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Coming in the 2015 NFL Draft, the New York Jets had arguably the best defensive line in the NFL. That argument is over. The Jets did the sensible thing with the No. 6 overall pick and drafted Leonard Williams, the consensus No. 1 overall prospect in this class. Adding Williams to the Sons of Anarchy (Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, and Damon Harrison), gives the Jets a dominant defensive line and the foundation for what could be an elite defense this year.
Everyone knew the Jets’ top targets were Marcus Mariota, Dante Fowler, and Amari Cooper, the players who went 2-4 in the draft. The team reportedly made efforts to trade down, but when nothing materialized they made a smart move by taking the best player available. Defensive line was the one position the Jets didn’t have even the slightest need at, but Williams is simply too good to pass up.
This selection will certainly add fuel to the Wilkerson trade rumors, but for now expect the team to move to more of a 4-3 base defense that features Richardson sliding inside next to Harrison and Williams and Wilkerson at the end spots. Williams increases the Jets’ flexibility on defense and adds much needed insurance should anything happen to Wilkerson or Richardson, who were by far the two best players on the team the last couple seasons.
Jets fans may not be thrilled that the team didn’t address any needs, but the truth is that the quarterback position was never going to be fixed tonight and there are plenty of pass rushers to be found in the second and third rounds. This was 100% the correct decision from Mike Maccagnan, and the Jets should feel confident about the direction their team is headed in after the first round under the new administration.
Sometimes value and talent trumps everything, and that’s the theory the Jets have subscribed to here. You can never argue with taking the best player available, and the Jets clearly landed the best player in the draft in Williams.
Greg Sulik is a New York Jets writer for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @GregSulik or add him to your network on Google
