With his first draft pick as Jets GM at No. 11 on Thursday night, Joe Douglas took Louisville's Mekhi Becton.
Of the "Big Four" offensive linemen, Becton was viewed by many as the one most likely to fall to the Jets. And when he did, they pounced.
The debate leading up to the draft was whether the Jets should go for offensive line help, or select a wide receiver to add an infusion of talent to a receiving corps that leaves a lot to be desired.
By going with Becton -- which should be music to the ears of Sam Darnold and Le'Veon Bell -- the Jets add what they hope will be immediate help to the offensive line.
The 21-year-old Becton, a physical specimen at 6-foot-7 and 364 pounds, excelled for Louisville last season, starting 11 games at left tackle and earning first-team All-ACC honors.
Don't let Becton's size fool you, though. Scouts say he has very nimble feet and he is extremely athletic for someone with his build. He's a force in the run block, and those quick feet to go along with his natural size and length makes it hard for pass rushers to get around him.
NFL scouts never reached a consensus on the order of the Big Four offensive tackles, but a majority seemed to agree on one thing: If a team could overlook some minor concerns about Louisville's Becton, he could turn out to be the best one of them all.
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Douglas decided to take that chance when he took the massive, 6-7, 364-pound tackle. It's not really much of a chance since almost everyone believed he was a Top 11 pick, but there were some minor concerns about his weight and about a drug test he reportedly had flagged at the scouting combine.
Those issues are probably what pushed him down far enough for the Jets to take him, and there was no way an offensive line-loving GM like Douglas was going to pass him up. He obviously liked him better than Iowa's athletic tackle Tristan Wirfs, who was also on the board when the Jets made their selection. And now Douglas has the anchor he needed for his rebuilt offensive line.
The line has always been Douglas' focus, as everyone saw during the offseason. That's why he passed on what would've been the top receiver on his board too, since Alabama's Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs, as well as Oklahoma's CeeDee Lamb were all available. Douglas has made it clear since his first day with the Jets that the line was his priority, and he has never wavered from that vow.
Now he looks like he has a very good line in front of Darnold. George Fant, the tackle the Jets signed in free agency, will probably now move to right tackle. They signed center Connor McGovern and guard Greg Van Roten in free agency, and re-signed guard Alex Lewis.
Becton was the missing piece. And the biggest piece, too. Every great line has that one star, usually protecting the quarterback's blind side. If Douglas and so many NFL scouts are right, Darnold isn't going to have to worry about that blindside for a long, long time.