It's officially April and that means it's officially NFL Draft month.
The Jets, like the rest of the league, are conducting video conference interviews with prospects as no one is allowed to come in for official visits. And following those, Jets GM Joe Douglas and the rest of his group should have solidified their "Big Board," or the rankings of players in their eyes heading into the first round on April 23.
What will that Big Board look like? No one really ever knows for sure, but we can always make some educated guesses. The Jets might rank each individual player even if they don't believe they will fall to No. 11 overall.
So, for this exercise, we're going to take that into account as we look at how their Big Board might be looking on Draft Day. Without further ado, let's jump right in with...
1) Alabama WR Jerry Jeudy: In the case of Jeudy, the Jets may have the chance to take the top-rated wide receiver in the draft class with the pick. Douglas could be leaning offensive tackle (which we'll get to later on), but giving Sam Darnold a No. 1 option in the passing game is hard to pass up. Which brings us to...
2) Oklahoma WR CeeDee Lamb: There's a chance the Cardinals nab a receiver for their QB Kyler Murray at No. 8 overall. So Lamb, who is considered a very close second to Jeudy, if not better in some eyes, would be next on the board. Again, we're going to say Douglas is looking for a receiver here, and Lamb's skill level isn't far off so he'll take him with his second option.
3) Alabama OT Jedrick Wills: The four offensive tackles -- Wills, Tristan Wirfs, Mekhi Becton, and Andrew Thomas -- are all expected to be first-rounders. Where they fall in that round, though, is one of the biggest draft questions. The Jets could easily go this route, too, considering Douglas' want to revamp the entire O-line. Wirfs is expected to be off the board by No. 11, so Wills would be the next one on their list. He can play right or left tackle, and is extremely athletic.
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4) Louisville OT Mekhi Becton: 6-foot-7, 370 pounds but ran a 5.11 40-yard dash. You just don't see that. The only question is whether or not Becton's massive frame can truly block out elite pass rushers. He is said to have nimble feet, though, and be more athletic than his size might suggest. Becton's ceiling is very high.
5) Alabama WR Henry Ruggs III: NFL draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said he is the " closest thing I've seen to Tyreek Hill." That's quite a comparison for this speedy receiver that has the ability to torch anyone on the field with his 4.27 40-yard dash speed. That ability to break off big plays purely based off speed is very hard to pass up, and Douglas could easily jump Ruggs over the previous linemen. But I'll leave him here as I think the Broncos end up taking him at No. 15 overall.
6) Georgia OT Andrew Thomas: He might be last on the list of top tackles, but Thomas is certainly no pushover. He's been a solid left tackle for the Bulldogs throughout his career, and actually might be the only tackle on the board when the Jets get to pick. If that's the route they want to go, Douglas might have no choice but to nab him here.
7) LSU WR Justin Jefferson: We're going down the list here, and these players should be taken later on in the first round. But, hey, the Jets could always trade down to get more draft picks. The wide receiver class is that deep that Douglas could still get a No. 1 receiver option, and I'm high on Jefferson after his great junior season with the national champion Tigers.
8) Florida CB CJ Henderson: The Jets brought in Pierre Desir to be a starting corner this year, but the Jets should still be searching for another in this draft. Henderson is the best one after Ohio State's Jeff Okudah, who should be going Top 5.