New York Jets: Making the case for Melvin Gordon

The New York Jets have plenty of decisions to make come draft day with their No. 6 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Should they add a top-notch pass rusher? Could they trade their first-round pick to trade up to land a top quarterback? What about maybe taking a prolific wide receiver that could truly elevate their offense past new heights?

Well, I’m a bit of an old-school mentality and know the true value of a potent rushing attack. That is why I honestly believe the Jets should consider taking the best running back available in my opinion in this year’s draft in Melvin Gordon.

At 6’1″ and 215 pounds, Gordon has the skill-set to be a prototypical NFL running back. He has great speed, knows how to find the proper gaps to run through and is pretty hard to take down due to how physical he can be again defenders.

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He’s a hybrid kind of athlete with power and finesse that could really push the envelope for whichever team takes him in this year’s draft. For years now the Jets have deployed a ground-and-pound style of offense that heavily emphasizes running the football towards success.

In his collegiate career at Wisconsin, Gordon rushed for 4,915 yards and 45 touchdowns. His average yards per carry was at a solid 7.5 which should transition very well into the pros. He’s a solid workhouse who should have no problems giving the Jets that kind of solid production at running back.

Even though the Jets had the third overall best rushing yards per game in the NFL at 142.5, they had a terrible season overall due to the inconsistency at quarterback and a terrible defensive secondary. Thanks to a complete overhaul of leadership, the Jets have for the most part fixed those issues heading into next season.

With Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brandon Marshall, Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Marcus Gilchrist just to name a few in the mix now, the Jets have the pieces to become much more competitive. They’ve addressed many issues and now can take the best player available with their first-round pick.

While I think adding a play-maker like Amari Cooper or even Kevin White would be great, they might not be available as I still think they should stick to their tried and true rushing ways. If they can get the explosiveness at running back in addition to what they already have, they could truly become the surprise team in 2015.

Jan 1, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back Melvin Gordon (25) warms up before the start of the 2015 Outback Bowl against the Auburn Tigers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

With Chris Ivory, Bilal Powell and now Stevan Ridley in the mix, it’s the perfect situation to groom their potential cornerstone at the position now. I’m not a fan of the Ridley acquisition as I recently wrote as to why it was a terrible move, but more options is better just in case since you never know what could happen.

I know with a new offensive coordinator in Chan Gailey that there is a possibility he might want to install a new high-tempo spread offense but sometimes if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The Jets have the foundation in place for a superior running game, drafting Gordon would only give them yet another major cog in the machine towards a complete turnaround next season.

Overall, while many would prefer a pass rusher or wide receiver, don’t forget how important a dominating running game can be. If the Dallas Cowboys proved anything last season, it’s that having a solid running game compliments everything on offense. Gordon loves to make big plays once the football is in his hands as if he’s drafted, could easily give the Jets something more to rely on offense rather than their passing game which may or may not turn out as expected depending on who is under center.

Next: New York Jets: Making the case for Dante Fowler Jr.

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