New York may be the city that never sleeps, but it was New York Jets fans on this side of the Atlantic that traded in several hours of shuteye in favour of watching the 2022 NFL Draft last weekend - and it turned out to be a stunning night for the franchise.
Amid speculation the team could commit to a blockbuster trade for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel, the Jets landed three of the top eight players on their draft board. They selected Cincinnati cornerback Ahmed ‘Sauce’ Gardner fourth overall, Ohio State receiver Garrett Wilson tenth and Florida State defensive end Jermaine Johnson with the 26th pick following a trade.
The three first selections was the Jets’ biggest haul since they made four first-round picks in 2000, and instead of dealing capital to acquire a veteran, general manager Joe Douglas traded up for the rusher believed by many to be a top-10 pick. As he slipped down the order, the Jets traded a second, third and fifth round pick fo the Tennessee Titans for the 26th overall selection and a third rounder.
The moves were welcomed by former Jets centre Nick Mangold, who was drafted in the first round back in 2006. The two-time First-team All Pro praised Douglas for his decision-making, particularly the move to trade back up for Johnson.
“Joe Douglas had a plan, and he executed it,” Mangold told The Mirror. “I heard that all three of the guys had top 10 grades on their draft board, so to be able to get two of them and then trade back up to get the third at the bottom of the first round is a great move.”
The Jets’ heralded selection Gardner addresses a key weakness for the franchise: the secondary. The Jets ranked 30th in pass defence and managed only two interceptions from cornerbacks last season, and they haven’t had a dominant player in the position since they drafted Darrelle Revis in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft.
Gardner revealed he followed Revis as a kid growing up in Detroit, and commented how the ex pro was one of the few corners who would keep former Detroit Lions legendary receiver Calvin Johnson quiet. ’Sauce’ has his own glittering resume as he arrives in New York after he never allowed a single touchdown pass in a college career which spanned three seasons and over 1,000 snaps.
Gardner, nicknamed ‘Sauce’ by his youth coach when aged 6, left Cincinnati with nine interceptions, 27 passes defenced and three sacks. Mangold joked: “As someone who owns a barbecue sauce company, I will definitely be talking to him as soon as I get back Stateside. We can make some things happen.”
The selection of Wilson is also intriguing. He averaged 15.1 yards per catch on 70 catches for 1,058 yards and 12 touchdowns. The 21-year-old helped his stock by clocking a 4.38s 40-yard dash, and the Jets desperately needed a playmaker on offence.
Following a dearth of explosive plays, the Jets finished 28th in scoring. Mangold is thrilled with the pick to pair the Ohio State receiver with Zach Wilson, insisting: “I am excited about the Wilson brothers.
“The fact that they’ll be able to grow together is something that could give them a special connection.”
Johnson, the Jets’ third first rounder coming off a 12-sack season at Florida State, fills the need for an edge rusher. The Jets finished 25th in sacks in 2021.
Johnson likely slipped due to his lack of film to analyse given he had two non-descript seasons at Georgia before he transferred to Florida State. As a Seminole, he won ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
“His a great run stopper and will be able to get after the quarterback - the Jets have been longing for someone who can do that,” Mangold admitted. “If Johnson turns out to be that guy, I think he’ll be the home run pick.”
Which team made the best picks in the 2022 NFL Draft? Let us know in the comments section.
Given the glitz and high-flying lifestyle that dominates young athletes in the Big Apple, there are concerns that first round picks may be blinded by the bright lights. The New York media also carries the weight of an expectant fanbase who feel as though the city deserves a team of champions.
Mangold, who retired in 2018, still lives in the area and truly loves the city due to its opportunities, cultures and food spaces. He offered some advice to the three first round picks as they chase success in such a volatile market.
“I think the biggest piece of advice is to keep your head down and work. Especially coming to New York and how big of a media market it is, if you fall trapped into that and focus more on how you're perceived in the media or anything like that, you're going to lose from the get go,” Mangold revealed.
“Jets fans appreciate guys who work and perform, and so if you do those things, everything else just kind of falls in line. These fans will love you to death if you perform and work like they expect you to.”
Ultimately, the Jets were the consensus winner of the first round as they addressed three core needs while landing one of the best available players in each position. They even managed to pick up the highly-rated running back Breece Hall out of Iowa State.
New York have done a brilliant job during the draft as they attempt to reshuffle their roster, and they could reap the rewards come September. While the British fanbase - who excitedly turned up in brilliant spirits at the UK's first official draft party on Friday night - are excited for the future, Mangold doesn’t want to get carried away as he pointed to the fact that the Jets have one of the younger rosters in the league.
New York’s rivals in the AFC and their division are improving too, which means the NFL will be must-watch TV once again once the offseason is over. When asked about the Jets’ hopes going into 2022, the 38-year-old concluded: “The AFC East is stacked, between Buffalo leading the charge right now, New England have always been right there, Miami have made moves, and the Jets are now trying to get on par too.
“You look at all these teams doing some really good things - and the quarterback race in the AFC is crazy. It's going to be a challenge.”
