New York Jets Insider Outlines Path to Top-Two Draft Selection

This New York Jets insider outlined a pretty easy path for the franchise to end up with one of the top two picks in next April’s NFL Draft.

Oct 6, 2024; Tottenham, ENG; New York Jets helmets are held by staff before the match against Minnesota Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. / Shaun Brooks-Imagn Images

Everyone knows the New York Jets will have a new general manager and a new head coach in the next month or two.

But where the Jets will pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft is up for debate. With five games left, New York (3-9) face the Miami Dolphins in the first of its last five games of the season.

Per Tankathon, the Jets would have the No. 6 pick in the draft if it were held on Sunday.

But, a new general manager would love something more — perhaps a pick a little bit higher?

Well, SNY’s Connor Hughes outlined how the Jets could get a higher pick. In fact, a much higher pick. He didn’t take full credit. One of his SNY colleagues, Connor Rogers, pointed it out.

After some research, Hughes found that it is quite possible for the Jets to soar up the draft board these final five games.

The solution is simple — lose out and the Jets might just get as high as the No. 2 pick.

To Hughes, it’s possible.

There is actually a pretty clear path for the #Jets to land either the No. 1 or No. 2 pick in the #NFLDraft.

Could this year start New York - New York?

From #JetsClass

Full episode: https://t.co/g95Tj3IttX pic.twitter.com/LsMiCQiGeP

— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) December 6, 2024

“They play the frisky Dolphins twice, they play the Rams once, who are a pretty good team, they have to play the Buffalo Bills to end the season, who could be playing for the top seed in the AFC and playing their starters as a result and then a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who currently holds the number one pick in the NFL draft,” Hughes said.

New York may not actually have to try and tank in order to lose out. The injuries keep mounting for this team. The Jets moved linebacker C.J. Mosley to injured reserve on Saturday. They also ruled out running back Breece Hall due to a knee injury, which is a hyperextension to his MCL in his surgically-repaired knee.

The Jets have also lost eight of their last nine games. That’s after a 2-1 start to the season.

So, if it’s all falling apart, why not take advantage and get a high pick, right? Perhaps one that could give the Jets access to a young quarterback like Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders or Miami’s Cam Ward?

Well, it’s not quite that simple. There’s a wild card in this, Hughes points out, one that is currently further ahead of the Jets in this situation and has a difficult schedule ahead.

“The one team to keep an eye on it is the (Las) Vegas Raiders because their schedule is a gauntlet,” he said. “They're going to rely on (coach) Antonio Pierce having his guys get up and go and quarterback Aidan O'Connell pulling a great game out of his you-know-what to potentially win one when they shouldn't.”

The Raiders need to win a game because, like Jacksonville, they have just two wins. But if the Raiders could win a game, and the Jets could lose it, it could be both New York teams picking back-to-back at the top of the first round.