Alabama Football: 2021 NFL Mock Draft 2.0 with trades
By Dakota Cox
New York gives Zach Wilson a speedy receiver
23. New York Jets: Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida
The Jets solved their quarterback problem with their first pick, but they need to do a lot more to build this roster and be ready to compete in the AFC East. They have some key young pieces on defense and a stud left tackle. The one thing they must add is skill players. They have aging running backs and no true WR1.
With that in mind, they use their second pick in the first round to add a speedy receiver to the mix. Toney has speed, but he’s not just a straight-line runner. His route tree is well-defined, and he can make almost anyone miss in open space. In the right scheme, he’s going to be dangerous.
Many in New York thought that Sam Darnold would be the guy to save the franchise. However, the front office failed to build around him, and now it’s too late to see if he can develop. If they decide to move on, they can’t make the same mistakes. They have to give Zach Wilson help if they want to avoid the same mistakes.
Toney is better than any receiver Zach Wilson ever saw at BYU. This pairing makes sense, and both players would help the other in New York.