NY Jets Mock Draft 4.0: Here's what we'd do for Gang Green in our final mock draft

After an over two month wait since the Chiefs repeated as Super Bowl champions on Feb. 11, the 2024 NFL Draft is finally here!

Only one day remains until the lives of prospects and organizations will be changed forever based on the decisions they make during the seven-round, three-day event in Detroit.

Jets general manager Joe Douglas and his staff has been active early and often throughout the offseason, bringing veterans such as wide receiver Mike Williams, offensive tackles Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses and acquiring linebacker Haason Reddick from the Eagles in exchange for Bryce Huff.

Jets miss out on all three consensus wide receivers

Unfortunately for the Jets, the Pro Football Network mock draft simulator did not fall in their favor.

Even with the Vikings' trading away their two first round picks (No. 11 and No. 23) to leapfrog the Giants' to pick Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy, Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (No. 4 to Cardinals), Malik Nabers (No. 6 to Giants) and Rome Odunze (No. 9 to Bears), were all drafted before Gang Green could make their first pick.

So where do the Jets go from here? Do they trade down and compile more picks in this year or the 2025 NFL Draft, or do they stay put and draft the best player on their board?

Unsurprisingly, there were multiple teams -- five to be specific -- trying to move and trade up with faux Joe Douglas. Here were the three best offers:

Trade offer No. 1: The Jaguars, who missed the playoffs after an 8-3 start last season, offered their first two selections in the draft (No. 17 and No. 48 overall) and a 2025 sixth-round pick for No. 10

Trade offer No. 2: Their AFC counterparts, the Dolphins, wanted to send their first round pick (No. 21) and second round pick (No. 55) for No. 10 and the Jets' second fourth-round pick (No. 134)

Trade offer No. 3: The Raiders hope one of the four-or-five projected first round QBs fall, present their first rounder (No. 13 overall) and a third-round pick (No. 77) for No. 10.

Round 1, No. 10: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State

After mulling over these options, none of them were enticing enough to take the bait and move off of the 10th pick.

Therefore, I decided to stay put here and select Fashanu.

Yes, Douglas and the front office made the moves to add both Smith and Moses.

However, both are 33 years old and have had durability issues, especially Smith, who has suited up in only 17 games the last two years.

Insert Fashanu, a First-Team AP All-American who started 12 games in 2023 and was named Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year last season.

The 21-year-old has the prototypical traits (6-foot-6, 312 pounds) necessary to have an impact when called upon.

While Fashanu did end his Combine workout early after suffering a right thigh injury in early March, the red-shirt junior still participated in Penn State's Pro Day less than two weeks later on Mar. 15.

Even though he might not start from Day 1 with Smith and Moses in the fold, Fashanu will undoubtedly have to play some type of role in his rookie season protecting future Hall-of-Famer QB Aaron Rodgers.

The decision, albeit a tough one, came down to Fashanu and Georgia tight end Brock Bowers here, but the Jets ultimately decide to address the o-line with the 10th pick.

Round 3, No. 72: Jalen McMillan, WR, Washington

Three picks before: Will Shipley, RB, Clemson; Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia; Braden Fiske, DT, Florida State

Three picks after: Andru Phillips, CB, Kentucky; Renardo Green, CB, Florida State; Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, OC, Georgia

Breakdown: After missing out on the top-tier prospects at wideout, the Jets give Rodgers another target in McMillan.

The former Huskies' WR got off to a blazing hot start in 2023. In his first two games, McMillan combined for 16 catches, 215 yards and four touchdowns (three receiving, one rushing).

Following the hot start, the 22-year-old would miss the next two months with a Grade 2 MCL sprain that limited him to only four games in the regular season.

Once healthy, McMillan came back in a big way. He went for a season-high in catches (nine) and receiving yards (131) in the PAC-12 Championship 34-31 win against Oregon.

In the College Football Playoff, the junior wideout didn't have the high yardage total. However, McMillan still combined for 11 catches in two games and scored in both the CFP Semifinal versus Texas and the CFP National Championship game against Michigan.

While he could bulk up slightly when he enters the league (listed at 197 pounds), his skills and 6-foot-1 frame gives Rodgers' yet another weapon at his disposal.

Round 4, No. 111: T'Vondre Sweat, DT, Texas

Three picks before: DeWayne Carter, DT, Duke; Austin Booker, EDGE, Kansas; Malik Washington, WR, Virginia

Three picks after: Delmar Glaze, OT, Maryland; Malik Mustapha, S, Wake Forest, McKinnley Jackson, DT, Texas A&M

Breakdown: Let's just get this out of the way first. The chances of Sweat being available in this spot earlier this month were slim to none. In the three prior mocks, the 22-year-old defensive tackle went in the first 100 picks every time and was viewed as a guaranteed day two prospect.

However, his draft stock will likely see a significant drop off after he was arrested for driving while intoxicated (DWI) in Austin on Apr. 7.

After passing on him at No. 72, the slide stops here for Sweat.

