New York Jets Twitter consensus mock draft, 1.0: The big man edition

• If Jets Twitter were in charge, what would the consensus New York Jets mock draft look like?
• Is offense or defense the priority in the first two rounds?
• When is linebacker addressed, if at all?

The first Jets Twitter consensus mock draft does not have to ask where the beef is.

The offseason is here, which means just one thing for New York Jets fans: It’s Mock Draft SZN (“season,” for the laymen).

Before we get into the Round 1 and Round 2 mock draft consensus from Jets Twitter, we need to set the stage and lay some ground rules.

This was the consensus taken from Jets Twitter. I reviewed over 100 replies and quote tweets and consolidated the picks. If your guy is not on here, don’t sweat it; he may just pop up in the next version.

1.4: Evan Neal, OT, Alabama

I think in this specific draft, No. 4 is just a weird spot. With Kayvon Thibodeaux and Aiden Hutchinson off the board and one additional team in front, the Jets could go several different ways here.

Maybe you grab Purdue’s George Karlaftis to play opposite Carl Lawson. You could also go cornerback and take a Derek Stingley Jr. or Sauce Gardner (“Ahmad,” again for the laymen).

The runner-up for this selection amongst Jets twitter was Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton, and before you start smashing your keyboard to remind me he is, indeed, a safety … I know. Hamilton is a five-tool player if there ever was one for the defensive side of the ball, and although the Jets just went through the trial and tribulation of drafting a Top 10 safety, every player is different.

Alas, the Jets wind up taking Evan Neal. The versatile Alabama tackle has lined up in double-digit games at left tackle, right tackle and left guard under Nick Saban, all while putting up impressive pass and run blocking numbers.

The 360-pound elephant in the room is what do you do with the current state at tackle in 1 Jets Drive.

Mekhi Becton showed serious promise in 2020, but playing just a single game (just one half) in the 2021 season is a major concern. George Fant, on the other hand, played over 97% of snaps for the Jets and had a career year. Even though I hate PFF more than anything on this Earth, I will unapologetically cherry-pick its stats and reference how Fant finished top five in the offensive tackle pass-blocking column.

There is a strange balance here in allowing Becton to attempt to flourish as a franchise left tackle, while still allowing Fant to continue to add onto his 2021 campaign. Perhaps Neal has the ability to play right guard at the NFL level (he has never played this position) or perhaps looking to trade Fant could be the answer.

There is also the scenario to kick Becton to the curb and make him fight for the spot to start at tackle. Regardless, you can never have enough good offensive linemen, and with this pick, Joe Douglas would have drafted three offensive big heavies in the first round in his first three big boy drafts.

1.10 Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia

Now, we add some help to the 32nd ranked defense in the NFL. Sorry to the Garrett Wilson and Drake London crowd here. I would be perfectly fine with either of those weapons, but Jets Twitter has spoken, and they move to bring in a dawg (is it recency bias from the CFP title game, perhaps?).

The outlook of the linebacker group just completely changes, courtesy of his one selection. Nakobe Dean becomes a day-one starter and can learn from a true pro in C.J. Mosley, who has revitalized his career following his year off of 2 for $20 deals at Applebees.

Quincy Williams can be a spark plug and high-motor guy who plays with his hair on fire. And finally, Hamsah Nasirildeen and Jamien Sherwood can grow into their own, and potentially turn into really solid depth pieces for this unit.

Adding a player of Dean’s caliber to the defense is a dream come true for Robert Saleh and company.

2.35 Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State

Moving into his fourth season (third NFL draft and offseason), Joe Douglas finally addresses tight end …

Trey McBride is the fan-favorite at this pick, and you can’t really blame them. The 6-foot-4 prospect totaled 86 catches and over 1,000 yards in 11 games for Colorado St. this year, while also flashing as a blocker.

This is the classic pick where it’s mocked to the Jets everywhere, only for the kid to be chosen prior to the Jets’ early second-round post (a Van Jefferson or Michael Pittman special, if you will).

Maybe Douglas grabs Dalton Schultz in free agency, or maybe he falls in love with a different tight end prospect in this draft. Either way, the position simply needs to be a point of emphasis, and the Jets will have great exposure to McBride now that the staff will coach him in the Senior Bowl.

2.38 Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State

Jets Twitter wraps up its second round by selecting Jahan Dotson from Penn State.

Similar to McBride, Dotson has been selected to the Jets Senior Bowl roster and fans are thrilled. The senior put up 91 catches, over 1,200 yards and 12 touchdowns in his 2021 campaign, and he is as dynamic a weapon any NFL team could ask for when drafting.

The Jets have selected a wideout in the second round in both Douglas drafts (the invisible man Denzel Mims and the rising star in Elijah Moore). I am more bullish on Corey Davis than most, love Elijah Moore and would happily welcome Braxton Berrios back as a depth guy.

With that said, the Jets simply need more dynamic separators on offense and Dotson gives provides just that. He isn’t a 6-foot-4, throw-it-up-and-catch-it guy, but teams in 2022 find ways to win matchups with true difference makers.

There it is, the first version of the Jets Twitter consensus mock. Zach Wilson’s weapons next year would be Corey Davis, Elijah Moore, Jahan Dotson, Michael Carter and Trey McBride while being protected by a combo of Mekhi Becton, Alijah Vera-Tucker, George Fant and Evan Neal.

Not too shabby.

Also, a linebacker group of C.J. Mosley and Nakobe Dean, with youngsters battling it out for the third spot, feels like more than enough to solve the depth chart’s linebacking woes.