Charles Davis and I shared duties on "NFL Draft Review" on NFL Network, so I wanted to make sure I gave you my thoughts on the rest of the teams I didn't cover on the show.
-- Mayock on the
Jets' first-round pick, DE Muhammad Wilkerson
I like what the Jets did early in the draft. Keep in mind, Trevor Price and Shaun Ellis are both older and potential free agents, so right away, New York picked up Muhammad Wilkerson in the first round from Temple.
Wilkerson is the prototype of a five-technique as a defensive end in a 3-4 scheme. He can kick inside, which will give the Jets' defensive coordinator, Mike Pettine, some versatility. Wilkerson was either a highlight reel on tape or you were underwhelmed. There wasn't a whole lot of middle-ground plays. I think Rex Ryan thinks he can make the positive side of that show way more often than the negative side.
In the third round, the Jets took Kenrick Ellis, a very gifted nose tackle from Hampton. So with those first couple of picks, the team got younger, more athletic and quicker on that defensive line, which I think makes Ryan very happy.
Let's keep in mind that Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards and Brad Smith -- all those wideouts are potential free agents. So in the fifth round, the Jets took Jeremy Kerley, a slot receiver and return guy from TCU. He will help, but New York either will have to re-sign a couple of wideouts or get one in free agency.
The Dolphins took Mike Pouncey in the first round. Enough said. Lock him in at center or guard. I kind of like him at guard in Year 1. He was a little erratic with his snapping at Florida.
In the second round, the Dolphins took one of my favorites, running back Daniel Thomas. He's a big back with excellent feet for a guy that size. He doesn't run a fast 40, but his feet are much better than they should be for a back that size, and he has underappreciated receiver skills. They even split him out in college and let him run some wide receiver routes. I think he's going to be an interesting player.
Miami's fourth-round pick was wide receiver Edmond Gates from Abilene Christian. With guys like Brandon Marshall, Davone Bess and Brian Hartline -- all very good underneath receivers -- the Dolphins need somebody to stretch the field, and that's what Gates gives you. He's very raw, but he has sprinter's speed, which will have to be respected. So he'll take the top off the defense and hopefully give those other guys more room to work underneath.
