2022 NFL draft: Jets land top safety, dynamic wideout in Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest mock
Robert Saleh’s first season as Jets head coach featured some steps in the right direction, but New York still finished dead last in the AFC East and concluded 2021 without a single win in divisional play.
The good news for the Jets is that hope always springs eternal during the offseason. Free agency and the draft are prime opportunities to add talent and New York is positioned to do just that in this year’s draft. Gang Green currently owns two top 10 picks at Nos. 4 and 10, giving Joe Douglas the chance to land two potentially elite talents to serve as pillars for his rebuild.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. recently released his latest mock draft, which has the Jets selecting potentially elite skill position players on both sides of the ball. Let’s take a look at who Kiper Jr. has Douglas picking in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft.
Round 1, Pick 4: Notre Dame S Kyle Hamilton
AP Photo/Darron Cummings
Hamilton is top-five talent in this year’s draft. The Jets will have to ask themselves if it is worth selecting a safety, which isn’t considered a premium position, at No. 4, but the Notre Dame star could force an exception. Hamilton is a do-it-all safety, accounting for 138 tackles, 17 passes defended and eight interceptions over the last three seasons. He would plug a major hole on the back end of New York’s secondary.
Round 1, Pick 10 (via SEA): USC WR Drake London
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London posted gaudy numbers in just eight games during his final season at USC, catching 88 passes for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns. London’s junior season was cut short due to injury, but his talent is undeniable — even if it might be a bit of a reach to take him at No. 10. London would give the Jets a viable big-bodied deep threat at 6-foot-5 and a potential red-zone target for Zach Wilson to work with.
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