Mock Draft Monday: Georgia's Broderick Jones Linked to Gang Green Again

Ian Cummings suggests the Jets could select the starting left tackle from the back-to-back National Champions

A potential franchise left tackle could be the best player available to the New York Jets when they pick at No. 13 overall in the 2023 National Football League Draft order.

In his seven-round mock draft from March 18, Pro Football Network’s Ian Cummings projected Georgia bookend Broderick Jones to Gang Green.

Jones was the second offensive tackle off the board in Cummings’ latest mock-up, which predicted that the Las Vegas Raiders will select Ohio State’s Paris Johnson, Jr. at No. 7 overall.

Northwestern tackle Peter Skoronski went to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 19 overall with Minnesota’s ascending center John Michael Schmitz going one pick later. NFL Draft Bible considers Skoronski to be the “most-polished” tackle in the 2023 draft class.

13) New York Jets: Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia

"Broderick Jones is a bit raw with his hand usage, but his athleticism and strength are both high-level traits." - Ian Cummings

Jones, who started all 15 games at left tackle during Georgia’s undefeated 2022 campaign, boosted his draft stock during the NFL Combine earlier this month. The 6-foot-5 blindside protector ran the fastest 40-yard dash (4.97) of the entire offensive line group.

Georgia's Broderick Jones works out at the 2023 NFL Combine / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL’s @NextGenStats awarded Jones an 85 “athleticism” score for his Combine performance, ranking him second amongst offensive tackle participants.

Adding talent to an ultra-important position group like offensive tackle would be a good idea for the Jets, who lack long-term insurance there.

Veteran Duane Brown will turn 38 years old prior to the 2023 opener and is not under contract past this upcoming season. George Fant, who missed more than half of the 2022 campaign due to injury, is an unrestricted free agent.

There’s also plenty of unknown when it comes to former first-round pick Mekhi Becton. Once thought to be a foundational player, Becton has totaled only 48 snaps since his promising rookie season (2020).

Becton, who is expected to be ready for the 2023 campaign, never saw the field in 2022 after suffering a right knee injury last August. The former No. 11 overall pick out of Louisville hasn’t played in an NFL regular season game since September 12, 2021.

Head coach Robert Saleh’s recent comments suggest that general manager Joe Douglas would have a hard time passing on top-tier offensive line talent at the Draft.

“The more the merrier,” said Saleh during his Combine Week press conference. “You know how Joe [Douglas] and I feel in regards to our offensive and defensive lines. I joke about it, but Joe would have 52 offensive linemen on the roster and one quarterback if he could.”

In his first mock draft following the Combine, NFL Draft Bible’s Ric Serritella also linked the Jets to Jones.

"The Jets offensive line was ravaged by injuries, which resulted in a patchwork unit. Adding Jones would immediately provide stability,” Serritella wrote.

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