New York Jets 7-round 2020 NFL mock draft: New target emerges
2. Lucas Niang, OT, TCU
The New York Jets find their starting tackle in round two of the draft after selecting Lucas Niang out of TCU. As mentioned on the first slide, the New York Jets still have questions regarding their offensive tackles. Even though they signed Fant and are high on Edoga, Douglas needs to add to that and take a tackle early in the draft.
Niang has very high upside as a left tackle with his impressive athleticism and could fit in very well in Frank Pollack’s zone-blocking scheme. I wouldn’t put all of the problems of the offensive line on Pollack, as he was working with the hand that he was dealt. He had a revolving door of guys that missed assignments and at times (too many times) they would leave a guy unaccounted for.
However, if he has five guys who are on the same page and understand the scheme and their assignments, the line will improve exponentially. Niang could be a big part of that, but he will need to improve as a pass blocker. With his size and mobility, Niang could develop into a top tier tackle in the NFL.
3. Bryce Hall, Cornerback, Virginia
The New York Jets turn the defensive side of the ball with their first of two third-round picks, taking Virginia cornerback Bryce Hall. The Jets need to improve their cornerback room behind Bless Austin and Pierre Desir. They do have their nickel spot lockdown after retaining Poole, but they must improve on the boundary.
Hall is a big and physical corner at 6-foot1, 200 pounds who excels in zone coverage where he can see both the ball and his man. He has five interceptions in his three-year career at Virginia but only played in six games in 2019 due to an ankle injury. He did have 20 tackles and four passes defended in those six games.
Gregg Williams doesn’t have a specific scheme and he will tailor his defense to get the most out of his players. With that said, Hall could be a liability in man and will need some time to develop into a more well-rounded corner.
3. Darrell Taylor, EDGE, Tennessee
Sticking with defense, the New York Jets address their pass rush, taking Tennessee Edge rusher Darrell Taylor. Gang Green hasn’t had an above-average pass rusher coming off the edge in over a decade.
Taylor has freakish athletic ability and could be a situational pass rusher early on in his career. He made the switch from defensive lineman to linebacker as a junior in 2018 and is still learning the nuances of the position. If given the proper time to develop his game as a pass rusher, Taylor can become a scary weapon off the edge for New York.