New York Jets: Final 7-Round 2018 mock draft

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 02: Quarterback Sam Darnold #14 of the USC Trojans looks to pass the ball in the first half against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the 2017 Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 2, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

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FORT WORTH, TX – OCTOBER 21: Kyle Hicks #21 of the TCU Horned Frogs carries the ball against Dorance Armstrong Jr. #2 of the Kansas Jayhawks in the first quarter at Amon G. Carter Stadium on October 21, 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

The four most important positions in the NFL are as follows:
1. Left Tackle
2. Edge Rusher
3. Cover Corner
4. Quarterback

The Jets have three of those positions covered. Now they must get a guy who can harass the opposing quarterback. If you want one of the top guys in the draft, Armstrong is that guy.

When you look at his raw numbers, you see a player who seems to have diminished in talent. However, that’s not factoring in a role change by Kansas. They made him a run-first guy in 2017.

In 2016, he recorded 47 pressures according to Elliott Rooney of Pro Football Focus. That was good for 23rd among the eligible edge defenders heading into the 2017 season. However, a role change saw that productivity diminish.

According to Rooney, he had a run stop percentage of 5.7 in 2016. When the Kansas coaching staff decided to change his role from pass rusher to run-first edge defender, his run stop percentage went up to 10.6 (from 69th in the country to seventh).

This just shows he’s an all-around player rather than just a specialist. He can do it all, when he’s put in position to do so. The Jets will finally have a good edge presence for the first time since John Abraham.

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