With the No. 2 overall selection in next month's NFL Draft in Pittsburgh the Jets have an opportunity to select a player who graded No. 1 across the board in his position group at February's NFL Combine.

That guy is Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles

"I don't say this very lightly, but this is a player who could have a Fred Warner type of impact for your defense," Trevor Sikkema, the lead NFL draft analyst for Pro Football Focus, told senior reporter Eric Allen on the "Now Boarding." "And when you get to say things like that, that totally puts that off-the-ball linebacker position into that top tier positional value for what he can do for the rest of your defense. So, I think that you consider him."

For the record, Styles (6-5, 244) opened eyes -- wide -- at the combine in Indianapolis. The 21-year-old LB from Pickerington, OH, had a time of 4.46 seconds in the 40-yard dash, a 1.56 10-yard split, 43.5 inches in the vertical jump, 11-2 in the broad jump -- the best vertical and fourth-best among LBs at any combine.

"I can't compare a guy to Fred Warner, and then at No. 2 overall, be like, 'Yeah, let's pick an edge rush here instead,' " Sikkema said. "If I honestly think that this guy has Fred Warner-potential, it's so hard for me to not select him, because Fred Warner goes in the third round of his own draft [No. 70 overall in 2018].

"If you do a redraft to that one, I don't know every pick of that draft class off the top of my head, but hard to believe that Fred Warner gets out of the top three. And I think again, we could be having the same conversation with Sonny Styles. So, he is somebody that I think is sort of that, that red star type of a player for me, somebody that I really, really love in this class."

At Ohio State, Styles began his collegiate career as a safety, later moving to linebacker -- the position his father Lorenzo played 6 seasons in the NFL for Atlanta and the St. Louis Rams. In four seasons with the Buckeyes, Sonny Styles played in 53 games, made 244 tackles (131 solo), had 22.5 TFL, 9 sacks, 9 PDs, an INT and 3 forced fumbles.

"If I was making the call, I would take Sonny Styles," Sikkema said. "I think he totally changes everything that you were doing from a defensive perspective. He makes everyone around him better. He allows you to change your scheme. Be more versatile with what you're doing. I'm gonna take Sonny Styles."

'The Best Receiver in the Draft'
Most observers and analysts expect the Jets to look for a player to complement WR Garrett Wilson. With the No. 2 and No. 16 pick in the first round, many mock drafts have the Jets going for a WR with their second first-round pick. The usual suspects are on the list: Carnell Tate (Ohio State), Makai Lemon (USC), Denzel Boston (Washington) and Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana).

But Connor Rogers of NBC Sports believes the Jets will take a guy he called "the best receiver in the draft" -- Jordyn Tyson (6-2, 203) of Arizona State.

"Jordan Tyson, I think he's the best receiver in the draft," Rogers told senior reporter Eric Allen on an edition of "Now Bording." "You will see him float around mock drafts anywhere from pick 13 into the early 20s, because he's been banged up at Arizona State. He didn't get to work out at the combine because of a lingering hamstring issue. I get medical concerns that's on the team doctors and on teams to figure out. And I understand there's massive risk with any player regarding those, but I think Tyson's the best (reciever) in the draft.

"There's some similarities that he has coming out of school to Garrett Wilson, the unorthodox release package, the explosive footwork to generate separation, the body control, the ability to win at all three levels and make a play for your quarterback. I would call it about 50-50, maybe even 60-40, that Tyson makes it to this pick [No. 16]. I can't see a scenario unless they're really uncomfortable with the medical information. And I've heard more promising things behind the scenes."

Jets' Brass Checks In on Miami Pro Day
With the NFL Draft less than a month away, the pro day circuit is winding down. LSU and Miami (Monday), Notre Dame and Texas (Tuesday), Alabama and Ohio State (Wednesday) and Texas Tech (Thursday) were among the schools who held their pro days this week.

The Hurricanes, who lost to Indiana in the national championship game in January, were showcasing several of their NFL-caliber players, including DE Rueben Bain Jr., DE Akheem Mesidor and QB Carson Beck.

Bain (6-3, 275), mentioned in multiple mock drafts as a possible target for the Jets, is an edge with an edge. Bain came up with 9.5 sacks, 15.5 TFL and an interception in his junior and final season with the Hurricanes. In Miami's first-round playoff win over Texas A&M, Bain, who was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, blocked a field-goal.

If the Jets, who have two selections in the first round (Nos. 2 and 16) plus two more in the second round (No. 33 to open the round, and No. 44) might also be looking at Mesidor (6-3, 259). The native of Ottawa, Canada, was on the other side of the defensive line from Bain and had 12.5 sacks and 17.5 TFL in 15 games. The fifth-year senior could be an appealing option at No. 16.

Beck played in college for Georgia and Miami and at 6-5, 233 has good size and solid arm strength. With the Jets' recent acquisition of the veteran Geno Smith as QB1, the Jets have the luxury of potentially drafting a developmental quarterback this year. Though the team has three first-round selections in the 2027 NFL Draft that could boast a handful of highly ranked QBs, using one of their picks on Day 3 on a QB is not out of the question.

In 16 games this past season (probably Beck's best), the sixth-year senior completed 72.4% of his passes for 3,813 with 30 TDs and 12 INT.

Beck played in college for Georgia and Miami and at 6-5, 233 has the size and arm strength known to appeal to Reich, himself a former NFL QB. With the Jets' recent acquisition of the veteran Geno Smith as QB1, the Jets have the luxury of potentially drafting a developmental quarterback this year. Though the team has three first-round selections in the 2027 NFL Draft that should boast a handful of highly ranked QBs, using one of their picks on Day 3 on a QB is not out of the question.

In 16 games this past season (probably Beck's best), the sixth-year senior completed 72.4% of his passes for 3,813 with 30 TDs and 12 INT.