Jets NFL Draft Analysis - Day 1

The Jets did not have a first round pick this year. Instead, they traded it to Oakland for TE Doug Jolley and a pick 20 spots lower.

As it turns out, this may have been a good move, as not only did they net a pro TE, they also gained a first-round level talent at CB.

After waiting seven and one-half hours, the Jets picked...

Mike Nugent PK/Ohio State - After waiting this long, picking a kicker was certainly a bit of a letdown, but it's an area of need. I don't watch a lot of college football, but I think I remember this guy from the 2003 Fiesta Bowl and that he was considered a top talent then. They say he's the highest picked kicker since Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski went in the first round. His accuracy in bad Ohio weather is encouraging, let's hope he doesn't have the quirky kicker personality (Mike "big mouth" Vanderjagt, Janikowski).

Ten picks later, the Jets selected...

Justin Miller CB/Clemson - I've heard of this guy because a few months ago, I was reading up on potential first-round pick CB's (since that was an area of need for the Jets). It was surprising to see him in the second round, but I guess he has some issues when off-the-field. Let's hope these troubles won't be troubles next year. If he can play well, he'll validate the Jolley trade and fill both the return game void and CB need.

By the end of the day, the Jets also had...

Sione Pouha DT/Utah - The Jets have had a need at DT because of Jason Furgeson's departure to the Cowboys. This player, however, seems a bit questionable based only what I've read on the internet. He is rated lower than a number of other DT's who were still available in the draft, so I'm curious why the Jets liked him in particular. According to both the Daily News and NY Post, he saved a woman from a smoke-filled apartment and did a three year church mission. While interesting information, this also seems like filler material to use while discussing a player.

So to sum up, the Jets have gained:
Doug Jolley TE (from Raiders)
Mike Nugent PK/Ohio State
Justin Miller CB/Clemson
Sione Pouha DT/Utah

Not too shabby in terms of filling needs. They'll probably look for an offensive tackle with their six day 2 picks.

It seems to me that teams generally draft much better these days. ESPN would never show it, but I would love to see them show a reel of Mel Kiper's biggest mistakes, just as they show a number of his accurate analyses. The analysts and sportswriters tend to be very excited about draft picks on draft day, a day of optimism, since it's all about looking to the future.