Subscribe
Follow Us
The New York Jets recently spoiled their chances of landing the top overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Entering their Week 15 matchup against the Los Angeles with a 0-13 record, Gang Green was looking poised to snag their 14th loss and solidify their lottery chances by the end of the game. However, the Jets still managed to withstand the Rams' scoring run in the final frame to emerge victorious on a 23-20 decision.
Their first win of the season ultimately improved their record to a 1-13 tally which tied the Jacksonville Jaguars for the same record. However, the Florida-based squad still has a slight advantage on the top pick due to the disparity in the winning percentage of their opponents.
The Jets must be deeply mad at themselves since the victory has cost them a clear shot at landing arguably one of the best collegiate prospects in recent memory. With a playoff spot totally out of sight, the Jets could've shown more concern over their gloomy future and purposefully lose their remaining games instead.
Luckily for the Jets, all is still not lost as they can still get back at the top of the draft boards with losses against the Cleveland Browns and the New England Patriots in Weeks 16 and 17, respectively. At the same time, they could also hope for the Jaguars to win either of their last two games against the Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts to boost the Jets' chances.
However, looking in the event that the Jaguars do get the top pick, it is quite certain that they will go with Clemson Tigers gunslinger Trevor Lawrence. Their current QB1 in Gardner Minshew had a string of good games this season but still hasn't proven himself worthy of being tagged as a franchise quarterback just yet.
Following the Jaguars in the draft order would be the Jets that will potentially come in with the second overall pick. Despite losing out on Lawrence, they should still continue on their search for a quarterback that will finally flip the script for the Jets in the coming seasons.
Current QB1 Sam Darnold has previously shown flashes of potential but still hasn't successfully lived up to the billing in his third season in the league. Through 10 games played this season, the former USC product has only generated 1,767 yards on 298 attempts and six scoring touchdowns as well as throwing nine interceptions and amassing 30 sacks.
The Jets have options
Nonetheless, the Jets remain to have a plethora of choices available outside of Trevor Lawrence that could still give them a bright future ahead of them. One of those is Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields who has already established himself as a dual-threat playmaker all throughout the 2020 season. The 21-year-old recently led his No.3 ranked squad to the Big Ten championship game against No.14 Northwestern that ended in a 22-10 victory.
Article Continues Below
He will have a showdown against Lawrence soon as both the Buckeyes and the No.2 ranked Tigers will face off in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1. Their performances in the tiff should solidify who is the better quarterback among the two elite prospects as they aim to make the jump to the NFL next season.
Another option could be No.16 ranked BYU Cougars quarterback Zach Wilson who remained at the forefront of his team's attack en route to a 10-1 record to sit atop the NCAA FBS Independent Schools Conference. He also led his team to an appearance in the Boca Raton Bowl against the UCF Knights on Dec. 21.
Meanwhile, Nick Saban and his top-ranked Crimson Tide still managed to remain dominant in their post-Tua Tagovailoa era with junior gunslinger Mac Jones at the helm. Alabama is currently at the pole position of the SEC West with an 11-0 record and is set to face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Rose Bowl game on Jan. 1.
Other honorable mentions include North Dakota State's Trey Lance and Florida's Kyle Trask who have both shown significant promise all throughout the 2020 college football season and will look to get drafted next year.
Work in progress for the Jets
At the end of the day, the Jets won't instantly turn into a playoff team once they get to select a young quarterback with the second overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. They still have a lot on their plate as they need to address some areas on the team most especially the head coach, offensive line, and wide receiving weapons in order to turn the squad around next season. Nonetheless, choosing a playmaker that would fit and buy into their system will serve as a good first step in the right direction for their aspirations to return to relevance in the league moving forward.
