The New York Jets were expected to target Florida State edge defender Jermaine Johnson with one of their top-10 picks in the 2022 NFL draft, but it turns out they didn’t have to. They saw him falling in the late first round, and decided to jump back up the board for their third pick of the night, grabbing arguably the biggest steal of Day 1.
Johnson is a long and strong defender who uses his arm length to dominate offensive tackles, and border edges patiently before leaping on ball carriers, or shooting into the pocket to nab the quarterback. His ability to slam into his blocker, extend and dip was his best trait last season, and it led to his career-high sack numbers, which shot him up the draft boards.
Johnson should start immediately on the Jets’ defensive line opposite Carl Lawson, and try to revive a defense that has struggled mightily in recent years. They have one of the most talented fronts in the AFC after this pick, and will hope to turn that into production right away.
