2018 NFL Draft: New York Jets 7-round mock draft in September

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 16: Sam Darnold #14 of the USC Trojans makes a pass during the second quarter against the Texas Longhorns at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 16, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 16: Sam Darnold #14 of the USC Trojans makes a pass during the second quarter against the Texas Longhorns at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 16, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

Round 6: Peter Kalambayi, LB — Stanford

As the rounds start to wind down teams need to simply look for pieces they can work with. Many of the players in Round 6 and beyond won’t make a roster, but there are plenty who show enough promise they can. For the Jets they look for that promise at a position of need by choosing Stanford linebacker Peter Kalambayi.

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After choosing to return for his senior season, Kalambayi has just 13 tackles in four games and one sack. He’s never really been a volume tackler though as Kalambayi’s career high is just 52 tackles. What he can do though is provide great size capable of playing outside — or inside. At 6-2 and 245 pounds he may be a bit undersized for the Jets outside position, but his 15.5 career sacks shows he can make it work from there in small doses.

Where he might really fit is as a thumper in the middle of the defense. With Darron Lee and Demario Davis, the Jets have a thin unit in the middle. Adding someone with the bulk of the Stanford product would help in that regard.

While he wouldn’t be pushing anyone for starter snaps right away, he is a smart player that could develop into a good piece for them.