New York Jets Receive Elite Offensive Lineman in Recent NFL Mock Draft

The New York Jets land an elite offensive lineman to improve in the trenches in a recent NFL mock draft.

Sep 14, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; LSU Tigers offensive tackle Will Campbell (66) warms up before a game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium. / Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

One of the areas that the New York Jets were looking to improve ahead of the 2024 season was the offensive line.

Things were a mess in the trenches in 2023 as injuries depleted the depth chart and led to ineffective play as the team was using third-stringers and practice squad players. Looking to ensure that didn’t happen again, the team spent a lot of resources to bring in upgrades.

In free agency, guard John Simpson was signed away from the Baltimore Ravens. His teammate, Morgan Moses, was acquired via trade for a second stint with the Jets. Veteran Tyron Smith, who had spent the first 13 years of his career with the Dallas Cowboys, was signed to take over as the starting left tackle.

In the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, New York selected Penn State product Olu Fashanu with an eye toward the future.

The Jets have some legitimate building blocks in the trenches with Fashanu joining their 2021 first-round pick out of USC Alijah Vera-Tucker and center Joe Tippmann, a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Wisconsin.

However, there is a long-term need as a bookend for Fashanu at the opposite tackle spot. He looks comfortable playing left tackle, but with Smith and Moses both heading to free agency and being older players, it wouldn’t hurt to add another building block.

That is exactly what Jacob Infante of Pro Football Network has predicted them to do in a recent mock draft. With the No. 7 overall pick, with the order being on the Pro Football Network Mock Draft Simulator, New York lands LSU Tigers star offensive tackle Will Campbell.

“Will Campbell is an intelligent offensive tackle prospect with great spatial awareness, refined hand use, and an impressive combination of anchor strength and lateral agility. Locking down their other tackle spot would give the Jets a talented and young offensive line that can keep Aaron Rodgers upright and eventually give their new quarterback something to work with," Infante wrote.

He was an elite pass blocker this season with the Tigers, earning an 82.1 PFF pass-blocking grade, which was No. 23 in the country among eligible tackles. He has some work to do, as his run-blocking grade was an underwhelming 67.1.

It wouldn’t be the flashiest pick, but it is anyone’s guess what direction the franchise will go in at this point.

Until a general manager and head coach are put in place, it is all guesswork about the direction the Jets will go in with their draft picks as the roster is going to undergo some major changes as well.