The New York Jets’ 2023 draft class featured seven players
The New York Jets’ 2023 draft class is complete. After entering the weekend with five selections, the Jets ended up making seven selections following two trade-down moves on the third day of the draft.
Here is the Jets’ 2023 draft class:
- Round 1, Pick 15: Will McDonald, EDGE, Iowa State
- Round 2, Pick 43: Joe Tippmann, C, Wisconsin
- Round 4, Pick 120: Carter Warren, OT, Pittsburgh
- Round 5, Pick 143: Israel Abanikanda, RB, Pittsburgh
- Round 6, Pick 184: Zaire Barnes, LB, Western Michigan
- Round 6, Pick 204: Jarrick Bernard-Converse, CB, LSU
- Round 7, Pick 220: Zack Kuntz, TE, Old Dominion
The Jets closed out their 2023 draft class with two selections outside of the top 200 they acquired in a trade-down with the Las Vegas Raiders. New York sent pick No. 170 to Las Vegas in exchange for Nos. 204 and 220.
At No. 204, the Jets picked Jarrick Bernard-Converse, a cornerback from LSU who has good size, athleticism, and tackling skills but carries major questions in coverage. A move to safety could be in the cards.
With the 220th pick, the Jets brought in Zack Kuntz, who is an athletic freak for the tight end position. Kuntz recorded a perfect Relative Athletic Score of 10.00. At 6-foot-7 and 255 pounds, Kuntz ran the 40 in 4.55 seconds and recorded a 40-inch vertical jump. Despite his remarkable traits, Kuntz only caught 12 passes for 144 yards in five games last season. He needs to learn how to translate his tools into production.
This is the fourth draft class put together by general manager Joe Douglas in his tenure with the franchise. If it is anywhere close to as good as the class Douglas amassed in 2022, Jets fans will be thrilled.
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It’s interesting to me that they passed on Nigba and drafted a TE but not a WR. It seems to me that having gotten a HOF QB, they would want to have a first class WR room, but I think they’re still a bit shy of that. I wonder if this means they still hold out hope for Denzel Mims finally producing with a decent QB?
Evening,
Are these draft picks, being it was not a great draft, simply replacements, or depth pieces only?
Is our #1 pick (15th) Will McDonald the future replacement for UDFA Bryce Huff?
Is Joe Tippman a ten year starter or back-up center/guard (Dan Feeney)?
Is Carter Warren a cheap back-up alternative for when Duane Brown’s announces his eventual retirement?
Does Israel replace Ty, is Zaire replacing IDK/Kwon, could Jarrick be an upgrade/reset the clock for/over A. Davis, is Zach replacing K. Yeboah for the same reasons?
It will be interesting who, if any, are still around in 3 years…
Enjoy!
Great comment, I know nothing, I’m a fan. Personally, I think there is a mix here, but of course we never know right? I think you do have a 10 year starter at center, I think WMD (my nickname haha) will be a replacement player but perhaps more upside than the guys we have playing now. Meaning, he could eventually be better than Lawson at actually bringing down QB’s.
Warren could potentially be a starter some day, and I think the others will have to carve out roles. If 1 or 2 pop off then good for the Jets.
Big, fast, athletic, really WR. I like it. We got Aaron 2 protectors an 2 weapons.
AND….a guy who should be able to get after other QB’s. In a draft that wasn’t good as far as overall talent Joe, did well. Lineman early, a shot as some potential playmakers late, with perhaps some special teams value. People going off the deep end over the 1st pick need to take a breath. It’s like the draft stopped there and they would never get an OL.
The Jets have a lot of flexibility on the OL, and the OT to the Jets with their 1st pick was the most overblown story of the draft for them. The OT’s in this class weren’t great overall, and the Jets ONLY potentially missed on 1. The others were off the board, the idea Joe wasn’t ready is laughable.
No team in the NFL has 3 started caliber LT’s. The Jets have Becton who we know can play if healthy, and a more than serviceable professional backup if he does go down. They have few guys that can play RT, including AVT.
The team is better today than last week.