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Jets Take Top Linebacker and Safety in First Round of Latest PFF Mock Draft

In this mock draft, New York picks safety Kyle Hamilton and linebacker Nakobe Dean in the first round.

Max Goodman

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Last year, the Jets added two impact players on offense in the first round of the NFL draft.

This spring, they may flip to the other side of the ball. 

In the latest mock draft posted on Pro Football Focus this week, PFF's Anthony Treash has the Jets picking a safety and linebacker in the first round.

Take a look at Treash's analysis on Notre Dame's Kyle Hamilton and Georgia's Nakobe Dean:

4. New York Jets: S Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Hamilton is one of the draft class' most explosive athletes. The 6-foot-4, 221-pound safety boasts a 42-inch vertical and pairs his physical skill set with great eyes in coverage. He has totaled 22 combined pass breakups and interceptions in his three-year college career, and only five Power Five safeties have recorded more than 15 over that span.

Hamilton should be in the cards for every team that has a top-five selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, whether they need a safety or not.

Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton
Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton jogs onto the field against Stanford / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

7. New York Jets (via Seattle): LB Nakobe Dean, Georgia Bulldogs

Dean was the best player on the field in the College Football Playoff semifinal, earning a 90.0 PFF grade on the back of five pressures, six defensive stops, a forced fumble and -2 yards allowed in coverage.

Dean may be on the smaller end for the linebacker position, but he makes up for it with his freak athleticism and instincts. His blitzing prowess and coverage ability are second to none, as he has recorded a 90.0-plus grade as a pass-rusher and in coverage this season, something no Power Five off-ball linebacker has accomplished in the PFF College era.

The Jets were missing plenty of pieces due to injuries this season—namely Carl Lawson—but it's clear they need to upgrade their defense in several position groups. Hamilton and Dean would immediately provide head coach Robert Saleh and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich with two additional playmakers on the defensive side of the ball to work with, complimenting their young secondary and veterans up front. 

It'll be a tough decision for general manager Joe Douglas not to address the team's offense with two top-10 picks, but remember, the Jets have the 32nd-ranked defense in the NFL this season. With plenty of picks in the rounds following the first, New York can choose to add a wide receiver, tight end and offensive lineman later on, focusing on their biggest weakness right away. 

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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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