Jets 2023 Draft Grades

For most of the offseason, the Jets were in limbo, as they tried to work out a trade to bring Aaron Rogers to New York. Just a few days before the draft it finally happened, saving us all from having to listen to the draft shows talking about it for all three days. With a future Hall of Fame quarterback in place, the Jets are suddenly in a position to challenge the Bills for an AFC East title. Now they just needed to use the draft to add some more talent to a budding roster.

15th Overall Selection (Rd 1) – Will McDonald IV, LB, Iowa State

Will McDonald shot up draft boards the closer we got to the draft. I’ve personally been scouting him since the 2021 college season, and I think this is a bit of a stretch. He’s got a lot of skills that you would like, but he’s undersized and I worry about his strength at the NFL level.

Grade: C

43rd Overall Selection (Rd 2) – Joe Tippmann, C, Wisconsin

Considering his size, you would think that Tippmann would just be a bruiser but he’s surprisingly mobile. He’s got excellent range and does a great job of reading defensive twists and stunts. The Jets did resign 30-year-old Connor McGovern, but at less than two million dollars the starting position is far from guaranteed to him. I see Joe as the starting center in week 1 for the Jets.

Grade: A

120th Overall Selection (Rd 4) – Carter Warren, OT, Pittsburgh

Another big body to add to the offensive front. Warren has great length and shows the ability to quickly get set and prevent defenders from setting the edge. He’s not going to bulldoze anyone in the rushing attack, but he’s quick and agile enough to get into position and seal out defenders.

Grade: A

143rd Overall Selection (Rd 5) – Israel Abanikanda, RB, Pittsburgh

Israel is a big-play threat whenever he touches the ball. Although he does need to work on catching the ball better out of the backfield. While I like the idea of pairing him with 2022 draft pick Breece Hall, I do think they could have gone a different direction to fill some holes on the roster. I’m thinking of either Jammie Robinson or Noah Sewell, both of who were on the board at the time.

Grade: C+

184th Overall Selection (Rd 6) – Zaire Barnes, LB, Western Michigan

Barnes runs well and has a solid motor. Has a chance to be a core special teams guy.

Grade: B

204th Overall Selection (Rd 6) – Jarrick Bernard-Converse, CB, LSU

A versatile defensive back with the ability to play corner, nickel, or safety. Has excellent speed and is said to play with a chip on his shoulder.

Grade: B

220th Overall Selection (Rd 7) – Zack Kuntz, TE, Old Dominion

I think this could end up becoming a steal for the Jets. At 6’7″, 255 pounds he’s comparable to former Georgia tight end Darnell Washington. Except he’s actually got production and a pass catcher. Kuntz finished 2021 with 73 receptions for 692 yards and 5 touchdowns. He had 144 yards and two touchdowns on 12 catches before suffering a season-ending. If not for that injury, I’m certain that Kuntz would have gone much higher. Hopefully, he’s able to recover fully.

Grade: A+

Jets 2023 Draft Grades Final Thoughts

I think that the Jets had a solid draft, adding a number of players that should be able to contribute as rookies. My biggest complaint is that I think they could have done a better job of targeting positions of need. Still, they can fill those voids in other ways, so I’ll give them credit for the players they did bring in.

Overall Draft Grade: B

Jets 2023 Draft Grades Analyst – Brandon Claburn