New York Jets: 7-Round 2018 mock draft

New York Jets: 7-Round 2018 mock draft after early free agency

ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 29: Sam Darnold #14 of the USC Trojans looks to throw against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the first half of the 82nd Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic between USC and Ohio State at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) /

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STILLWATER, OK – OCTOBER 1 : Punter Michael Dickson #13 of the Texas Longhorns kicks during the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys October 1, 2016 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The Cowboys defeated the Longhorns 49-31. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /

The Jets already have a punter, and according to most, a decent one. The fact of the matter is that Lachlan Edwards was an average at best punter in 2017, because punting is much more than gross punting average.

When you look at his gross punting average, it looks good. He was in the top ten in gross average, but that was the end of the greatness of his stats. He ranked 16th in both percentage of punts inside the 20 and fair catch percentage, 18th in net punt average, fourth most total return yards and allowed the most returns with 49.

When it comes to judging players from college to pro, there’s a limit as to where stats can take you. However, with the punter, there really isn’t, because, in general, there isn’t a huge discrepancy in how many players actually get to the punter from pro to college in terms of pressure on the punt.

Michael Dickson was the best punter in the nation (winner of the Ray Guy Award). He had 33 of his 84 punts result in a fair catch by his opponents, and half of his punts ended up inside the 20 yard line. Both of those would’ve been top-three in the NFL. Dickson only allowed 17 punts to be returned too.

In the field position game, the punter is important. Since the Jets will have a lot of roster turnover on both sides of the ball it will be prudent for them to have a punter who can give the team good field position on both sides of the ball, and Dickson can do that immediately.

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