Three bold predictions for the New York Jets & general manager Joe Douglas in the NFL Draft

In his first draft with the New York Jets, general manager Joe Douglas will need to better the roster in several key areas.

Joe Douglas’ first NFL Draft will set the tone of the New York Jets rebuild for the coming years. In his second year on the job as general manager, a lot will be learned about Douglas and where this team is headed in the coming years based off the draft.

The Jets come into the draft needing to address four critical issues on their roster. If they can draft a starting left tackle, an edge rusher who can get in the backfield, a starting wide receiver and a cornerback who can contribute immediately, then the Jets will be well on their way towards taking a step forward.

Douglas, with a strong background in player personnel including 14 years as a scout under Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome, one of the top talent evaluators in the league, should be in his wheelhouse during this draft. The Jets don’t need him to hit a home run with any of their eight selections, but he needs to come out with a couple of instant starters and several contributors from this group.

If he whiffs on the offensive line and doesn’t emerge with a starter, then the rebuilding process takes a significant step back.

A look at three predictions on what Douglas will do in the draft:

1. The Jets will trade back – It makes too much sense. Not only do they have the pressing needs at left tackle, cornerback and along the defensive line as well as a dire issue at wide receiver, the Jets simply have poor talent across their two-deep. Five years of bad drafting will do that to a roster.

Sitting at No. 11, the Jets are at the crossroads of the draft. If one of the top three quarterbacks drops out of the top 10 or a team needing a wide receiver gets desperate, the Jets could be in a prime position to sit back and make a move.

Being able to drop back a handful of picks and add a couple of selections smattered across Day 2 and Day 3 can address a lot of needs. It may not be exciting for fans, but Douglas knows it can help the roster immensely.

2. Douglas won’t hurry to select a wide receiver – Even with the Jets sitting in a spot to potentially land Jerry Jeudy (Alabama) or CeeDee Lamb (Oklahoma) in the first round, the draft’s consensus two best wide receivers, they still might not make that move. Not only is left tackle the more concerning issue, this is a deep class at wide receiver.

There isn’t the need to pounce on a wide receiver immediately.

At No. 48 in the second, the Jets could potentially land K.J. Hamler (Penn State) or Chase Claypool (Notre Dame), both of whom could well be available in the second round. Or if the Jets trade back and get some picks, they could still utilize their top selection along the offensive line and then potentially move up to late in the first round and target Tee Higgins (Clemson), a huge target with speed.

3. A running back target – Even with veteran Le’Veon Bell on the team and expecting an improved 2020 behind a much better offensive line, the Jets still need depth at running back. After Bell, there isn’t much there.

Investing in a running back to spell Bell this year and perhaps become a starter in 2021 could be big for the rebuilding Jets.

While this isn’t a great draft at running back after the top couple of selections, none of whom may go in the first round, there is depth in the later rounds. Cam Akers, the versatile Florida State running back, could be a target of the Jets with one of their two picks in the third round. If the Jets wait till Day 3, then Boston College’s A.J. Dillon, who had a good NFL Combine, might be an intriguing addition to the Jets backfield rotation.