On the surface, the Jets' selection of Louisville offensive tackle Mekhi Becton with the 11th overall pick in Thursday's NFL Draft was made with sound logic behind it.
Coming off a dreadful 2019 offensive campaign, the Jets made protecting franchise quarterback Sam Darnold's blind side one of their top priorities and Becton, a freak of nature at six-foot seven and 364 pounds with a 5.1 40-yard dash time at the NFL Scouting Combine, played all 686 snaps last season at left tackle.
He just didn't play it with the consistency you'd like from such an important investment.
Becton has a long way to go before he can be trusted in pass protection. Hands, footwork—he is raw. Per ProFootballFocus.com, Louisville ran a ton of screens, play actions, and rollouts to the right, where Becton would be less exposed. In 73 "true pass sets," Becton allowed eight pressures, which translated into a middling 58th percentile level of proficiency versus a schedule that didn't call for Becton to be challenged by many top-tier edge rushers. In contrast, Iowa's Tristan Wirfs, who was taken by Tampa Bay two slots later, placed in the 95th percentile in 182 true pass sets, though most of those snaps were at right tackle.
I get that Becton possesses the tools to develop into a perennial Pro Bowler. He "can move some people," according to Jets coach Adam Gase in a post-selection media conference call. Running back Le'Veon Bell should be ecstatic after watching clips of Becton's college pancakes. Still, scouts believed he was able to get away with poor technique simply because he was so much bigger than everyone else. He struggled a bit versus quicker defenders.
I won't speak too much about Becton's alleged "character issues," even though Jets general manager Joe Douglas has waxed poetically all offseason about how important they generally are in his rebuild vision. Douglas said that he had a one-on-one conversation with Becton on Wednesday over the flagged drug test at the Combine and came away satisfied. As to the scouts who questioned Becton's desire and ability to stay in shape, it's up to the Jets to get him into their program and develop him.
However, that Becton comes into the NFL needing so much work on his fundamentals was my biggest concern with the pick. Douglas may say he's comfortable if free agent signing George Fant must occupy the left tackle position in Week 1, but Darnold shouldn't. Fant had issues last season in Seattle, allowing 17 pressures in the four games he started at left tackle, per PFF. As mobile as Darnold is, he's not Russell Wilson.
That's why in my previous post I had Becton rated last among the seven players I hoped would be available when the Jets were on the clock. Anthony Thomas (Georgia) and Jedrick Wills (Alabama) were my top tackles, but they were both off the board. Wirfs was next.
All three wide receivers, though, were ripe for picking. That included Alabama's speedy Henry Ruggs III, my first choice. He was snatched by Las Vegas at 12. Look for him to torture the Jets for years to come.
My last post also mentioned that the Jets aren't guaranteed to secure their open starting receiver slot with their 48th overall selection in the second round. The run on receivers took off with Ruggs, with five others dropping off the board in the next 12 picks.
There's never a guarantee of anything when it comes to the NFL Draft, of course, but Douglas needed to hit a homer with his first-ever Jets' pick. Specifically, he needed to select a player who can help out Darnold while he is still on an affordable contract. Douglas had the opportunity, but he gambled on a longer-term project who may, or may not, pay monster dividends.
I would have rather Douglas had taken a flyer on, you know, a flyer like Ruggs.
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