Entering every NFL draft, fans of each team make a carefully crafted shopping list, designed to ensure every roster need is addressed throughout the seven rounds. Fans expect teams to check off every box one-by-one, never double-dipping at one position or drafting a position that is already viewed as a roster strength.
Along the way, fans use mock drafts and consensus opinions to shape an idea of which prospects will be available at each pick slot. Only players who the consensus deems viable (i.e. having a high likelihood of being available while also being viewed as a good value) are considered worthy options; anyone else is a “reach” or “has no chance of being there,” and you are out of your mind for suggesting they should be in the conversation.
Typically, regarding the first round, there are a handful of prospects who the public agrees are in contention to be selected at any given pick. Players A, B, C, will undoubtedly be off the board, while players X, Y, and Z will definitely be there, and anybody beneath them is a reach. Thus, the fanbases will argue over players X, Y, and Z to no end, paying no mind to the many other prospects who very well could be in play despite the mock draft zeitgeist suggesting otherwise.
Simply put: The draft always goes much differently than we expect based on the script co-written by myriad mock drafters and draft gurus from January through April. And we should fully expect the draft to go differently than what feels most likely.
New York Jets fans are familiar with this idea. Two years ago, they used the 15th overall pick on Iowa State edge rusher Will McDonald. It’s a selection that, quite literally, nobody was expecting as the draft arrived.
If you pull up your Google or Twitter search bars right now, good luck finding a single soul who mentioned McDonald as a potential first-round target for New York leading into the draft (see for yourself). Not only was McDonald viewed by the consensus as a second-round prospect (he was 34th overall on the NFL Mock Draft Database consensus big board), but the EDGE position was considered one of the strongest units on the Jets’ roster at the time.
And yet, there he was, walking up to the stage as the 15th overall pick.
It wasn’t the Jets’ first Iowa State-based shock of the decade. In 2022, the Jets traded up in the second round to use the 36th overall pick on Cyclones running back Breece Hall.
At the time, running back was not viewed as a need for New York, as 2021 draft pick Michael Carter was coming off a rookie year that featured over 1,000 scrimmage yards. The Jets still had pressing needs at defensive tackle and safety. Yet, the Jets saw the draft’s top running back prospect slipping well past his projected draft range, so they jumped on the opportunity.
The examples are endless, not just for the Jets, but for any NFL team. Whatever you don’t expect to happen on draft weekend? I wouldn’t go as far as saying you should expect it, but you should at least entertain it.
With that in mind, here are five seldom-discussed 2025 draft possibilities that New York Jets fans should be prepared for.
1. Defensive lineman at No. 7
Penn State tight end Tyler Warren and Missouri offensive tackle Armand Membou have become the main characters of the Jets’ first-round debate. For the second year in a row, the talk of the town is, “Can the Jets justify the positional value of taking a tight end over a tackle?” Few other options are considered here in the mainstream conversation.
Yes, the Jets’ dismal offense is in dire need of assistance for the umpteenth draft in a row, and yes, tight end and right tackle are among the top needs of said dismal offense. Yet, not enough attention is being paid to the idea of New York going defense with this pick.
The Jets may have been a proud defensive team from 2022-23, but those days are in the past. They ranked 20th in points per game allowed this past season. New York needs just as much help on defense as on offense. With a defensive head coach at the helm, do not be surprised if they go defense here.
If that is the case, the Jets have multiple intriguing options on the defensive line. Whether it’s Jalon Walker (Georgia), Mykel Williams (Georgia), or Shemar Stewart (Texas A&M), the top of this draft class is loaded with toolsy edge rushers who may not have had the most dominant college production, but have the potential to develop into NFL beasts with proper coaching.
Given Darren Mougey’s hints of being a GM who prioritizes measurables, it would be on-brand if he used his first draft pick on an edge rusher with elite physical upside. Remember, the Jets’ free agent strategy was to bet on players with upside and trust Aaron Glenn’s handcrafted coaching staff to mold them. This type of draft pick would align with that vision.
