The 2023 NY Jets season was like getting your teeth pulled out at the dentist — painful. Alas, what’s done is done and we’ve now just paid our bill with Joe Douglas recognizing our pain and filling the gaps.
The 2024 free agency period has been a grateful relief for Jets fans with additions like left tackle Tyron Smith and wide receiver Mike Williams.
It’s no secret that Jets fans love draft season, mostly due to our consistent presence in the top 10 picks. With high expectations to fill remaining needs in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Jets have a multitude of options this year after filling their biggest needs in free agency.
When we think of the draft we often get caught up in the hype in the weeks and months leading up to the draft. A year goes on and we’re already obsessed with the next group of players, which is why now is the perfect time to re-visit and re-grade the Jets 2023 draft.
Will McDonald, DE, NY Jets: Round 1, 15th overall
Grade: B
I have been angered recently over a lot of the things that have been said about Will McDonald from Jets fans. He didn’t ask to be drafted by the Jets, he didn’t ask to be drafted to a team that didn’t necessarily need more edge rushers.
Heck, it’s not McDonald’s fault that the Jets didn’t re-sign Bryce Huff a year earlier. While all of that is true, it has been rather disappointing that McDonald’s opinion in the fan’s minds is poor of him.
Blame Joe Douglas, regardless of what he says or thinks there are plenty of arguments to be made that he could’ve gone several different directions with last year’s first-round pick. The fact is that McDonald is and will be on the Jets moving forward and his role will only expand.
While his playing time was low McDonald still managed to have three sacks and a forced fumble that he recovered. He has all the traits and, while limitedly, showed he can produce in this league one way or another.
Overall, we know that McDonald will play more this year and we have to wait and see how he does with more pass-rush reps. I give the grade a ‘B’ because while I certainly feel McDonald can be successful in this league, Douglas could’ve and should’ve drafted a bigger need with a theoretical full season of Aaron Rodgers under center.
Joe Tippmann, C, NY Jets: Round 2, 43rd overall
Grade: A+
The six-foot-six Wisconsin grad hog-molly was drafted to be the center and right-hand man to Aaron Rodgers. The question was whether it would be immediately or down the line, with the former being the answer.
Tippmann ended up playing 82% of snaps, in games he appeared in, for the Jets in 2024. All things considered, with an impressive amount of injuries to the offensive line, he played well enough to show that he can be great. With only five penalties on the season, Tippmann is dependable and should only grow into the role with Aaron Rodgers back under center.
After years of subpar centers on the Jets following the retirement of Jets legend Nick Mangold, it’s safe to say the Jets should be confident in Tippmann. A center-quarterback relationship is vital so hopefully Aaron Rodgers and Joe Tippmann gel from day one this August.
The 2023 NFL all-rookie team member was a great pick by Joe Douglas and the Jets’ front office and it’s always a relief to believe in your center for years to come. I give this an ‘A+’ because going into last year’s draft we needed a center and the Jets found a good one in the second round.
Carter Warren, OT, NY Jets: Round 4, 120th overall
Grade: B+
The New Jersey native and Pittsburgh graduate was drafted to be developed but was ironically thrown in eight games, five of which he started. Without really getting a chance to get up to speed as a rookie on the line, Carter Warren held up in the situation he was put in and only had two penalties.
Warren even managed to fall on a Jets fumble, so his field awareness is above average and he’ll be able to learn and grow with the additions of tackles Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses. Warren can fill in at tackle or guard this year when needed and in year two we should see improvement in his game.
When you draft an offensive lineman in the fourth round you can only hope he can develop into a starter or more. Warren played more than anyone ever would’ve thought in his rookie year so it’ll be fun to see how he developed this offseason and how much he’ll play in 2024.
Grading this pick is tougher but ‘B+’ is the grade here with the only knock being Jets probably should’ve drafted a tackle earlier in the draft. Warren himself played well enough with a banged-up line to show promise entering his second season.
Israel Abanikanda, RB, NY Jets: Round 5, 143rd overall
Grade: C+
There’s not much to say about Abanikanda’s rookie season, even after a successful time on HBO’s Hard Knocks. His thigh injury in preseason, captured on the show, only lingered throughout the season.
It led to him not being able to break through the depth chart nor ending up playing much on special teams after the breakout of fellow Hard Knocks star Xavier Gipson.
Just like going into the 2023 season, Jets fans can only really guess how Abanikanda will play in the RB2 or RB3 role. He’ll certainly get more time on the field but it’s up to him to get above-average reps on the field.
Israel, Izzy, Abanikanda is a great story, and a Brooklyn native so there’s plenty of reason to root for him. Joe Douglas and the Jets get a ‘C+’ grade here because of the lack of playing time from the rookie, especially because signing Dalvin Cook was a massive waste and Abanikanda could’ve gotten more reps.
Zaire Barnes, LB, NY Jets: Round 6, 184th overall
Grade: C+
You just simply can’t give most sixth and seventh-round picks a grade worse than a ‘C.’ Unless it’s a player who got cut before the season or a long snapper, it’s really hard to be critical of draft picks later on in the draft.
Zaire Barnes is liked by head coach Robert Saleh, and his athletic abilities and ability to play special teams can only allude to a hopeful future as a rotational linebacker.
Of course, you’d want Barnes to be able to develop into a starter one day, but there’s a reason he was drafted in the sixth round. Only so many late-round picks can become starters.
I give this a ‘C+’ due to his lack of playing time and the unknown that lies ahead. I think it’s hard to get a good grade as a rookie who didn’t play much since we know the goal is to develop him. Time will only tell if Barnes will become a productive member of the Jets moving forward.
Jarrick Bernard-Converse, DB, NY Jets: Round 6, 184th overall
Grade: B-
LSU has famously produced many elite defensive backs yet the Jets can only Jarrick Bernard-Converse can be half as good as the likes of Patrick Peterson and Tre’Davious White. The speedy athletic corner could potentially take over Justin Hardee’s role as a special teams gunner.
The Jets didn’t need a corner but moving into the 2024 season Bernard-Converse will be needed depth in the secondary and hopefully can be a stud on special teams. Bernard-Converse played in eight games and will most likely play in a lot more this year as a special teamer and rotational secondary player.
Now you can get mad at me for giving Bernard-Converse a better grade than Zaire Barnes, the fact is that the Bernard-Converse played more and will most likely contribute more in 2024.
Zack Kuntz, TE, NY Jets: Round 7, 220th overall
Grade: D+
Formerly a top recruit at Penn State, Zack Kuntz transferred to Ole Dominion to reunite with his offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne. Kuntz has always had extreme athletic upside and it was known that he needed massive development in the blocking game. It’s just too bad he couldn’t even find the active roster in 2023.
Kuntz’s journey from a top recruit to ODU star and now fringe NFL player has been something I’ve followed closely. I was an intern at Penn State during the recruiting process and followed along his journey at ODU, again because of the Penn State connections. The bottom line is that Kuntz may not even be on the roster this upcoming September.
Kuntz is athletic and if he can be more consistent as a pass catcher and blocker he can make the roster as a TE3 or even TE4. My grade here is a ‘D+’ — yeah, that’s bad.
Douglas took a chance on an athletic tight end but he wasn’t on the active roster from late August to late December, instead being on the practice squad.
