New York Jets Land Dominant Edge Rusher in Latest NFL Mock Draft

In a recent mock draft, the New York Jets would add to their pass rush with on of the top stars in college football.

Aug 31, 2024; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter (11) celebrates after a defensive stop during the fourth quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. / Ben Queen-Imagn Images

There haven’t been many positives to take away from the 2024 season for the New York Jets.

They have been among the biggest disappointments in the league. Entering their Week 12 bye, the Jets have a 3-8 record and their postseason hopes have been all been extinguished.

While not mathematically eliminated yet, it would take a miracle for them to be playing beyond Week 18.

The remainder of the campaign will likely be used to evaluate who will be here in the long term. Head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas have both been fired, indicating major changes are on the horizon.

It is anyone’s guess right now who will be taking over those positions on a full-time basis. There is a lot that needs to be figured out, such as the future of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. His presence, along with that of owner Woody Johnson, doesn’t make this the most desirable landing spot.

That could play a factor in what the Jets do in the NFL Draft, according to NFL draft analyst Matt Miller of ESPN. New York could wait to see if Rodgers wants to return, something he has indicated that he wants. The news that Johnson wanted Rodgers benched in Week 4 of the season may not sit well with the future Hall-of-Famer.

Not knowing who will be running the Jets in 2025 makes some offseason predictions difficult to foresee. But, with how things are trending on the field, whoever takes over is likely going to have a top-10 pick to work with.

In the newest mock draft from Miller, New York lands the No. 7 overall pick. In that spot, he has them selecting Penn State Nittany Lions star edge rusher, Abdul Carter.

In Miller's analysis, two key metrics this season indicate Carter could help bolster the pass rush, which has shined in spots but has, overall, taken a step back after the loss of players like Bryce Huff in free agency and Jermaine Johnson to injury.

“That's where Carter factors in, as he pivoted from split duty between linebacker and edge his first two seasons to a full-time pass rusher in 2024. He has compiled eight sacks while getting pressure on 16.4% of his snaps (fifth in the nation).”

The Jets also traded John Franklin-Myers to the Denver Broncos in the offseason to help make room for Haason Reddick, a move that hasn't worked out.

Acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles, Reddick didn’t get into the lineup until Week 8 of the season after a lengthy holdout. It is anyone’s guess if he will be part of the plans in 2025, but more than likely, he will be looking for a new franchise to play with.

Will McDonald IV leads the team with eight sacks, but hasn’t brought much consistency to the table. He is currently riding a four-game streak without a sack and his missed tackle percentage is incredibly concerning.

It al leads one to believe that adding help in the pass rush is a likely option in April.