After missing the postseason for the 13th straight season, the New York Jets can turn their attention to the offseason.
Hope will be renewed yet again in 2024 with Aaron Rodgers expected to return from his torn Achilles. But if the Jets want to snap their playoff drought, they will need to build up the team around him.
The draft is an obvious way to accomplish that, with New York holding the No. 10 overall pick thanks to its 7-10 season. This will be the Jets' seventh top 10 pick in the last eight years, and they've grabbed some impact players in that range recently -- Sauce Gardner (No. 4, 2022), Garrett Wilson (No. 10, 2022) and Quinnen Williams (No. 3, 2019), to name a few.
So, who could Gang Green look to add in this year's draft? Here are 10 of the best prospect fits for the Jets at No. 10:
Rome Odunze, Washington WR
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Why does he fit? It's clear that the Jets need another receiver opposite Wilson, and Odunze is an ideal complement. The 6-foot-3 redshirt junior had 92 receptions, 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns for the Huskies on their way to the national title game.
Will he be available? Maybe. If you scour through mock drafts, Odunze is slotted around the Nos. 6 to 12 range. The Jets might be Odunze's floor, but an early run on wide receivers could see it go off the board higher than expected.
Malik Nabers, LSU WR
Why does he fit? Another receiver to pair with Wilson, Nabers has the speed and production to contribute immediately. In his junior season, the LSU star had 89 receptions for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Will he be available? Probably not. Nabers is currently projected as the No. 2 receiver in this class, behind Marvin Harrison Jr. and ahead of Odunze. He'll likely go in the middle of the top 10, but there's an outside chance that he falls to the Jets.
Keon Coleman, Florida State WR
Why does he fit? Oh look, another receiver. Coleman isn't at Odunze or Nabers' level as a prospect, but he had a solid season for the Seminoles and his size (6-foot-4, 210 pounds) sets him apart. The Michigan State transfer had 50 receptions for 658 yards and 11 touchdowns in his only season at Florida State.
Will he be available? Most likely. While the Jets could be Odunze's floor, they might be Coleman's ceiling. Since it's still early in the draft process, Coleman's range is much wider based on mock drafts -- anywhere from Nos. 10 to 25 seems possible with over three months to draft day.
Brock Bowers, Georgia TE
Why does he fit? While not technically a wide receiver, Bowers would offer similar benefits in a position of need. The Jets were in the middle of the pack in receiving yards (16th) and receptions (12th) by tight ends in 2023. Bowers has been the best tight end in the nation over his three seasons at Georgia, totaling 26 touchdowns in 40 career games.
Will he be available? Maybe. Similar to Odunze, Bowers could go anywhere from the Nos. 5 to 15 range. Teams might be reluctant to take a tight end too high after seeing Kyle Pitts' struggles with the Falcons, but several rookie tight ends thrived in 2023 (Sam LaPorta, Dalton Kincaid).
JC Latham, Alabama OT
Why does he fit? Beyond pass-catchers, the offensive line is clearly the Jets' biggest need. Their leaky O-line put quarterbacks at risk and hindered the running game last season, so grabbing a player from an established program to play either tackle position would be an instant upgrade.
Will he be available? Probably. This could be Latham's ceiling if there's an early run on offensive linemen, and it wouldn't be a reach for the Jets at No. 10.
Joe Alt, Notre Dame OT
Why does he fit? It's hard to go wrong drafting a Notre Dame offensive lineman. Just look at the recent history of first-round O-linemen from South Bend -- Quenton Nelson, Mike McGlinchey, Ronnie Stanley, Zach Martin. The pedigree is there for Alt to be a longtime NFL starting tackle.
Will he be available? Possibly. Alt is expected to be a top 10 pick, and there's debate about if he could go even higher. As of now, he's projected to go in the back half of the top 10 -- right around the Jets' pick.
Olu Fashanu, Penn State OT
Why does he fit? Fashanu is considered the top tackle in the draft by many experts, so obviously he fits well with the Jets. At 6-foot-6 and 313 pounds, the redshirt junior has the size and mobility to play left or right tackle in the NFL.
Will he be available? Probably not. At this time, Fashanu is in line to be the first tackle off the board -- which means he'll go before the Jets' pick. There's a chance that teams reach for skill players and Fashanu falls to No. 10, but it's not a safe bet to make.
Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State OT
Why does he fit? Not much more needs to be said, but offensive tackle is a critical need for the Jets -- either through the draft or free agency. Fuaga thrived in the running game for the Beavers, according to PFF, which could help unlock Breece Hall as a true superstar next season.
Will he be available? Most likely. Fuaga has a wide range of outcomes, with mock drafts putting him as high at 10th or as low as 31st. So, odds are -- at least as of now -- that Fuaga will be available for the Jets at their pick.
Dallas Turner, Alabama OLB
Why does he fit? Pass-rusher doesn't seem like a need right now, but it could quickly turn into one. Bryce Huff (10 sacks in 2023), Carl Lawson (seven sacks in 2022) and Solomon Thomas (five sacks in 2023) are all set to be free agents in March. Turner could fill the need if necessary after totaling 10 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss last season.
Will he be available? Maybe. Turner is one of the draft's top defensive prospects, but many of the teams picking in the top 10 have greater needs on offense. If the talented Turner is available at No. 10, he could be too good to pass up.
Laiatu Latu, UCLA DE
Why does he fit? Call this the backup plan if Turner is off the board. Latu had 13 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss last season, rapidly rising up draft boards after entering 2023 with little hype. He medically retired two years ago due to a neck injury, but he's obviously returned and thrived when healthy.
Will he be available? Probably -- but it depends on his medicals. Latu could rise into the top 10 if he gets a clean bill of health, or he could drop out of the first round entirely if there are red flags. This is one to monitor as teams get their hands on medical records in the coming months.
