A new plot twist to consider.
There have been plenty of mock drafts that have projected a New York Jets trade-up in the first round. However, it has typically been for a wide receiver, not an interior offensive lineman.
Well, NBC Sports analyst Chris Simms shook things up with his one and only mock draft of the year.
He predicted that the Jets would trade up from the No. 16 overall pick to make a deal with the Los Angeles Rams at pick No. 13 overall. With that pick, the Jets would select Penn State offensive lineman Vega Ioane.
He explained his thought process with the trade on the “Chris Simms Unbuttoned” podcast.
“My process here is if I’m the Jets and we need an offensive lineman, we need an interior guard, I’m looking at the [Baltimore] Ravens, and they may take one too. You look at the Ravens, and they don’t have a whole lot of needs on their football team either, but [the] line is one of them,” Simms said.
The Ravens hold the No. 14 overall pick in April’s draft. This projected trade would allow the Jets to move in front of them to swipe Ioane.
“I think this guy is viewed as the No. 1 guard … They go with Vega Ioane to get him on the interior part of their offensive line. I mean again, this is the transformation here of the New York Jets becoming the Detroit Lions of the east. That is what I look at here,” Simms added.
Looking at the Value Chart
Simms didn’t reveal what the trade would cost on social media or on his podcast.
However, when you take a gander at the NFL draft value chart, the Rams’ No. 13 overall pick is worth 1,150 points. The Jets’ No. 16 overall selection is worth 1,000 points.
So that is a 150-point gap that the Jets have to make up. That is equivalent to a late third-round pick. The Jets don’t have a third-round pick thanks to a previous trade with the Philadelphia Eagles for Haason Reddick.
One possible combination that would make this a near-equal trade:
New York Jets receive: a 2026 first-round pick (No. 13 overall), a 2026 second-round pick (No. 61 overall), and a 2026 sixth-round pick (No. 207 overall)
Los Angeles Rams receive: a 2026 first-round pick (No. 16 overall) and a 2026 second-round pick (No. 44 overall)
The Jets’ combo of picks would be worth 1,460 points. The Rams’ combo of picks would be worth 1,450.2 points. It would be a slight overpay by the Jets, but nothing too crazy.
The 9.8 point differential equates to a mid-sixth round pick in value.
Going All in on the Trenches
The Jets’ offensive line is fine. The current group they have could line up right now to play a football game, and you’d be in a dandy place.
However, they could hit the upgrade button at two positions if the opportunity presented itself. The Jets have an average starting left guard in Dylan Parham, who they signed in free agency. At the center position, Josh Myers is currently holding down the fort, but he is uninspiring.
If they drafted Ioane, he could plug in at one of the starting guard positions. If the Jets wanted to get the best starting five on the field, they would plug Ioane at right guard and put Joe Tippmann back at center.
Then your starting offensive line from left to right would be:
- Olumuyiwa Fashanu
- Dylan Parham
- Joe Tippmann
- Vega Ioane
- Armand Membou
That could easily be one of the best offensive lines in football. It would be overkill to draft another offensive lineman in the first round, but if you’re going to overindulge at any position, the trenches would be the one that makes sense.
That would also put Myers on the bench as a key sixth man. Last year, he was set to serve in that role, but everything changed once Alijah Vera-Tucker suffered a season-ending injury right before the season.
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