Yahoo Sports Jets 2023 NFL Mock Draft Roundup: Experts see Gang Green taking OT if they don't trade pick
The Jets may have missed the playoffs this past season, but the team showed growth on both sides of the ball and their top two draft picks last season earned rookie-of-the-year honors.
It's no secret that GM Joe Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh still have to figure out who will be under center for Gang Green in 2023, as Aaron Rodgers and Derek Carr have been rumored as options. New York owns the No. 13 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and could use that as part of a trade package or simply use it to improve the team.
Here’s who some of the experts have the Jets selecting in their latest mock drafts.
OT/G Paris Johnson (Ohio State)
Mekhi Becton has been a huge disappointment, so the Jets may use this pick to find a new offensive tackle.
Paris Johnson has good athleticism for an offensive lineman, and he can play both tackle and guard.
OT Broderick Jones (Georgia)
GM Joe Douglas continues to invest in the offensive line. The Jets have been crushed by injuries up front, so it’s imperative that they continue to bolster the unit. Jones has tremendous upside.
OT Peter Skoronski (Northwestern)
In this universe, I imagine the Jets address their QB issues via trade or free agency and use this pick to address an offensive line that needs help. Skoronski is talented enough to play tackle, but it's possible he doesn't have the ideal frame and arm length to match up with NFL pass-rushers and win consistently. So maybe he gets knocked inside to guard. Either way, the Jets can use him!
Trade with Green Bay Packers for Aaron Rodgers
GB: S Brian Branch (Alabama)
Packers-Jets trade details: Packers receive No. 13 pick, a 2024 second-round pick that becomes a first if Aaron Rodgers plays in 2024 and wide receiver Elijah Moore; Jets receive Rodgers.
Why are the Packers drafting first at No. 13 and not two picks later, you ask? Jets general manager Joe Douglas presented Packers GM Brian Gutekunst with an offer he couldn’t refuse. Green Bay will send quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the Jets for the No. 13 pick, a 2024 second-round pick that becomes a first-round pick if Rodgers plays in 2024 and wide receiver Elijah Moore. The Packers are high on quarterback Jordan Love and begin a new era by giving their 24-year-old quarterback a top three at wide receiver of Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Moore in the slot.
Oh, yeah, and the pick. Brian Branch will help boost the play in a safety group that left plenty to be desired last season, and he’ll be needed right away alongside Darnell Savage Jr. if Adrian Amos signs elsewhere in free agency. — Matt Schneidman
Charles McDonald, Yahoo! Sports
OT Peter Skoronski (Northwestern)
The Jets can add some insurance at tackle by picking Skoronski at this point. If Mekhi Becton can get back to moving in the right direction, they would have a kickass tackle duo for the long term.
OT/G Paris Johnson (Ohio State)
It seems a given the NYJ will acquire a veteran quarterback this spring, so it stands to reason they should bolster an offensive line set to lose starting OT George Fant and C Connor McGovern in free agency. Johnson (6-6, 310 pounds) would assume the left tackle job Mekhi Becton hasn't been healthy (or nimble) enough to hold down. If Becton gets on the field in 2023, slot him for the right side.
Trade with Green Bay Packers for Aaron Rodgers
GB: OT Broderick Jones (Georgia)
In this mock, the Packers decided to move on from Aaron Rodgers, with the New York Jets believing that Rodgers could be the final piece of their championship puzzle. Instead, the Packers grabbed this pick along with conditional picks for Rodgers and decided to solidify their offensive line with Georgia tackle Broderick Jones. Jones is ultra-athletic with power, size and length and will be a plus starter at either tackle spot for the Packers, who can’t seem to keep their offensive lineman healthy and on the field.
