The New York Jets own the No. 10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and can make a franchise-altering move with their first-round selection. Of the many routes they could go, Brian Costello of the New York Post formulated a mock draft scenario where the Jets trade down for two attractive picks, which lands them help on the offensive side of the football.
Jets get strong offensive help in trade down from No. 10 pick with Steelers
Jets general manager trades the No. 10 pick and veteran wideout Allen Lazard to the Pittsburgh Steelers and selects Washington offensive tackle Troy Fautanu and Michigan wide receiver Roman Wilson with the No. 20 and No. 51 overall picks they get in return, alongside a future 2025 second rounder on top of that.
Pro Football Focus gave Fautanu a 75.5 player grade for his work in the 2023 college football season. The 6-4, 317-pound tackle allowed only two sacks, three quarterback hits, and 18 hurries last year.
He is widely considered a top 20 prospect in this year’s class and is projected to go as high as the top 10. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah also uncovered his insider knowledge on one NFL team that views the Huskies product as the top guard in the draft. The Jets would benefit greatly from having a pass-and-run blocker of his ilk moving forward.
At No. 51, Wilson is a strong option for the Jets to go after. The 6-0 wideout scored 12 receiving touchdowns in his senior season at Michigan. He went for 789 receiving yards, but did so averaging an impressive 16.4 yards per reception.
Would the Jets fare well with both prospects in exchange for the No. 10 pick and Allen Lazard?
As a potential replacement for Lazard, who amassed 311 receiving yards behind a poor 46.9% catch percentage in 10 games played last season, the Jets get a pass-catcher that can develop into being a comparable contributor to Lazard at his best, which came in his 2022 NFL season with the Green Bay Packers where he went for 788 yards.
If the Jets decide to trade down to get a player they could take at No. 10 regardless, save money on the remainder of the four-year, $44 million deal Lazard signed with the team ahead of the 2023 campaign, and earn two additional valued picks in the process, it could be worth it. Though at No. 10, they have the option to take an elite WR the likes of LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr., or look elsewhere on the O-Line.