NFL Draft Trade Proposal: Eagles Deal With Jets, Pick Malik Willis 10th Overall
If the Jets decide to trade the No. 10 overall pick this spring—a move that New York reportedly prefers—odds are New York will be fielding offers from a quarterback-needy team.
We've already explored a possible deal between the Steelers and Jets, a transaction that gives Pittsburgh an opportunity to draft a QB in the first round in exchange for a package including the No. 20 overall selection.
Now, let's take a look at a mock draft that has the Eagles trading up with the Jets to get their hands on arguably the best quarterback from the 2022 draft class.
NBC Sports Philadelphia recently published a new first-round mock draft, put together by Adam Hermann. With Pitt's Kenny Pickett and Ole Miss' Matt Corrall already off the board, Hermann proposed a trade where the Eagles jump ahead from the No. 15 selection to the 10th overall pick.
Here are all the picks from this first-round mock that involve the Jets, including analysis from the mock's creator. Then, we'll break this down a little bit further...
First-Round 2022 NFL Mock Draft (Via NBC Sports Philadelphia)
The New York Jets make a blockbuster trade with the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of this 2022 mock draft.
Kyle Hamilton
4. Jets: S Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame
New York replaces the Jamal Adams-sized hole in their secondary with a cornerstone pick. Hamilton is the big-bodied, ballhawk-y type of playmaker you can build a secondary around, not just another piece in the unit. Think Brian Dawkins. In 31 career games with the Fighting Irish he notched eight interceptions, 16 passes defended, and 7.5 tackles for loss. That production is insane.
Malik Willis
10. Eagles (via NYJ): QB Malik Willis, Liberty
TRADE ALERT! Eagles swap No. 15 for the Jets' No. 10 and give up their third-round pick this year and their 2023 sixth-round pick. Pretty similar to the Bears' trade up for Justin Fields last season.
And it's all in the name of figuring out the QB position.
Does this trade mean the Eagles have to get rid of Jalen Hurts? Not at all. Hurts showed last year he's a perfectly serviceable, replacement-level starting QB in the NFL. He can get you to the postseason, which not every quarterback can do. That's valuable! And Willis has a sky-high ceiling, but he's also a raw player and could probably do with sitting for a year, a la Trey Lance.
Treylon Burks
15. Jets (via PHI): WR Treylon Burks, Arkansas
I really like Burks as an alternate option for the Eagles. He's an impressive, big-bodied wide receiver who doesn't sacrifice speed for size - think Chargers wideout Mike Williams. He notched 67 catches for 1,123 yards and 11 TD this year, including 179 yards and two touchdowns against Alabama. He had TD catches of 91, 85, 66, and 52 yards this season, plus a 49-yard rushing TD. Zach Wilson needs weapons, and Burks is a weapon.
First off, Kyle Hamilton being picked by the Jets at No. 4 is nothing new. New York has been linked to the Notre Dame safety before this offseason. For a team that had the worst defense in the NFL in 2021, and could lose the leader of their secondary to free agency (Marcus Maye) this offseason, the best defensive back from this class would be a tremendous addition for Robert Saleh's squad.
Perhaps a safety this early in the first-round is a risk—especially with talented assets like OT Ikem Ekwonu, CB Derek Stingley Jr. and CB Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner still available—but Hamilton is viewed as a cant-miss prospect by many pundits. He addresses a need for the Jets right away.
From there, New York is able to recoup some draft capital while taking advantage of a franchise eager to move up and snag a quarterback. The Jets secure a first-rounder in addition to a third-round pick and a sixth-rounder in next year's draft. That's a solid haul considering the Jets only moved back five slots and still came away with a top receiver (a player they might've picked at 10 regardless).
READ: Three Reasons Why the Jets Should Not Trade for Robby Anderson
Burks provides Zach Wilson with another talented target on offense. A wide receiver room with Burks, Elijah Moore and Corey Davis is the type of group that can elevate New York's signal-caller to the next level, or at least put him in a better position to succeed and lead this offense back to relevancy.
SCOUTING REPORT: Why the Jets Should Draft Treylon Burks
With the type of draft capital this team has, general manager Joe Douglas can go anywhere he wants with the rest of this draft. He can add a tight end, bolster the pass rush on defense, even strengthen the offensive line beginning with two early second-round picks. Factoring in a third-round selection from the Eagles in this proposed situation (Philadelphia would be giving the Jets the No. 83 pick), Gang Green would have two picks in each of the first five rounds.
Connect on half of those picks and New York can take a huge step forward in 2022.
MORE:
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- Jets Should Take Flier on These Free Agents to Fix Pass-Rush Problems
- Jets Must Capitalize if Kayvon Thibodeaux Falls
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