Jets Should Select Josh Freeman in 2009 Draft
Kansas State Quarterback Could Become 17th Pick This April
The Jets have the 17th overall pick in this year’s NFL draft, and it would behoove them to go for the homerun and take their chance with Kansas State Quarterback Josh Freeman. Although general manager Mike Tannenbaum has proved to be conservative in the draft, here are some reasons why this should be the year to take a chance:
Freeman Is A Big, Physical Quarterback That Has Been Compared to Daunte Culpepper
At 6’6”, 250 pounds, Freeman certainly has the build to be an NFL quarterback. His size is comparable to Ben Roethlisberger (6’5”, 241 pound), and according to Freeman in an interview on Scout.com, he has “deceptive quickness and speed”. Outside of Chad Pennington, the Jets tend to lean towards the stronger quarterbacks like Vinny Testaverde and, most recently, Brett Favre. Owner Woody Johnson also stated recently that the Jets will only use “strong arm” quarterbacks from now on, citing that they play in the AFC East where weather conditions are generally poor.
Mock Drafts Project Freeman to Be Selected By the Buccaneers With the 19th Pick
Part of evaluating the value of a draft pick is the understanding of the position in which the team drafts. A player selected in the second round that eventually becomes formidable would have the same career had he been taken in the first or third round by the same team. The success of that pick lies in the ability of the team to rate the potential of the player and select him at the right time. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. predicted that Freeman will be drafted by the Buccaneers two picks after the Jets supposedly will take Florida Wide Receiver Percy Harvin (this mock draft was done before Favre announced his retirement). According to experts, this would make the Jets possible selection of Freeman with the 17th pick a reasonable chance. The Jets would not be making a stretch by snagging a player that would probably go later in the draft, nor is there a good chance that Freeman will be gone before they pick.
The Jets Have an Immediate and Long Term Need At the Quarterback Position
With the retirement of quarterback Brett Favre, the Jets need to prepare for the future with someone else under center. The Jets proved last year by trading for Favre that they were not sold on Kellen Clemens being handed the keys to the franchise. By drafting Freeman, he can compete with Clemens for the starting job immediately. The Jets do have a lot of depth at the position, and it doesn’t seem likely that they will cut Clemens or 2008 preseason stud Brett Ratliff. If Freeman was selected, the Jets would most likely cut Eric Ainge, or carry four quarterbacks again if Favre retires. The Jets have shown reluctance to drafting a quarterback by passing on Matt Leinart in 2006 when Pennington was a clear injury concern, but the franchise cannot afford to continuously enter seasons with a “one-year solution”.
Percy Harvin Is Already on the Jets As Leon Washington
Mel Kiper Jr. describes Harvin as a “playmaker and explosive entity” that can “make big plays after the catch” and be an asset on special teams. If any young player in the NFL fit that mold, it would be Leon Washington. Between Washington’s receiving, rushing, and return yards, he led the NFL with 2,337All-Purpose yards in 2008, and was fifth in 2007 while leading the league in kickoff returns for touchdowns. If the Jets feel they must target a wide receiver, Hakeem Nicks is the one to go after. Receivers are a dime a dozen, and rather than waste a top 5 pick on a player whose value can most likely be approximated later in the draft, it’s better to take the safer route with a solid go-to guy over the small all-or-nothing lightning bolt that may break off a big run every now and then. Nicks is 6’1”, 210 pounds and had a whopping 1,222 yards and 12 touchdowns on 68 receptions in ‘08, compared to 5’10 ¾”, 187 pound Harvin’s pedestrian output of 7 touchdowns and 644 yards on 40 receptions. Harvin’s value was in his versatility, scoring 10 touchdowns on 70 rushing attempts, but the Jets are looking for a receiver, not another Leon Washington.
Only One Other Quarterback Would Make Sense
The only alternative as a rookie quarterback would be USC’s Mark Sanchez. Sanchez appears to be the consensus number two quarterback in this year’s draft, and if he lasts 17 picks, he should be the player the Jets target. However, realistically the odds that this happens are pretty low. Sanchez was earlier projected to be taken before pick 17 (hence the assumption that the Buccaneers would take Freeman, the best available quarterback at 19) so the fact that the Jets now have a need at quarterback with Favre retiring should deter teams that already wanted Sanchez from letting him drop. If anything, the value of Sanchez’s stock has risen, knowing there is pressure from the Jets to draft him. In all likelihood, it will be Freeman standing as the best remaining quarterback 17 picks into the first round.
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