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NFL Draft Rumors: Jets Could Pick Jermaine Johnson Over Kayvon Thibodeaux at No. 4

Oregon's Thibodeaux might not be the third EDGE off the board in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft...

Max Goodman

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With days left until the 2022 NFL draft, rumors are swirling about who the Jets may take with the No. 4 overall pick.

If New York does grab an EDGE in that spot, their options may be limited.

Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson and Georgia's Travon Walker will likely be off the board by the time New York is on the clock. Therefore, Oregon's Kayvon Thibodeaux profiles as a logical choice for Gang Green, giving head coach Robert Saleh a new toy on his defensive line.

Not so fast.

There's another EDGE that New York may actually prefer to Thibodeaux in that spot.

"Several around the NFL (who I trust) believe Jermaine Johnson has a better chance to go No. 4 to the Jets than Thibodeaux," Dane Brugler of The Athletic tweeted on Monday afternoon.

That was in response to his colleague, Connor Hughes, mentioning the Jets as a potential landing spot for the Florida State product after ESPN's Jordan Raanan alluded to Johnson jumping into the top five.

"A player who will go higher Thursday than most seem to expect is FSU edge rusher Jermaine Johnson," Raanan wrote. "Some I spoke with believe he will ultimately be best pass rusher in this draft. Seems to be a Top 10 lock."

Johnson has flown under the radar over the last several months when it comes to those early selections in the first round. He's not the sexiest name on the board, but he certainly had tremendous numbers in his final college season.

After playing his first two seasons at Georgia, Johnson exploded for career highs in his first and only year with Florida State. He racked up 11.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss (70 total) over 12 games.    

Hughes added in an article on Monday that Jets general manager Joe Douglas has an "affinity" for Johnson. Douglas undoubtedly likes a slew of prospects, building relationships with them leading up to the draft while evaluating their film. For a GM that loves offensive linemen in the first round, though—he picked Mekhi Becton and Alijah Vera-Tucker in the first each of the last two years—that affinity could be enough to give Johnson the edge (pun intended) over a player like Ikem Ekwonu or Evan Neal.

Thibodeaux, meanwhile, was a force in college as well. At Oregon, the top prospect produced 19 sacks and 35.5 tackles for loss over three seasons. He would also be poised to wreak havoc up front in green and white alongside Carl Lawson, Quinnen Williams and the rest of New York's defensive line. 

READ: Why New York Is Perfect Fit For Kayvon Thibodeaux’s Development

It's a good problem to have all these top-tier assets at New York's disposal with the fourth selection. These are also the types of decisions that can haunt a franchise as they swing and miss or pick a player that ends up with an inferior career at the next level. That's especially relevant for a team that consistently fails to draft valuable players, extending their postseason drought each fall. 

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Max Goodman
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.

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