The loudest secret in the NFL is the Jets want to add receiver help for Zach Wilson.
The league has shown the best way to maximize a young QB’s development is surround him with a plethora of weapons. It’s quarterback development 101. The only question is how, exactly, the Jets go about getting theirs.
One polarizing option is Alabama’s Jameson Williams with the No. 10 overall pick.
Team sources love Williams’ because he would add an explosiveness to the offense that was missing last year.
Imagine Elijah Moore’s shift and dynamic route running with Corey Davis’s solid all-around receiving ability paired with Williams’s speed.
The trio would make Wilson’s life easier.
Prior to the national championship game, Williams was the No. 1 receiver prospect in this draft class. Williams was easily the most explosive weapon in the draft with his ability to blow the top off a defense.
The 6-1, 180-pound receiver showed his dangerous skill set against Georgia in the SEC Championship game when he scored touchdowns by bolting past defenders untouched for two touchdowns.
Yes, there’s buzz about USC’s Drake London with the No.10 pick, team sources value the presence he would add to the receiving corp. And there is momentum towards London being a Jet if he’s available at 10.
London’s a big body receiver who can consistently make contested catches and be a big target in the red zone, something Gang Green doesn’t have on their roster. Their receiver group had only 24 contested catches (Corey Davis led with six), according to Pro Football Focus. He also possesses pristine quickness for a big body receiver which allows him to win on short and intermediate routes by swiftly gliding through his breaks.
The 6-foot-4, 213 pound receiving option fits Wilson’s play style as London would secure those 50-50 throws that Wilson loves to fire.
However, speed is king in the NFL.
It explains why the Jets aggressively pursued Tyreek Hill. When defensive coordinators have to worry about a speed threat, it opens up underneath routes. It makes the life of a QB much easier, and Wilson possesses the arm strength to threaten every blade of grass on the field.
But Williams’ injury complicates the evaluation. Can the Jets afford to take the risk of drafting a receiver who is recovering from an ACL tear?
Williams suffered the injury during the National Championship game in January, it probably won’t be ready until midseason. And add in the difficulty of playing in the NFL after spending the majority of the year rehabbing from an injury.
The risk is high, but so is the reward.
How will Williams look post injury? What if he’s not the same and never recovers the dynamic speed he possessed?
In all likelihood, 2022 would be a recovery season since Williams wouldn’t be available until after the first month of the season at the earliest. It wouldn’t be fair to expect much production from Williams till later in the year or even 2023.
The Jets would basically possess the same receiving corps in 2021 minus Jamison Crowder and Keelan Cole as Williams rehabs. The tight end room is night and day compared last season with the additions of Tyler Conklin and C. J. Uzomah.
That’s a solid group for Wilson but it could use more explosiveness.
If Williams recaptures his old form, he would become a star in the future, which would propel Wilson’s development. It’s also why he won’t make it to the second round with his injury.
If Williams was healthy, he would have been in play with the No. 4 overall pick.
The talent is too tantalizing.
A healthy Williams could cause defenses to tilt coverage towards him since any mistake could lead to six points. That could free up room underneath for Moore, Davis and Berrios to work.
But the injury makes it complex.
Can the Jets afford to take a risk on Williams? The answer is to be determined.
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