With the 2018 draft over a month and a half in the past, the newest class of future stars have been settling into their new teams. For New York, this could be the year that fans everywhere have been waiting for. Sam Darnold was the third overall selection in the 2018 draft, bringing in the USC signal caller with hopes of him being the future of the Jets.
While the newest members of the team go through the motions of training camp, it never is too early to look ahead at the players that could decorate the 2019 Draft, and which players the Jets should be keeping an eye on throughout the upcoming college football season.
Nick Bosa – Defensive End, Ohio State
The brother to Charger’s defensive end Joey Bosa, Nick Bosa is already high on the watch-list for the upcoming season. The Ohio State Buckeye so far has totaled 13.5 sacks in his collegiate career, with 8.5 of them coming in the 2017 season alone. Bosa’s sophomore season earned him a unanimous vote as First Team All-Big Ten. As expected, expectations will be high for the defensive end entering what could be his final season at Ohio State.
New York has been missing a strong pass rush for quite sometime now. The Jets ranked 28th in team sacks, totaling just 28 in 2017. For reference, the Pittsburgh Steelers led the league with 56, with the Jacksonville Jaguars falling one shy in second place at 55. The offense was addressed in the draft, but the defensive line has seen better days. Drafting Nick Bosa could lead to some much needed change in New York.
Bryce Love – Running Back, Stanford
The Jets have a crowded running back room, consisting of Isaiah Crowell, Bilal Powell, Thomas Rawls, Elijah McGuire, and a few other new names. With Chris Ivory’s stellar 2015 season but a distant memory, the Jets could use a bit more stability at the running back position. Powell has been the most reliable back the past few seasons, but he will be turning 30 come October. With running backs having a limited lifespan in the NFL, it could benefit the Jets to keep a watchful eye on Bryce Love.
While his first two years in college were nothing spectacular, his 2017 season saw him rush for over 2,000 yards and 19 touchdowns. Love was a runner up for the Heisman trophy, losing out to the first overall pick in 2018, Baker Mayfield, taken by the Cleveland Browns. Love returned to college football despite being eligible for the draft, giving NFL scouts one more season to see if 2017 was just a fluke. If other needs can be drafted later on, it may not be a bad idea to bring in someone to take the pressure off of Darnold.
Latest Heisman odds once again see Stanford’s Bryce Love, Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor out front https://t.co/w3RKx80Y2J
— CollegeFootballTalk (@CFTalk) June 9, 2018
Bryce Love on the ground pic.twitter.com/tviDJEp5z7
— PFF College (@PFF_College) June 7, 2018
Trey Adams – Offensive Line, Washington
Trey Adams is a huge question mark. Entering the 2017 season, Adams was a projected first round pick in the 2018 draft, but an injury cut his season short after just seven games. In 2016, he was named a First Team Pac-12, and is an absolutely massive human being. Measuring in at 6’8, 327 pounds, Adams would be a solid wall that could protect Sam Darnold for years to come.
The Jets offensive line is on the fence between reliable and unreliable, with nobody really knowing which side will come to play in the 2018 season. If Trey Adams can return to the field as if he never left, the Jets would be wise to keep an eye on him. An infusion of youth up front is exactly the boost New York needs.
Devin White – Linebacker, LSU
There is no questioning Devin White’s ability on the field. Already a projected first round draft pick in the 2019 Draft, White put on a sophomore campaign that saw him total 133 tackles, earning him a place as First Team All-SEC. White also became the first player to earn four SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors in a single season, totaling 55 tackles during those games. The questions don’t arise with his talent, but his off the field issues.
During his time as a recruit, White had several misdemeanor charges against him. These misdemeanors had made White a controversial recruit, which also denied him a spot in the 2015 Under-Armor All America Game. While White has not been arrested during his time at college, the Jets seem to have trouble with off the field issues. Between Robby Anderson’s arrest or 2018 draftee Chris Herndon’s DWI, the Jets seem to be struggling to keep their players in check. If White does not pose a problem for the law or his team, his linebacker abilities could be an asset to a weakened defensive line.
The Jets have quite a bit of time before they have to focus on the draft. There is an entire season still to play, both in the NFL and in college football. It is never too early to take a look at who may be the future for the team, and it will be interesting to see just how these 2017 college stars perform in the upcoming season.
– Adam Melendez is a staff writer for Full Press Coverage Jets and covers the New York Jets. Like and follow on Follow @melendez2015 Follow @FPC_Jets
