New York Jets 2018 NFL Draft Target: Greg Stroman

Many teams are expected to hit in the first two or three rounds in the 2018 NL Draft, but if the New York Jets could land a hidden gem in Greg Stroman.

The New York Jets are still in rebuild mode. However, you don’t have to find a superstar for every position. Sometimes you just need a guy who fits a role or two, and that’s good enough. The Jets didn’t get a lot of sacks, and in all likelihood, Todd Bowles wanted to be more aggressive with his pass rush. Unfortunately, he couldn’t because of suspect play from the backend of his defense at cornerback.

The addition of Trumaine Johnson and the return of Morris Claiborne solidifies the outside. That said, teams are running much more 11 personnel (one back, one tight end) than ever before. That means the nickel corner has become more important than ever.

Greg Stroman is the guy the Jets need to fill that role. Buster Skrine commits too many penalties to be a reliable guy in the slot. Stroman, however, a playmaker and ball stopper in coverage. He made plays on 28 balls in the last two seasons (seven interceptions and 21 passes defended). He also only allowed 25 targets over that timeframe.

He also gives them a good punt returner. He saw his yards per return go up in each of his four seasons in Blacksburg, VA. Stroman also set career highs as a senior in yardage (397), yards per return (11.3), and touchdowns (2) in 2017.

He can cover man to man, no matter the size or speed of his opponent. There’s one major knock on him, though. His skinny frame may be a detriment in terms of one on one tackling, especially in the running game.

Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft: Full 7-round projection

All of this leads him to end up being the nickel package corner, and that precisely what the Jets need. He’s one of the final pieces to a defense that’s rounding into shape for 2018.