Jets Might Surprisingly Land Georgia's Versatile Edge Rusher At No. 7 Overall

No one knows what the New York Jets are going to do with the No. 7 overall selection in the upcoming NFL draft.

The popular pick seems to be Penn State stud tight end Tyler Warren, who would become an immediate target for Justin Fields in 2025.

But the Jets have various positional needs beyond tight end. GM Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn might opt to add to their defense at No. 7, that is if they don’t trade the pick (another option that Mougey has said is in play).

New York could add to their EDGE depth at No. 7, for instance. It’s a move that few expect the Jets to make but one that also isn’t difficult to defend.

The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt actually made the case for such a direction last week while suggesting the Jets might select a highly-rated talent out of Georgia.

“(Jermaine) Johnson and (Will) McDonald are locked in as (EDGE) starters — and if Johnson returns to form post-Achilles surgery, that’s a solid duo,” Rosenblatt wrote.

“But this is a group lacking depth. (Michael) Clemons had a bad season and his lack of discipline … has hurt the Jets over the last two seasons. … (Rashad) Weaver was a low-risk free agent signing, a young player who was productive in 2022 … but not in the two seasons since.”

“It would even be defensible to draft an edge rusher at No. 7 — especially if someone like Georgia’s Jalon Walker falls that far, considering his versatility and how much Glenn values that in his defensive players.”

Walker, 21, is a projected top-10 pick in many mock drafts. He was a first-team All-American for Georgia in 2024 and the recipient of the Butkus Award.

There’s no doubt that Walker would add value to New York’s defense. Mougey and Glenn have so many potential paths to take in the draft. It’ll be fascinating to see which direction they go in.