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New York Jets Should Target Deshaun Watson In 2017 NFL Draft

By Evan Massey
Published on: 12:46 PST, Oct 28, 2016

The New York Jets are in need of an upgrade at the quarterback position. It has become increasingly apparent that neither Ryan Fitzpatrick nor Geno Smith is a capable starting NFL quarterback. That makes the 2017 NFL Draft a very intriguing event for Jets’ fans to look forward to.

Looking ahead at the draft class this year, there is one quarterback in particular that would help the Jets make a big step in the right direction. Clemson Tigers’ quarterback Deshaun Watson is without question one of the top players in the draft and the Jets should strongly look into drafting him.

If the season ended today, the Jets would hold the No. 5 overall pick in the draft. With that pick, they would have a chance to snag Watson straight up, or move up in the draft in order to select him. Either way, New York will have a good shot of getting their future quarterback in the draft and Watson would be the best fit for them.

Throughout the course of the 2016 college football season thus far, Watson has completed 63.6 percent of his pass attempts for 1,950 yards, 20 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He has also picked up 279 yards to go along with a touchdown on the ground.

While those numbers may not be quite as dominant as Watson showed last season, he has still led his team to an undefeated record to date. Even though the Tigers got off to a slow start this season, Watson has remained a leader and has shown maturation from that standpoint.

Standing in at 6-foot-3 and weighing 215 pounds, Watson is a prototypical size for a dual-threat NFL quarterback. He could bulk up a bit more ahead of the 2017 draft, but his skill set should keep him healthy at the next level. Assuming he doesn’t go the reckless route of running at the next level, he has the kind of escapability that Aaron Rodgers showed early on in his career.

At this point in time, Watson is still viewed as the No. 3 ranked Heisman Trophy candidate, according to ESPN. He is unlikely to win the award, due to the superstar-caliber play of Louisville Cardinals’ quarterback Lamar Jackson. Despite that fact, Watson deserves attention for being one of the top players in the entire nation.

DeShone Kizer is another quarterback option that many mock drafts have going in the top five picks. He is going to be solid at the next level as well, but he doesn’t offer the same kind of athleticism that Watson does. New York cannot afford to pass up on a dual-threat quarterback with an NFL-ready arm like Watson.

Needless to say, the Jets cannot afford to put the quarterback situation off for another season.

Fitzpatrick was re-signed this past offseason after a full offseason of holding out. He finally agreed to a deal with the Jets, but has been awful early on this season and was even benched last week for Smith. The only reason that Fitzpatrick has taken the starting job back over is because of the injury that Smith suffered.

Bryce Petty is the other quarterback that the Jets have to choose from. The former Baylor Bears’ quarterback has some talent, but he isn’t going to be a franchise quarterback. New York has a chance to get a true starting quarterback and they need to look long-term with their selection.

It is going to be very intriguing to see what the Jets do with their top pick this year. They have a few different holes and there are quite a few players at different positions that would be nice additions as well.

Expect to see the Jets either draft a quarterback with their first-round pick or target one in a trade. Names like Tony Romo and Jay Cutler could come available, as could either Sam Bradford or Teddy Bridgewater in Minnesota. New York knows that a move must be made at the quarterback position and Deshaun Watson would be a perfect addition.

Do you think the New York Jets should target Deshaun Watson in the 2017 NFL Draft? Would he be the franchise quarterback that the franchise has been waiting for? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!

[Featured Image by Brynn Anderson/AP Images]

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