If Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan moves back in April's Draft in order to acquire more picks, NFL Network's Charles Davis believes the Green & White will still be able to find good value well beyond the top six selections.
"I think you can move deep in this draft and feel comfortable if you don't have your eyes set on a certain position," Davis told Eric Allen.
Davis believes some position groups will have starting-caliber talent in the second, the third and the fourth rounds. That is especially the case at corner and safety where the headliners are Marshon Lattimore (Ohio State) and Jamal Adams (LSU) and Malik Hooker (Ohio State), respectively.
"If there's a running back that you have to have, you can move back and get a very similar runner down the road," Davis said. "I think you can do the same at receiver and cornerback. The safety class is loaded this year. There are a lot more linebackers, not only the edge rushers, but the guys who play inside. I think this is a very good draft, so if you want to move back, I think you can and get talent."
Pundits see the landscape differently at offensive tackle and quarterback. Davis thinks teams shouldn't trade back if they are set on drafting one of the top offensive tackles like Ryan Ramczyk (Wisconsin) and Garett Bolles (Utah) or quarterback prospects such as Deshaun Watson (Clemson) and Mitchell Trubisky (North Carolina). Davis projects most of the top tackles as guards at the pro level and ESPN's Todd McShay told the media that his top-rated QBs have late first/early second-round grades. In fact, Davis thinks this draft could be the first since 1974 that neither a tackle nor a quarterback will be selected in the top 10.
"This is a year where that discussion is actually on the table," Davis said. "At the end of the day, somebody is going to say they need to take a quarterback because they always do. But it's truthfully up for grabs. If you don't take a quarterback in the top 10, it makes sense. And I think this year is the same with offensive linemen."
