Former NFL Head Coach: Jets ‘Have to Address Offensive Line’ in Draft

Former head coach Jim Mora believes the New York Jets need to address the offensive line in the NFL draft like Oregon's Penei Sewell or USC's Alijah Vera-Tucker

Max Goodman | Apr 1, 2021

The Jets have added key contributors across their roster this offseason in free agency. One position they've yet to address, however, is the offensive line.

Sure, New York signed veteran Dan Feeney, but the lineman (capable of playing both guard positions and center) projects to be more of a backup entering the season.

As Gang Green draws closer to the NFL draft, one former NFL head coach believes improving the offensive line should be at the top of New York's to-do list entering the month of April.

"They have to address the offensive line, and that's irregardless of who plays quarterback," Jim Mora told Jets Country. "With picks two, 23 and 34, they can address the offensive line, they can address another edge rusher, they can address the secondary."

In a previous interview with Jets Country, Mora sung the praises of Oregon's Penei Sewell, claiming New York would be getting a future Hall of Famer if they picked the tackle at No. 2.

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Then again, to the former head coach, there may be another path to pick a player like Sewell early on in the first round.

"They're sitting at the number two pick and there are some quarterbacks that people value," Mora said. "There will be teams that are calling the Jets and saying 'hey listen, we want to move up into that position if Justin Fields [or Zach Wilson] isn't your guy. If he's not your guy, if you're gonna stay with Sam Darnold, then listen, we'll give you these picks for that pick.' Now all of a sudden, they've got more bullets in their gun."

After San Francisco's trade with Miami, moving up from the 12th pick to No. 3, it seems unlikely that another team will make a deal to jump up to the second spot. Then again, with how good Fields and Wilson looked in their pro days, nothing is impossible.

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From there, the former head coach of UCLA and the Atlanta Falcons singled out one lineman that's projected to come off the board in the middle of the first round.

"If they want to go offensive guard, I mean he played some tackle and guard, but Alijah Vera-Tucker from USC," he said. "He's a really good football player, played against him as well."

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Published Apr 1, 2021

MAX GOODMAN

Max Goodman covers the New York Jets for Sports Illustrated and FanNation. He also covers the New York Yankees, publisher of Sports Illustrated and FanNation's Yankees site, Inside The Pinstripes. Before starting out with SI, Goodman attended Northwestern University and the Medill School of Journalism. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Master’s Degree in Sports Media, graduating in 2019. While at school, Goodman gathered valuable experience as an anchor and reporter on NNN SportsNight and played on the club baseball team. Goodman previously interned at MLB.com as an associate reporter covering the Miami Marlins. He also interned with ESPN, working as an associate reporter on Mike Greenberg's Get Up. Goodman is from New York City. He grew up in Hell's Kitchen. Follow Goodman on Twitter @MaxTGoodman and connect with him via email by reaching out at maxgoodmansports@gmail.com.