ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. mocks surprise name to NY Jets at No. 13

Mel Kiper Jr., the self-appointed draft guru, has the Jets taking a surprise player in the first round

It’s mock draft season in the NFL.

With the Combine underway, New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas has the opportunity to scout some players the team might be interested in. To most, that would include the Big Three tackles: Paris Johnson Jr., Pete Skoronski, and Broderick Jones.

Jets X-Factor’s Andrew Golden likes two other tackles in the first round: Dawand Jones and Darnell Wright.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., the man who created the term “draft guru” and the OG of draft hot takes, agrees that the Jets will likely take a tackle at No. 13. However, the name he chose is a bit of a surprise.

Kiper mocked Oklahoma tackle Anton Harrison to New York. Here is what he had to say:

Harrison started 24 games at left tackle for the Sooners over the past two seasons, allowing one sack and seven total pressures. He could play right tackle, too. He’s a great fit for the Jets, who could have a new quarterback for which to block.

In Kiper’s previous mock, he had a serious surprise selection of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson‘s former Ohio State teammate and co-receiver. Kiper has obviously wised up to the fact that the Jets need a tackle and don’t have a lot of cap space to sign one in free agency.

It’s important to note that Kiper got precisely four out of the top 32 selections correct in the 2022 draft, although one of those was Sauce Gardner at No. 4. (It’s somewhat surprising that he didn’t hit on Wilson at No. 10 when that was the most common mock draft selection for the Jets.)

According to Ian Roddy of Jet X, Harrison at No. 13 would be a real reach.

What do you think, Jets fans? Yay or nay on Anton Harrison?