By Dom C.
Football is a wonderful sport. As a kid, there was something that just got my juices flowing – something about the physical battle – waging war and locking horns with your opponent.
Fast forward to 2022…the game has changed. Now, if you look at the QB too long – 15-yard penalty. I understand the increase in safety protocols but at times it feels it is not the same game that I grew up to love.
Running back committees, nickel and dimes sets on defense, and pass-happy offenses are the new norm. These changes have brought such an increase in value to certain positional players – with wide receivers being the hands-down beneficiaries.
We now see more 4 wide and empty sets and fewer 12 and 22 personnel being utilized. This is where the NFL game has transitioned, and with all these changes it is hard to win games now without a potent air attack. To be successful, you need to have a QB that can deliver the ball and receivers who are on the field and can make plays when the ball is in their hands.
2021 brought about so many changes for our New York Jets. A new regime in charge and calling the
shots, a new offense headed by the golden boy Mormon Zach Wilson.
We also saw wholesale changes in our wide receiver personnel. JD’s big offensive acquisition for 2021 was Corey Davis, whom he signed for a 3-year $37.5 million dollar deal. Big money for a 26-year-old who was coming his best season in 2020 where he amassed 65 receptions for 985 yards and five scores.
Zach definitely leaned on Davis as his security blanket and there were moments during 2021 that the connection was going to be something special. Unfortunately, those special moments were too few and far between to really wet the whistle. There were too many drops early on followed by a core muscle injury that cut Davis’s season short.
In 9 games played, he was on the books for 35 catches, under 500 yards, and 4 scores. Not what you would expect from your #1.
2021 also saw Elijah Moore come into town by way of Ole Miss and the NFL draft. Most Jets fans were elated when Moore – who was a projected top-25 selection in the 2021 draft slipped into the second round and was snagged by JD.
After a sluggish start, there was a good five or six-game stretch in the middle of the season where the 22-year-old Moore was earning his keep and letting the NFL know he was here to stay. The future is very bright for Elijah, and I think that anyone who watched him plays knows that. He’s going to be a special one.
Speaking of special ones, we also have Denzel Mims. Mims struggled to grasp the new playbook. Mims struggled coming back from a battle with COVID-19. Mims struggled to get on the field. Mims struggled when he was on the field. You get it? Mims struggled.
At 25 years old, the onus is going to fall smack dab on the shoulders of Mims to shake the cobwebs, step up his game, and earn the trust of Robert Salah or else he may be trying to do so elsewhere. 2022 is really going to be make-or-break for Denzel Mims.
Outside of the three aforementioned, no other WR is currently under contract. Jeff Smith played sparingly, and his roster spot can easily be used for someone younger and/or better. Keelan Cole was in on a 1-year deal and outside of a couple of media clips, he failed to really impress. Jamison Crowder, a fan favorite had a very Crowder-like season – sure-handed and reliable as a slot WR when he played (another Jets injury causality). Although a very good team player and great NY Jet, he’ll be going into his age-29 season – I don’t expect him to be resigned.
The slot WR that I do expect JD to shell out a new contract to is Braxton Berrios. Berrios was forced into a more meaningful offensive role this year due to the vast number of injuries and really stood out. Always full of energy and excitement, Braxton brought something to the WR room that was lacking – that gadgety, do-it-all kind of player that could line up all over the field and make plays when they counted.
On top of what he brought to the WR room, Berrios excelled on special teams and his value there is undeniable. Late season talks about a new contract was brought to light and only seems like a matter of time before it’s done. I mean, how many Pro-Bowl capable special teamers can the Jets let walk? I think that is a lesson already learned.
Undeniably, there is a clear need for the Jets to address the position. I think that the free-agent
route will be heavily combed through – names like Chris Godwin & Michael Gallup. A trade is also a
possibility (dare I bring up the name Calvin Ridley) but that is not why we are here. We are all about the NFL draft – so let’s talk turkey.
As always, it will be impossible to touch on all the draft prospects. The article will cover two higher-rated prospects, a mid-round target and one diamond in the rough late-round player that could come in and impress and would make good fits for the Jets. There are names here that you are familiar with and some names you may not be familiar with. Hell, there are going to be some names not touched on at all here that you will see drafted relatively early. The article is meant solely to be an informative tool that will hopefully entice you to research some of the players yourself and form your own opinions.
Wide receivers are on deck boys and girls, let’s roll.
Treylon Burks
There is a buzz floating around the channels where all the Jets fans reside. It revolves around the name Treylon Burks, and it is crazy. There has not been a prospect that I can recall in years that the Jets fans have clamored for as much as Burks.
