New York Jets: Evaluating options with No. 6 overall pick

By Luis Tirado Jr. | Mar 2, 2015

The New York Jets posted a 4-12 record last season that saw them land at the very bottom of the AFC East. Due to this, they have been awarded the No. 6 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.

While many feel the Jets should consider drafting one of the top two quarterbacks available in Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota, truth of the matter is both might be off the board when it’s time to pick. Considering the possibility that they might have to think about filling another need besides quarterback, the Jets have some interesting options to ponder when they are on the clock.

One route the Jets might take is to finally address their offensive woes at wide receiver. While last year during free agency the Jets made a splashy move by acquiring Eric Decker, he’s not a true No. 1 threat that intimidates opposing defenses. He’s a No. 2 and slot receiver at best and even though he did have a solid season last year with 74 receptions, 962 yards and five touchdowns, it’s nowhere near what a true No. 1 receiving option should produce.

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Wide receiver Amari Cooper could very well be there for the taking once the Jets are on the clock. He would fix their red-zone issues of not being able to punch in touchdowns.

Since the Jets might release Percy Harvin due to his high salary cap number, they would definitely need to bring in someone that can come aboard and be a force to reckon with immediately.

Another option the Jets might decide upon is to fix their offensive line by going after someone like Brandon Scherff. He has incredible strength, consistency and has all the makings of being able to be an anchor on their offensive line for years to come. This wouldn’t be such a bad move since you can never have enough talent on an offensive line.

Since the Jets might lose offensive guard Willie Colon via free agency, they will need to fill the void he leaves behind. Scherff is a tackle that could project to be a guard in the NFL, he would be a nice utility kind of player to have on the Jets.

With Nick Mangold and D’Brickashaw Ferguson starting to decline in play, it’s important the Jets start adding fresh new talent now rather than later. It’s always good to bolster an offensive line since I’ve always believed that to win football games you have to win the battle of the trenches. Scherff would be a solid draft choice for the Jets that makes a ton of football sense in that aspect.

Of course the Jets would have plenty of reason to use their first-round draft pick on the best cornerback available in the draft. While I think they might be wasting their pick on a cornerback they can easily get in the later rounds, drafting someone like Trae Waynes, Marcus Peters or even Landon Collins would also make sense.

Last season, the Jets were completely exposed at cornerback. It was so bad, their opponents were able to average 234.1 overall passing yards per game. When playing against elite quarterbacks, the Jets had no answers and it shows in their record. Drafting a top cornerback while also adding a veteran one via free agency would be a great route for the Jets to take.

Feb 23, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans defensive back Trae Waynes catches a pass in a workout drill during the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Another possibility for the Jets to take is to simply trade their draft pick. It’s no secret that in the event Mariota is available for the taking, it won’t be long before teams start calling to trade, maybe the even Philadelphia Eagles.

Imagine in that scenario what the Jets could ultimately pull off if they got a call to see what the asking price is? The Jets could pull off a blockbuster trade for more draft picks and top players to help fill more needs across the team.

The Jets have a good amount of options to take but I feel they should draft the best wide receiver available to help give the Jets more offensive threats to build upon. With Geno Smith most likely sticking around with this new regime in place giving him a clean slate, perhaps the best way to elevate his own game is to give him more weapons around him to execute.

Someone like Cooper would do the job well and then some since all it takes is a game-changing player to turn the tides in a much better direction.

Next: New York Jets: C.J. Spiller would bolster offense

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