There have been a lot of rumors about the New York Jets trading up.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell believes it could be for a surprising position.
“The Jets would obviously love to trade up from No. 2 to No. 1 for Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, but I suspect the Raiders might not be willing to pick up the phone. Here, I’m referring to their pick at 16. Gang Green has two second-rounders (Nos. 33 and 44) and two fourth-rounders (Nos. 103 and 140), so general manager Darren Mougey should have the latitude to move around, especially if teams trading up can pay discount prices in a year in which there doesn’t appear to be a ton of demand to jump ahead,” Barnwell explained.
“What happens at No. 2 would determine who and why the Jets would be moving up from No. 16. If they go edge rusher or front seven at No. 2, then No. 16 could be a wide receiver to play alongside Garrett Wilson, and the Jets would want to get ahead of the Dolphins (No. 11) and Rams (No. 13),” Barnwell said.
“If coach Aaron Glenn wants to double up on defense and add a defensive back, every team picking from 7-12 and the Ravens (No. 14) and Buccaneers (No. 15) will at least be considering taking a defensive back with their first-round pick. After the Jets traded Sauce Gardner at the deadline, it’s easy to imagine Glenn pushing for LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane, who won’t be around at No. 16,” Barnwell added.
A Sneaky Thing to Watch out for on Draft Day
The cornerback position hasn’t been discussed frequently as a position of need for the Jets this offseason. To the majority of the fan base, the selection of a cornerback with any of the top-44 picks would be a surprise.
In Barnwell’s column, he placed trading for potentially the top corner in this class within the ethos.
On the surface, it doesn’t seem to make sense, but the deeper you dive, the clearer it becomes that the cornerback spot is, in fact, a need.
It may not be the biggest need today, but it could easily become one of the most pressing needs tomorrow.
The Jets are only committed to Brandon Stephens through 2026. Jarvis Brownlee Jr has two years left on his rookie deal. Nahshon Wright only signed a one-year contract in free agency.
You could roll with this group this season without blinking, but what about after that?
A Unique Opportunity
Delane, 22, will turn 23 during his rookie season in 2026.
He spent the first three years of his career with Virginia Tech before spending his final collegiate season at LSU. During that period, he appeared in 44 games. With those opportunities, he collected eight interceptions, 27 pass deflections, four forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, seven tackles for loss, and 191 total tackles.
On the consensus big board, Delane is ranked as the 10th best overall prospect and the top corner in this class.
“Delane starred at Virginia Tech for three seasons before transferring to LSU, where he emerged as the nation’s best cornerback. He doesn’t have elite length but simply makes plays, with two interceptions and only 10 catches allowed last season. Delane’s fluid movement, vision, and quickness are a fantastic combination, and his recovery ability allows him to be a matchup cornerback in pretty much any scheme,” ESPN’s Matt Miller wrote.
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