He's very generous to us. I'd give our draft a D.
ESPN.com - Re-grading the 2014 NFL draft
AFC
New York Jets: Post Draft Grade: B/New Grade: C+
Per ESPN Insider:
Summary: There is going to be a misconception about this dropped grade. Let me dispel that quickly, because I
hear "struggled" when this player's rookie year is described, pretty much all the time. The truth: Calvin Pryor was
just fine as a rookie. He was better than a league-average safety, and in a league where safeties and corners look
bad all the time as they adjust to the speed and technical ability of receivers, tight ends and backs running at
them -- remember Dee Milliner's rookie year, Jets fans? -- Pryor wasn't remotely bad. He just wasn't a star, had
his ups and downs in coverage, and assuming he improves, he can be a really good player. He wasn't a bad
pick. Jace Amaro caught 38 passes (tied for second on the team) and if he can ever find chemistry with
whomever is at QB, can be a good one. Dexter McDougle got hurt, so that's just bad luck.
Where this draft suffers is New York simply didn't find even the hint of a playmaker at wide receiver when so
many others did. They took Pryor when Brandin Cooks was available (excusable), McDougle instead of John
Brown or Donte Moncrief, then both Jalen Saunders and Shaq Evans in front or Martavis Bryant. Heck yes, this
is total hindsight, but that's what an early regrade is. I wrote then, "I thought the Jets did a nice job with my one
question being whether they really added a player in the passing game that will scare defenses." Amaro is a start,
and a trade for Percy Harvin that came too late helped, but there was some bad luck and missed opportunities.
There's nothing really to be said yet for the many late lottery ticket picks they had. The fact that the team
struggled so much doesn't help, either.
ESPN.com - Re-grading the 2014 NFL draft
AFC
New York Jets: Post Draft Grade: B/New Grade: C+
Per ESPN Insider:
Summary: There is going to be a misconception about this dropped grade. Let me dispel that quickly, because I
hear "struggled" when this player's rookie year is described, pretty much all the time. The truth: Calvin Pryor was
just fine as a rookie. He was better than a league-average safety, and in a league where safeties and corners look
bad all the time as they adjust to the speed and technical ability of receivers, tight ends and backs running at
them -- remember Dee Milliner's rookie year, Jets fans? -- Pryor wasn't remotely bad. He just wasn't a star, had
his ups and downs in coverage, and assuming he improves, he can be a really good player. He wasn't a bad
pick. Jace Amaro caught 38 passes (tied for second on the team) and if he can ever find chemistry with
whomever is at QB, can be a good one. Dexter McDougle got hurt, so that's just bad luck.
Where this draft suffers is New York simply didn't find even the hint of a playmaker at wide receiver when so
many others did. They took Pryor when Brandin Cooks was available (excusable), McDougle instead of John
Brown or Donte Moncrief, then both Jalen Saunders and Shaq Evans in front or Martavis Bryant. Heck yes, this
is total hindsight, but that's what an early regrade is. I wrote then, "I thought the Jets did a nice job with my one
question being whether they really added a player in the passing game that will scare defenses." Amaro is a start,
and a trade for Percy Harvin that came too late helped, but there was some bad luck and missed opportunities.
There's nothing really to be said yet for the many late lottery ticket picks they had. The fact that the team
struggled so much doesn't help, either.
