New York Jets Host Visit With Draft Receiver Target

The New York Jets may not be dead-set on trading down, but if they do, a receiver late on Day 1 makes sense. Is Oregon's Troy Franklin a fit?

Nov 24, 2023; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Troy Franklin (11) catches a pass for / Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL Draft cycle is laden with assumptions and rumors, many of which will be proven hopelessly wrong just minutes into the event. when the inevitable chaos of the night shakes out.

One idea that has been passed around the New York Jets discourse has been that general manager Joe Douglas would prefer to trade down from No. 10, and he would do so because of the depth of this year’s tackle class. The Jets can trade down into the late teens – or perhaps early 20s – and reasonably expect a strong offensive tackle to fall, all while collecting extra draft capital. 

However, New York grabbing a tackle later in the first round may be overtaken by a chance at adding a dynamic weapon to an offense that already boasts receiver Garrett Wilson and running back Breece Hall. 

Nov 24, 2023; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Troy Franklin (11) catches a pass for / Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

Like their heavier friends up front, this year’s receiving class is stocked to the brim with talent, and several quality targets are bound to fall to the end of the first round and into Day 2.

If trading down for a receiver is in fact in New York’s plans, a recent visit could give insight into a potential match. According to Mike Garafolo, Oregon receiver Troy Franklin has visited the Jets, along with the Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers, and Cleveland Browns.

Franklin would undoubtedly provide New York with more juice than it currently has. He’s a speedster through and through who demands defenses respect his presence downfield, though he’s at his best with the ball in his hands. 

While he’s not the ball winner Mike Williams is, he has more than enough of a release package to beat press as an X receiver and make plays along the boundary. Franklin’s proclivity for making splash plays after the catch may see him earn targets in the slot, too.

From a fit perspective, Franklin makes both short- and long-term sense. He can turn easy completions for Aaron Rodgers into chuck gains while keeping Williams’ seat warm if he needs more time (or a snap count) to manage his ACL recovery. If all goes well, he can take over as a full-time starter in 2025 if Williams leaves town, or he can make a more permanent move inside.

There are lingering questions about his physicality and route tree limitations, but he plays faster than his electric 4.41-second 40-yard dash would suggest and can add size with an NFL training regimen. While his profile feels incomplete, he isn’t unlike many of the receiving prospects projected to be drafted within a dozen picks in either direction.

Consider the ammo from trading down compensation for the risks in Franklin’s profile. Ensuring the Jets aren’t a hamstring pull away from disaster may prove to be a worthwhile first-round selection for a team that’s already pushed so many of its chips to the middle of the table.