New York Jets: 4 Takeaways from 2017 NFL Draft

2. Waiting on a Cornerback

Speaking of the secondary, the Jets waited too long to draft a cornerback, a real area of need. They waited until their second pick in the sixth round (197th overall) to tab Michigan’s Jeremy Clark. Clark (6-3, 220 pounds) has nice size and some upside, but he tore his left ACL in Michigan’s fourth game last year and was lost for the season. He is recovering, but might not be ready for training camp.

New York would have been well served by drafting a corner in the fifth round — better prospects like Elder Corn and Nate Hairston were available at the time — and then wait to draft a tight end later in that same round. Jordan Leggett, who the Jets drafted in Round 5, or Bucky Hodges of Virginia Tech would have still been available.

With their final selection, Gang Green picked another cornerback, Derrick Jones of Mississippi late in the sixth round. Jones is a developmental project at best and might not even make the opening game roster unless he can be a top-notch special teams player. Waiting so long to draft a quality cornerback might really come back to haunt the Jets.