2. Ending the Shedeur Sanders fall
The Jets still need a franchise quarterback, but the position has hardly been discussed as a first-round option for them due to the weakness of the QB class. Situated at No. 7 in a draft where Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are the only prospects viewed as top-10 worthy, it doesn’t seem likely the Jets will have a realistic chance to draft a signal-caller (barring a monstrous trade-up offer), so it does not get talked about too often.
Ward is trending toward becoming a shoo-in for the No. 1 pick. However, Sanders’ future is in flux. There are QB-needy teams at Nos. 2 and 3 in Cleveland and the Giants, but if he gets past Big Blue, Sanders is unlikely be taken from picks 4-6. That could drop him into the Jets’ laps.
Cleveland desperately needs a quarterback and could absolutely take Sanders with the second overall pick. However, the prevailing buzz continues to be that Cleveland will pass on him for the first non-quarterback of the draft, likely Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter. The Browns, who had the NFL’s 31st-ranked receiving unit and 27th-ranked pass-blocking unit (rankings per PFF) in 2024, might not believe they are in an ideal position to draft a franchise quarterback yet.
The Giants and Sanders have long been linked to one another, but the Giants doubled down at the QB position in free agency by adding Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. While this certainly does not preclude them from taking Sanders, it reduces their urgency if they ultimately decide they are not smitten enough to take him over someone like Travis Hunter.
If Sanders undergoes a shocking fall to No. 7… could the Jets resist?
Justin Fields has a minimal chance of becoming the Jets’ franchise quarterback. In all likelihood, the 2025 season will come and go, and the Jets will still be searching for their savior in 2026. So, if the Jets can get their hands on someone of Sanders’ caliber this year without having to move up, could they really justify passing it up?
It is especially appealing because Fields’ presence (along with Tyrod Taylor) allows the Jets to finally do what they couldn’t with quarterbacks like Zach Wilson and Sam Darnold: Let the kid sit for a year.
Finally, the Jets are in a position to draft a first-round quarterback without pressuring him to start right away. Plus, they can build up the supporting cast before throwing him into the fire, rather than putting him out there with an incomplete roster that is littered with holes around the quarterback.
While this draft class is considered deep, the top is as weak as it has been in some time. There are very few “can’t-miss” prospects, and certainly none who will be there at No. 7. The Jets would not be missing out on a groundbreaking prospect by electing to go with a quarterback. With that in mind, do not be completely shocked if Sanders falls and the Jets scoop him up.
3. Trade up 1-3 spots from No. 7
A gargantuan trade-up to No. 1 for Ward seems unlikely, but there are other trade-up options the Jets could consider.
Bouncing off the Sanders conversation, if he makes it past No. 3, the Jets could think about moving up to secure his services if they are fond enough of him. Once Sanders makes it past the Giants, he will not be an option for the next three teams (most likely – again, what do we actually know?), which means there will be three opportunities for teams to field calls about trading down with a QB-needy team.
If the Patriots, Jaguars, or Raiders field legitimate interest from teams looking to trade up for Sanders, they could leverage the Jets into offering a package to come up a few spots and beat other teams to the punch. And if the Jets think highly enough of Sanders, they shouldn’t allow a trade-up package worth a handful of slots to prevent them from beating out another team to get him.
The Jets could also trade up for a non-quarterback.
Defensive tackle is a massive need for the Jets, and Michigan’s Mason Graham (No. 5 overall prospect on the consensus big board) is the only defensive tackle ranked within the consensus top 20 prospects. If the Jets are enamored with Graham and are desperate enough to give Quinnen Williams some help on the inside, Mougey could make an aggressive move to kick off his first draft class with a prospect he feels assured about.
Perhaps there is a universe where Ward goes No. 1, Sanders goes No. 2, Carter goes No. 3, and the tough-minded Mike Vrabel opts to pass on Travis Hunter in favor of an offensive tackle for his young quarterback. If it plays out this way, could the Jets get aggressive and make an offer to move up for Hunter?