Frankly, I get it – there is a lot to clamor about. Standing 6’3’’ and weighing in at 225 pounds, Burks is an imposing presence on the field. He offers one thing that really maybe one other WR draft prospect (Wan’Dale Robinson) can offer an NFL team, and that is true offensive versatility.
Burks can line up and dominate from anywhere on the field – split out wide, in the slot, in the backfield, lined up tightly – these are all viable options. It would probably be more accurate to classify him as an offensive weapon than to just pigeonhole him as a wide receiver. Being as big as he is, you may expect Treylon to lumber around the field – but this couldn’t be any more incorrect. Treylon should run right around 4.5, which for a man that size is unheard of.
Do you know what else is unheard of? The 5XL gloves he has to wear on his 10.25’’ hands. He basically has catchers’ mitts hanging off of his wrists. With hands that big and strong, it is easy to see why his catch reliability is tops in the class. His hands are sure, and he owns an insane catch radius. At Arkansas, he won most of the contested catch situations he was placed in.
He is smart enough to undercut the defenders and reach for the ball athletic enough to outjump them when need be. Burks is a very effective and willing blocker and shows off his skills both downfield on DB’s and down blocking on DLs and LB’s when lined up tight or in the slot.
Burks is not the most technical WR in the class – he rounds off his routes at times and was only asked to run a limited route tree – mainly slants, crosses, comebacks, and go routes. The effort to
become a better route runner will fall mainly on him and the coaching staff that takes him on. Burks
showed some struggles this past season to gain separation in press coverage, and his change of direction during the routes is subpar – he does his best work once he gets going in straight lines – kind of like a locomotive.
Handling a lot of snaps from the backfield, you can observe his excellent contact balance –the dude easily sheds contact and provides some vicious stiff arms a’ la Derrick Henry. The fact that he can blast through tackles without slowing down a bit proves he can be a TD threat anytime he possesses the ball.
The NFL comparison everyone talks for Burks is Deebo Samuel. Deebo is a much more accomplished route runner and offers more transitional agility, I liken Burks more to Anquan Boldin. Burks really is an offensive coordinator’s wet dream – the possibilities you can attack with him are limitless.
Although not my WR1 in this class, I’d still love to see him lining up with Corey Davis and Elijah Moore. He’s a 1st round talent and could be the name on the card for the Jets at #10, so be ready.
Drake London
Another prospect, another physical freak of nature. Drake London is 6’5’’ tall and ridiculously athletic.
He is tall and lean but will never shy away from contact and playing physical against defenders. The guy comes to play each and every day and has shown the heart of a warrior.
Great mental make-up – even on plays that he misses or errs on. He shows the wherewithal to shake it off and move on to the next play – a truly positive attribute you like to see in any young player.
Being as tall as he is, he’s an instant mismatch against most DB’s and utilizes his body well to shield off defenders on flat routes and slants. Prototypical X receiver you would think – but Drake can line up all over the formation and showed promise as a big slot at times while at USC. His height, his athleticism, and understanding of multiple positions really boost him up and make his promise as a prospect very enticing.
On top of that, his catch radius is insane, and it is damn near impossible to beat him in a jump ball 50/50 contested situation. His calling card in the NFL will be in the RedZone – that I can say with a level of certainty. The guy is just too big not to throw it up and let him come down with the ball.
There is some cause for concern with the receiver though:
1) He does not possess the surest hands. Way too many drops over his collegiate
career. You need to chalk some of that up to poor QB play, but a drop is a drop, and receivers that
cannot catch the ball don’t usually make it as receivers for too long.
2) There is a clear and evident lack of ability to separate on the outside against press/man coverage. This is a major concern and probably the scarlet letter stamped on Drake London the prospect – will he be able to get open against NFL DB’s?
He will not be able to lean on raw height and athleticism alone as he did in college. USC did well in
scheming him open and creating mismatches against LBs in the slot or by putting him in motion or
manufactured separation by the chosen routes (quick slants and shallow drags). London struggles to
create his own vertical separation on the boundary, which severely limited his route tree.
Nonetheless, London still can be an asset to an offense if he is utilized properly. Shallow targets that let him catch and use his physicality to gain yards coupled with his RedZone and contested-catch prowess will make him a useful and hot commodity come draft day.
What he does, he does very well – making Drake London one of my top 40 overall prospects in the class. If his medicals show clean (he suffered a broken ankle this past season) and really understanding his strengths and weaknesses, I would not be upset at all if the Jets used one of their second-round picks on him.
Size matters… (that’s what she said.)
Christian Watson
Like we all know, the Jets have plenty of holes to fill. We are probably not going to be able to touch on
all our positional needs with high draft picks. Assuming there is not any trade-up or trade-down
scenarios, we own two firsts and two seconds and have holes to fill at edge, LB, tight end, safety,
offensive line, and wide receiver. Can’t touch them all with four picks in the first two rounds.