The Huntsville, Texas native was the anchor of the Longhorns' defense and the key factor in the program having the third-best run defense in college football last season.

In 2023, Sweat was awarded the Outland Trophy -- aka the top interior offensive or lineman in the nation -- first-team AP All American and the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.

The 6-foot-4, 366-pound defensive stalwart recorded 45 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two sacks, four pass break ups and even blocked a kick.

At No. 111, the Jets select Sweat as Douglas and company believe the pros outweigh the cons here with Sweat early in the fourth round.

Round 4, No. 134: Theo Johnson, TE, Penn State

Three picks before: Brenden Rice, WR, USC; Layden Robinson OG, Texas A&M; Brandon Coleman, OG, TCU

Three picks after: Jordan Jefferson, DT, LSU; Jonah Elliss, EDGE, Utah; Michael Pratt, QB, Tulane

Breakdown: Giants' beat reporter Art Stapleton had Johnson slated to the G-Men with their fifth round pick in his final mock draft last week and I decided to select him a round earlier for Gang Green here.

While there's a chance he could be available at the next pick (No. 185), I decided to not take the chance and draft him here.

Johnson had his most productive season in his final year at Penn State.

The Windsor, Ontario native led the Nittany Lions with seven touchdowns in 2023 and finished on a high note. The 23-year-old scored in six of the final eight games, including a two touchdown performance in Penn State's 63-0 thrashing of UMass in Happy Valley last October.

While starter Tyler Conklin has been very productive (third consecutive season of 58+ receptions), he'll turn 29 before the season begins.

Johnson adds much needed value behind Conklin not only in the passing game, but could also be used in two tight end sets as a solid run blocker.

Round 6, No. 185: Tarheeb Still, CB, Maryland

Three picks before: Caedan Wallace, OT, Penn State, Jordan Whittington, WR, Texas; Blake Watson, RB, Memphis

Three picks after: Jarvis Brownlee, CB, Louisville; Xavier Thomas, EDGE, Clemson; Tommy Eichenberg, LB, Ohio State

Breakdown: The Jets use their fifth pick of the draft to select their second defensive player of the weekend.

Still had solid production in his first three years at Maryland but took a massive step up in the interception department in 2023.

After only one INT through his junior season, the Sicklerville, N.J. native recorded five interceptions in 2023. This included two games with multiple INTs -- one on Sept. 15 vs. Virginia and the other against Nebraska on Nov. 11.

Still was a three-star recruit coming out of Timber Creek High School, where he set the record for most receiving yards (1,541) on 71 catches his senior year.

Gang Green opted for secondary help late in last year's draft and I believe they'll do so again by drafting the local product with Still.

Round 6, No. 207: Myles Cole, EDGE, Texas Tech

Three picks before: Brevyn Spann-Ford, TE, Minnesota; Dylan McMahon, OG, N.C. State; Brennan Jackson, EDGE, Washington State

Three picks after: Tip Reiman, TE, Illinois; Willie Drew, CB, Virginia State; Myles Harden, CB, South Dakota

Breakdown: Cole's production in college will not jump off the paper. However, 2023 was the first year he was a full-time starter and he thrived. The 23-year-old made 12 starts his senior season and was effective.

One of his best performances of the year came against BYU, where he notched three tackles for loss and a sack on Oct. 21.

Following the season, he participated in the annual Senior Bowl in Mobile for the American team.

While he did spend six seasons in college (four at Louisiana-Monroe and two at Texas Tech), Jets' defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton could help find the untapped potential in Cole with their penultimate pick in the draft.

Round 7, No. 257: Tory Taylor, P, Iowa

Three picks before: Josh Cephus, WR, UTSA; Tejhaun Palmer, WR, UAB; Jacob Monk, OG, Duke

Breakdown: Mock drafts are all about having fun and exploring every possibility. So why not go a completely different route with Taylor?

The Australian born kicker has been one of the few highlights during his four-year tenure at Iowa.

Tied to an abysmal Iowa offense, what fans and those tuning into Hawkeyes' games were looking forward to was fourth down to see what Taylor can do. In 2023, he had a career-best 48.2 yard average on his punts, raising it nearly three yards from the year prior (45.2 yards).

In the Big Ten Championship game versus Michigan, Taylor was the lone highlight in the program's 26-0 loss. The 6-foot-4 punter had seven punts with a season-long 67-yard boot. The longest punt of his career came in 2022, where he netted a whopping 70-yard punt against Purdue.

Age is a factor here for Taylor as he'll turn 27 before he even steps onto an NFL field next season even though it won't matter at his position.

Thomas Morstead, the Jets' current starter, did just sign a two-year deal worth north of $5 million last month.

However, even with the new contract, he's the oldest punter in the NFL currently at 38 years old and has rarely missed time in his career due to injury.

With that being said, I believe the Jets take the longshot and select Taylor with the last pick, aka the "Mr. Irrelevant" selection of the NFL Draft, as he either beats out Morstead, or takes over the starting job due to a potential injury and doesn't look back.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Jets mock draft 2024: Our final picks before the NFL Draft