This is the eighth installment of our position-by-position breakdown for the New York Jets as we head to the April 28-30 draft:
Position: Secondary
Current personnel: Darrelle Revis, Buster Skrine, Calvin Pryor, Marcus Gilchrist, Marcus Williams, Dee Milliner, Darryl Morris, Dexter McDougle, Rontez Miles, Ronald Martin, Dion Bailey, Kevin Short, Kendall James.
Key newcomers: Morris.
Departures: Antonio Cromartie (cut), Darrin Walls (free agent/Detroit Lions).
Projected starters: Revis, Skrine, Pryor, Gilchrist, Williams (nickel).
Overview: The Jets have poured a lot of money into the cornerback position. In fact, they have a league-high $30.9 million committed to the salary cap, according to ESPN salary data. So they don't need to add a corner, right? Well, look again; there's a hidden need. Right now, Skrine is the leading candidate to replace Cromartie, but his best position is covering the slot. Also remember Revis will turn 31 in July, so they may need a No. 1 corner in a year or two. It makes sense to create a pipeline, especially since the position is so important to Todd Bowles' defense. The Jets could wait until the second or third day to address it, but there could be two or three intriguing options on the board in the first round (20th overall).
The last defensive back drafted: They picked three defensive backs in 2014, the year of the Idzik 12 -- Pryor (first round), McDougle (third) and Brandon Dixon (sixth). Pryor is an ascending player with star potential. Dixon is gone and McDougle has been slowed by injuries.
Potential targets (projected round)
Eli Apple, Ohio State (first round): This would be a homecoming for Apple, who was raised in Voorhees, New Jersey. Apple, generally regarded as the third- or fourth-best corner in the draft, is 6-foot-1 and has an extensive background in press-man coverage, meaning he fits the Jets' profile. He played only two years at Ohio State (both as a starter), but he has big-game experience. In fact, he intercepted Marcus Mariota's final pass as a collegian, helping Ohio State beat Oregon in the College Football Playoff National Championship in January 2015. Apple played better in 2014 than 2015, raising some questions. He needs to improve his ball skills; he had only one interception and eight pass breakups last year.
William Jackson III, Houston (first round): He's gaining momentum around the league and could be off the board before the Jets' pick. Teams love his measureables; he's 6-foot and ran the 40 in 4.37 seconds. Jackson gets his hands on a lot of balls, as he recorded 23 pass breakups and five interceptions last season. He excels in man coverage, so he checks that box, too. On the downside, he's not particularly physical and was flagged seven times for 73 yards.
Need factor (based on a scale of 1 to 10): 6.