That is where a guy like Christian Watson comes in. A true mid-round darling, standing 6’5’’, weighing 210 pounds with 33’’ arms, the redshirt senior from North Dakota State also offers 4.45 speed along with the frame and skills of a top-tier NFL wide receiver. Big and a blazer – usually a good recipe for the NFL. The aforementioned size/speed combination would offer the offensive coordinator a slew of utilization options and Watson shows enough versatility to excel in each and every one of them.
Watson has shown big-play ability – he scored five touchdowns of over 75+ yards during his collegiate career along with elite body control and crisp route running. He’s not just a one-gear guy who can run the 9-route. He offers a full route tree and his size and arm length offer outstanding catch radius. Watson has those buttery hips that allow him easy transitions in and out of breaks and a lightning-fast first step which elevates his ability to release off the line of scrimmage.
He is also a danger in the return game, which is always a nice thing to have in your repertoire – he can come in and contribute on special teams day one.
Watson only played two years of football prior to committing to NDSU, so he is still learning the game
and learning how to trust his God-given talents. At times, Watson still tends to divert into being a body-catcher, which can cause issues. For a guy that big with those long arms, he needs to high point the ball all the time. This is coachable.
Watson also will need to spend some time in the weight room to add a bit of bulk to that frame – he is slender, especially in his upper body. That lack of braun limits his effectiveness in blocking – though he is willing, he shields the defenders with his body at an angle more than he squares up to them. Again – an issue that can be coached out of him.
The biggest question about Christian Watson and the one thing that will probably cost him from being a first or second-round pick is the level of competition he faced. Although he played with the likes of Trey Lance, FCS competition still is FCS competition. I want to see if the traits still come out versus NFL-skilled talent.
The true litmus test will be how he shows on the field and in practice at Mobile at the Senior Bowl. A
good showing could really elevate his stock. For now, I have Watson ranked just in my top 125 overall
prospects and would be stoked to see him land with the Jets in the 4th round. Maybe, just maybe we
could be looking at our Braxton Berrios replacement.
Alec Pierce
When you talk about late-round diamonds in the rough, Alec Pierce is probably not a name that comes directly to mind.
Those of you who have toyed around with any of the mock draft platforms have seen
his name appear much higher – usually, the algorithm has him coming off the board at some point in the third, even as high as the second round. What gives?
The redshirt senior looks the part – standing 6’3’’ and tipping the scales at 215 and at times can play the part – running a sub-4.5 40 playing both on the perimeter and in the slot for Cincinnati. It has been noted that he has a 41’’ vertical leap as well, showing outstanding athleticism. Pierce locates and tracks the ball well, especially on deep passes.
Pierce shows phenomenal body awareness, control and balance and does an extremely good job using his body to shield off defenders. Those long, tight passes over the far shoulder against the sideline – that’s Alec Pierce’s moneymaker. He is hard to keep up with on his go routes – using a strong get-off and great speed to burn by the defender. He is also an extremely adept blocker – sometimes, making it feel like you have an extra tight end on the field. So, again – what gives?
As we know, there is your own constructed true rankings and the rankings constructed in the PFF or PFN simulators. Although I like Pierce, I just don’t have a 2nd or 3rd round grade on him. With the bevy of athletic traits he shows in everything that I watched, I haven’t seen him be able to put it all together. He’s a wonderful athlete that plays wide receiver – I don’t know if he is a wonderful wide receiver yet.
In four years playing for the Bearcats, Pierce never put up outstanding, top-level numbers despite being the #1 wideout and playing with an NFL talent like Desmond Ritter. That tells me something. He is susceptible to drops as well at times – probably more of a concentration thing than it is stiffness/bad hands kind of thing.
Pierce also has to really work on developing as a route runner. His angles are rounded and tend to get sloppy. He’s a go-route-only type of receiver right now, with the overall aptitude to become much more. I think it is just going to take some time with him. He’s worth a shot of for sure on day 3 and I would love to see if WR coach Miles Austin can really coach him up to becoming more than just a great athlete.
Did you catch the pattern on all four of the guys laid out in this article? Tall, big-bodied athletes who
have the makings of great weapons for Zach Wilson and the entire Jets offense. Although this crop of
WR’s does not have the top-level, elite players and fanfare of some of the more recent draft classes, it is
still a good class with lots of depth. The players outlined come with some flaws, but all in all, the good
outweighs the bad for sure. The development of young players into formidable assets is what the Jets’
coaching staff needs to strive for. It is time for our staff to put up or shut up. Our time is now.
How dark it was before the dawn.
Let’s go Jets…