How Jets draft picks Joe Tippmann, Carter Warren, Israel Abanikanda and Zack Kuntz fit into Gang Green's system

After a 2022 draft that saw the Jets add multiple immediate contributors which should provide the team with a young core for the years ahead, the 2023 draft was more about consolidation. 

General manager Joe Douglas has worked hard to put together a roster that can be a postseason contender without needing to rely on rookies to step into major roles, headlined by the addition of quarterback Aaron Rodgers via trade.

We’re going to investigate what this year’s rookie class will add to the mix, starting today with their offensive additions.

Of the seven selections made in the 2023 draft, four were offensive players; Wisconsin center Joe Tippmann, ODU tight end Zack Kuntz and tackle Carter Warren and running back Israel Abanikanda from Pitt. In each case, these players add immediate depth and long-term upside.

Tippmann is the best bet to earn a starting role from day one. While the Jets re-signed incumbent starter Connor McGovern right before the draft, he surprisingly didn’t have much of a market in free agency and signed a low-level deal that in no way guarantees him his spot. Head coach Robert Saleh has already indicated that there will be an open competition at this position, which could also involve free agent signings Trystan Colon and Wes Schweitzer.

The Jets, who hadn’t drafted a center since they selected Nick Mangold in the first round of the 2006 draft and haven’t enjoyed elite play from that position since Mangold retired several seasons ago, selected Tippmann with their second round pick. It’s likely that the Jets preferred Tippmann to the highly rated John Michael Schmitz due to his superior athleticism.

Perhaps the best thing about the Jets’ situation at center is that if Tippmann takes a while to get to grips with the system, or NFL level defenders, the Jets can revert to a more experienced option. 

Protecting Rodgers is a major priority for the Jets in 2023, so they can’t afford to endure the growing pains of a young player learning on the job. All indications, however, are that Tippmann is smart and should be able to get up to speed quickly as long as he doesn’t have any injury setbacks.

The other three additions look set to be reserves, although ESPN’s Matt Miller suggested that Warren and Kuntz could potentially be starters this season in a recent article. This seems optimistic, especially in the case of Warren. 

The Jets have several options to start at tackle this season and we’ve already noted how Rodgers may prefer to be protected by an experienced veteran than a rookie.

Of course, the Jets suffered a series of injuries at the tackle positions last season so a repeat of this could see someone like Warren called into action prematurely. Warren’s long wingspan makes him an intriguing longer-term prospect if he can hone his technique though. He’s also coming off a knee injury which further suggests this move was probably made with an eye on the future.

There’s no doubt that Kuntz has terrific potential. He’s huge and posted outstanding numbers across the board at the scouting combine. While his pass catching abilities are a work in progress, Saleh referred to him as a “freak” and he could be a matchup nightmare if he establishes himself.

There may not be many opportunities to contribute in 2023 with the way the Jets’ roster is currently configured though. Tyler Conklin and CJ Uzomah played almost 1,400 snaps between them last year, leaving less than 100 snaps for other tight ends. Barring injuries, if Kuntz is going to see the field in 2023, he’d need to beat out the likes of Kenny Yeboah and 2022 third round pick Jeremy Ruckert.

Kuntz is also coming off a knee injury, like Warren, and hasn’t played much against top competition having caught just three passes in three years at Penn State before transferring to Old Dominion. Again, this probably identifies him as a longer-term project, but they may need to stash him on the active roster because of his potential. It will be interesting to see if he can produce in preseason.

Finally, Abanikanda was regarded by many draft analysts as arguably the biggest steal for the Jets as they selected the running back in the fifth round. The athletic 20-year old had some incredible production at times in college and joins a backfield where there could be opportunities for early playing time with Breece Hall coming off an ACL tear and Mike Carter and Zonovan Knight each having slumped down the stretch in 2022.

Abanikanda doesn’t have a fully developed skill-set yet so he may not be someone the Jets will trust to pass protect or can use much as a weapon in the passing game. That might limit his playing time, but he could still be someone that provides a nice change of pace if he gets carries coming in fresh off the bench.