdowns in an injury-shortened 2022 for ODU after a big 2021. His height can make him a matchup nightmare.
* via trade with Patriots, + via trade with Raiders
