Jets GM Joe Douglas and HC Robert Saleh had plenty of reason to smile late Friday night at the team's Atlantic Health Training Center. After landing Penn State T Olu Fashanu in the first round Thursday, Douglas traded up in Round 3 to secure an exciting offensive playmaker in Western Kentucky's Malachi Corley.
When the night commenced with the Bills 33rd overall selection, it seemed extremely unlikely Corley would remain on the board 39 picks later. Buffalo took Florida State WR Keon Coleman, the Chargers followed with Ladd McConkey (Georgia) and the Patriots selection of Washington wideout Ja'Lynn Polk (Washington) meant a record 10 receivers were gone within the top 37 picks. The Jets wanted Corley and finally got a chance to secure the Western Kentucky product when finalizing a picks swap with Carolina.
"We were sitting at No. 72, that was a long way for a lot of teams to travel," Douglas said of his trade conversations. "It was hard sitting there and seeing them start rolling off at No. 33, but things fell our way."
Douglas, who traded back a spot on Thursday before taking Fashanu, was able to move up seven spots to the top of Round 3 while securing the 65th pick from Carolina in exchange for the Jets' third-rounder and a fifth-rounder (No. 157 overall).
"I'd say we started making calls about midway through the rounds, seeing if there was any interest and seeing if there was any appetite to move back," Douglas said. "Ultimately there wasn't a lot of desire for teams to move back to No. 72, so we kept working, kept trying and was able to get something done with Carolina."
The Jets are scheduled to have a busy Saturday, staring in Round 4 with a trio of picks – Nos. 111, 129 and 134, plus a selection in Round 6 (No. 185) and Mr. Irrelevant in Round 7 (No. 257).
"We were able to keep, we still have three of our fourth-round picks and we will see if there are any other opportunities that present themselves," Douglas said. "But if we don't do anything, we are in a good position to start tomorrow."
The Jets have great flexibility entering a busy Saturday. Douglas mentioned in his pre-draft press conference he would like to be a "quarterback factory" like the Packers in the 1990s. After six quarterbacks were selected in Round 1, none were selected on Day 2. The top remaining options include South Carolina's Spencer Rattler (3,186 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and 8 interceptions in 2023), Tulane's Michael Pratt (2,406-22TDs-5INTs), Kentucky's Devin Leary (2,746-25TDs-12INTS) and Florida State's Jordan Travis (2,755-20TDs-20 INTs).
While the Jets have been active adding interior D-linemen this offseason with Javon Kinlaw, Leki Fotu and Solomon Thomas, they all signed one-year contracts. Similar to DT, the Jets re-signed veteran safeties Chuck Clark and Ashtyn Davis to one-year deals. If Douglas chooses to add to the back end of the secondary in Rounds 4-7, the top remaining prospects include Washington State's Jaden Hicks, Auburn's Jaylin Simpson and Wake Forest's Malik Mustapha.
Douglas has added a running back in each of his four drafts as GM of the Green & White, three of which have been taken on Day 3. Only four RBs have come off the board through the first three rounds. Jaylen Wright (Tennessee), Tryone Tracy (Purdue), Ray Davis (Kentucky), Will Shipley (Clemson), Braelon Allen (Wisconsin), Audric Estime (Notre Dame) and Rasheen Ali (Marshall) are amongst a group of backs who could be selected in the final four rounds. Douglas also added a Day 3 tackle in three of the past four drafts.
