In case you haven’t noticed we’ve been going back over the 2008, 2009, and 2010 draft class of each franchise and assigning each pick a grade. Up next? Well that’s the New York Jets.
Each pick between the 2008 and 2010 draft classes a grade between +2.0 and -2.0 (in 0.5 increments) that depends upon:
• Where they were drafted
• Their performance
• Their contribution (how many snaps their team got out of them)
• Other factors such as unforeseen injuries and conditions that could not have been accounted for
Let’s take a look at how the Jets drafted.
+2.0: You’ve just found Tom Brady in the 6th round
They may have got better play out of a sixth-rounder than what they have from a certain first.
+1.5: Getting much more than you bargained for!
They wish.
+1.0: The scouts nailed it!
Heck, they’d settle for some of these.
+0.5: Never hurts to find a solid contributor
Dwight Lowery, S (113th overall pick in 2008): Excelled as a rookie, and while he found it hard to get on the field in his second season, always put forth strong performances. Rex Ryan never quite seemed sure if Lowery was a cornerback or safety, and despite playing well at both spots, he found himself traded away.
Matt Slauson, G (193rd overall pick in 2009): He’ll never be one of the best guards in the league, but he is a good enough player that he can start without you having to overly worry about it. Great value in the sixth even if he’s no longer with the team.
Joe McKnight, RB (112th overall pick in 2010): While his contribution on offense (and defense) hasn’t exactly wowed us, McKnight is one of the league’s better kick returners.
0.0: It could have been worse
Erik Ainge, QB (162nd overall pick in 2008): You can’t fault the Jets for the multitude of personal problems that Ainge entered the league with.
Marcus Henry, WR (171st overall pick in 2008): The former sixth-round pick lasted a year before being waived.
Nate Garner, G (211th overall pick in 2008): Didn’t get a chance to clear waivers and hit the Jets’ practice squad as a rookie before the Dolphins picked him up.
Shonn Greene, RB (65th overall pick in 2009): A tad one-dimensional (okay, more than a tad), Greene rarely displayed the kind of consistency that you want from a feature back.
John Conner, FB (139th overall pick in 2010): The Terminator had a good year with his lead blocking in 2011 and looked like a solid replacement for the Jets’ version of Tony Richardson. Still, injury saw his time with the team come to an end.
-0.5: That pick was not put to good use
Dustin Keller, TE (30th overall pick in 2008): If you’re going to pick up a tight end in the first, they need to be either a difference-making receiver, or the kind of complete player that can play every down. Keller is neither; one of the worst blocking tight ends in the league and not the reliable safety net the top tight ends are for their quarterbacks. He has upside on any given play, but spends too much time not doing anything overly constructive.
Kyle Wilson, CB (29th overall pick in 2010): Did the Jets draft Wilson to replace Antonio Cromartie or to match up with the multiple receiver sets they were facing the AFC East by putting him in the slot? Either way, it’s kind of failed in both regards with Wilson looking anything but a first round pick in his first three years in the league.
-1.0: What a waste!
Mark Sanchez, QB (5th overall pick in 2009): The 2009 class was always going to depend on Sanchez and how he played. Unfortunately, he just hasn’t cut the mustard. Saving your better performances (which generally involve just avoiding mistakes rather than making a lot of plays) for the playoffs should not give Sanchez a pass as he has failed to improve as a quarterback. Consistently one of the least accurate quarterbacks, Sanchez is overwhelmed when teams get pressure.
Vladimir Ducasse, T (61st overall pick in 2010): How telling is it that this former second-round pick was unable to beat out the awful Wayne Hunter for the teams right tackle spot, nor catch on at guard. A -0.8 grade isn’t terrible, but just 451 snaps is.
-1.5: The scouts/ coaches failed, big time!
Not in this regard but …
-2.0: You just drafted the love child of JaMarcus Russell and Ryan Leaf!
Vernon Gholston, DE (6th overall pick in 2008): What can you really say about this? Looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane — Gholston earned a -13.3 grade while playing just 629 career snaps as a Jet. He is the dictionary definition of a bust.
Follow Khaled on Twitter: @PFF_Khaled
© 2024 PFF - all rights reserved.