Will that happen? Probably not. But remember, we’re not looking to highlight what will “probably” happen – we are trying to get out in front of the scenarios that would be considered shocking if they transpired. That way, you, reader, can turn to your buddies at the draft party and say, “I told you so.”
4. Trade into the back of the first round
At a few of the Jets’ greatest positions of need, the draft classes are structured in a way where the Jets may only have one or two viable options with the seventh pick, whereas the second tier of the class features a cluster of prospects who are projected to go in the mid-to-late first round or early second round.
Take defensive tackle, for instance. Beyond Mason Graham, who is the No. 5 ranked prospect on the consensus big board, the next defensive tackles in line are Kenneth Grant (No. 22), Walter Nolen (No. 28), and Derrick Harmon (No. 29).
At offensive tackle, the Jets could strike at seventh overall with Will Campbell (No. 6), or Armand Membou (No. 8), but there is a drop-off after that, with the next tackles being Kelvin Banks (No. 15), Josh Simmons (No. 25), Josh Conerly Jr. (No. 36), and Aireontae Ersery (No. 43).
Defensive tackle and right tackle are major needs for the Jets. At best, they can only address one of them in the top 10, and at worst, they might not address either. Graham might not make it to the seventh slot. One of Membou or Campbell could, but the Jets might not like the prospect or prefer to go in a different direction.
Thus, with a bevy of prospects at both positions who have late-first-round talent, do not be shocked if the Jets execute a trade to move up into the late first and address one of these two positions. I would consider this unlikely in Darren Mougey’s first draft, as he would probably prefer to amass picks rather than part with them, but hey, we’re trying to point out surprises. This is one I could definitely envision, given the Jets’ desperation at right tackle and defensive tackle.
5. The league-shaking shocker pick
Here’s the deal: We don’t know a darn thing about Darren Mougey’s draft philosophies yet. While we can make educated guesses based on things he said publicly, we will not know what Mougey is all about until he puts multiple draft classes in the books.
For that reason, we cannot rule out anything for the Jets in 2025. With zero evidence of the GM’s preferences, it would be naïve of us to pretend we know what should or shouldn’t be on the table.
Here’s a shocker candidate for you: Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty.
Jeanty is viewed as one of those rare running back prospects who only comes along once every few years. He is the sixth-ranked overall prospect on the consensus big board. When a RB prospect is held in that high of a regard in a pass-first league that has increasingly devalued the position, you know he is downright special.
Many people, myself included, would argue that taking a running back in the top 10 is not a wise usage of resources no matter how special the prospect is, especially for a rebuilding Jets team. But who are we to say that Mougey feels the same?
After all, the Jets’ status at the running back position is not quite as solidified as some would think. Breece Hall is coming off a disappointing season in which he was well below average in many categories that isolate the running back from his blocking.
Behind Hall, the Jets have a pair of interesting youngsters in 2024 day-three selections Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis, but they have hardly proven anything yet.
Ultimately, there is plenty of evidence that the Jets’ running back unit deserved more blame for the team’s 2024 rushing woes than the offensive line. This group may not be a pressing need due to its youth, potential, and sufficient depth, but it is a stretch to label it a strength that does not need to be addressed.
Does it need to be addressed with the seventh overall pick? I would say “absolutely not,” but Mougey might disagree. After all, in a class that lacks “can’t miss” guys at the top, Jeanty might be the Jets’ highest-ranked overall prospect when the Jets are on the board.
At that point, it would come down to Mougey’s stance on positional value. If he holds running backs in a higher regard than most teams and wants to go all-in on the Jets’ establishment of a ground-and-pound identity, I can see him pulling the trigger. If he is an analytics-based thinker, he will probably not consider it.
No matter what happens, expect the unexpected. Drop your preconceived notions of how the draft “should” go, and prepare yourself to embrace the chaos.
