Coming into the 2023 NFL season, expectations were sky-high for the Jets. The Zach Wilson experiment was officially over, and the team was able to bring in future hall-of-famer Aaron Rodgers. Garrett Wilson shined as a rookie, and from what we saw, Wilson and Rodgers have a special connection. Unfortunately, the Jets season was over the moment Rodgers went down.
Without Rodgers, the Jets offense was beyond horrible, scoring the fourth least points per game (15.7 PPG) in the NFL. Although the defense wasn’t great statistically, their offense put them into numerous bad situations every game. The Jets have a real chance to win a Super Bowl in 2024, but only if they nail this upcoming draft.
First-Round Pick: 8th Overall
The pick: Joe Alt, Offensive Tackle, Notre Dame
The Jets need some help on the offensive line and they need it bad. When you roll the tape on the unit, they look exceptionally bad, and PFF can back this claim. According to PFF, the Jets have the worst offensive line unit in the NFL. The only bright spot is rookie Joe Tippmann, who hasn’t allowed any pressures in four games this year.
Joe Alt and Olumuyiwa Fashanu are in a tier of their own this year, and the Jets should be thrilled if they get either player. Alt is a slightly better pass-than-run blocker but has received almost perfect grades on both from numerous scouts. During his time at Notre Dame, Alt has shown great athleticism, hand fighting and can win at the point of attack.
Third-Round Pick: 72nd Overall
The pick: Jalen McMillan, Wide Receiver, Washington
Aaron Rodgers wanted to bring Allen Lazard with him, but Lazard was horrible in 2023. Sure, Lazard can be a fine WR3/4, but there’s no way he can be a WR2 on a championship team. In 2023, Lazard had 23 catches for 311 yards and one touchdown. Rodgers doesn’t have many more years left, so you need to surround him with talent.
Jalen McMillan has taken a backseat with the emergence of Rome Odunze, but McMillan is an excellent prospect. McMillan specializes on intermediate and deep routes which would be a great compliment to Garrett Wilson. In 2023, McMillan only played nine games and battled injuries, but his sophomore stats tell the whole story. As a sophomore, McMillan caught 79 passes for 1098 yards and nine touchdowns. If McMillan is medically cleared, he’s a steal in the third round.
