The Pick Is In — New York Jets 2023 NFL Draft

Liam Blutman, Matthew Townsend and Karan Jangra

Howdy folks! Welcome to The Pick Is In! That’s right, we’re back for another run with this experiment and can’t wait to see what our GMs, err, writers can cook up. If you’re unfamiliar with this series, lemme paint the picture for you. Our writers will be stepping up to the plate for a NFL franchise and act as if they have full control of the team on draft day. For each team, we’ll have two or three writers step into the front office and take over as general manager. You’ll see picks made from No. 1 overall to a sixth-rounder, bold picks will be made in unique spots, and trades will be cooked up. To highlight some of our success from 2022, we saw the Bengals trade up to take a star named Tariq Woolen in the mid 40s, the Packers snagged a stud in Jalen Pitre with the 28th overall pick, and with the 98th overall pick, the Saints struck gold with the valuable Zach Tom. This year will be no different. Our GMs will once again be showcasing their unique abilities to find intriguing talent. Whether you know it or not, the draft has already begun and it resumes with The Pick Is In. Welcome to the 2023 NFL Draft. The New York Jets are on the clock…

Liam Blutman:

The Pick Is In: Cam Smith CB — South Carolina (2nd Round, 42nd Overall)

cam smith
Photo Credit: Jeff Blake/USA TODAY Sports

Steal. I just committed a robbery. If the NFL actually lets Cam Smith fall this far… I’m going to be very disappointed in the talent evaluation, I won’t lie to you. But I’m the Jets GM right now and we just swindled the league. I’ll be up front and honest, I’d take Smith with the 13th overall pick and wouldn’t think twice about it, but that doesn’t make too much sense if he’s being looked at as a fringe first-rounder and a probable second-round pick. It’s baffling to me.

First, I need to address the haters and doubters right quick… They are screaming at me telling me the Jets have no need for a corner, taking one this high makes no sense, what are you doing?! Chill. Let me cook. Uhh for real though, huh? This idea of “team needs” and only needing to draft for them and fill holes is so comical to me. The idea has taken over our industry and boy is it tiring. I’m trying to build the best football team possible. I want to assemble the best roster I can, and I’m going to do it with stellar players on cheap contracts. The New York Jets have the opportunity to pair Sauce Gardner with another superb, young CB on a cheap deal. Yeah… I’m all in. How are you not? Cam Smith is the corner of my choosing and now our Jets will be putting opposing quarterbacks in a torture chamber. But you want me to address the need of a linebacker instead? A position of much less value and a LB class that is truthfully mid. This corner class is ridiculous and adding one to pair with Sauce is such an easy decision.

Cam Smith is my CB1 in the 2023 NFL Draft and has been since the fall. I’ve seen no reason to change my stance. Cam popped off at the NFL combine with a 9.68 RAS thanks to a 4.43 40-yard dash, a 1.49 10-yard split, and a wicked 11-foot-2 broad jump. The 6-foot-1 corner plays with so much fire it’s crazy. A firefighter’s discharge hose would have trouble putting it out. Smith looks to bully the opposition for 60 minutes with clever trash talk and big-time physicality. The 22-year-old plays a versatile game; you’ll spot him lining up outside and at nickel, and there’s been a push on social media to get Smith reps at safety as well. I can see that but I’m not with it. I want my CB1 playing corner and only corner. I want him to cover the best. He wants to shadow the opposing team’s WR1 and you’ve got to respect that. He’s aggressive, has stellar ball-hawking skills, plays with remarkable instincts and anticipation. I’m just all in, what else can I say? Oh, I can hype his game up some more, don’t worry. Run support? He’s got you. Solid, reliable tackler that is not afraid to get dirty. He does a great job of reading routes, a significant skill to possess. Smith uses his great physical tools and length to disrupt passes as he broke up 16 in his previous two seasons. A worry is that he’s often too physical and grabs a bit as he was called for about 10 penalties in 2022. We’ll need to cut that down and trust the footwork and technique more.

Fast forward to 2025. Sauce Gardner is entering his fourth NFL season and on the other side is Cam Smith who is entering his third season in the league. Fans could be pinching themselves trying to wake themselves up from a dream. 31 (or more?) fan bases are going to be jealous and pleading with their front office to have two standouts at corner that were both drafted in house. Sauce Gardner and Cam Smith. Let’s make it happen man! I’m stoked that this dream could become a reality… as long as the real life New York Jets share my same vision. As Cam Smith said, “Just drop yo nuts.” Drop yo nuts, make the pick, thank me later.

Matthew Townsend:

The Pick Is In: Owen Pappoe LB — Auburn (4th Round, 112th Overall)

owen pappoe
Photo Credit: Auburn Athletics

The Jets’ outlook for the next season or two is still being held hostage by the whims of a man locked in a room of darkness. So until the finalization of the Aaron Rodgers trade, the exact needs of the Jets and the draft capital they have is in limbo. There are three positions I’m fairly certain they will want help in however — a cornerstone tackle, a CB2 next to Sauce Gardner, and depth at linebacker. I expect with the depth at the top of the cornerback and tackle class, those two positions will be handled in the first two rounds where they currently have three picks. Which is why I will be grabbing a backup linebacker that can be starting material soon. Welcome to the Jets, Owen Pappoe.

The Jets are fairly set at linebacker for the next year or two at least, with both Quincy Williams and C.J. Mosley under contract for at least two more years. Beyond that, however, the cupboard is a bit bare. To me, it makes perfect sense to take a linebacker in the middle rounds this year. There are so many athletic freaks in the class that if you’re in a spot where you can draft them and allow them to sit behind some good vets for a year, you should do it. Pappoe is among the freakiest of the freaks. I mean his Twitter handle is the freak for Pete’s sake. That athleticism showed up at the combine, with scores above the 90th percentile in the 40-yard dash (4.39 seconds), broad jump (10 feet, 6 inches), and bench press (29 reps). He lived up to his name and showed that he was among the best at his position in terms of speed, strength and burst. He is small for the position, at 6-foot and 225 pounds, but I think he can more than make up for it with his speed.

He can fly from sideline to sideline. You can’t teach the kind of speed he possesses. He uses his speed creatively as well, giving himself space to have an extra half second to read a situation because he knows he can close down quickly. When he does come downhill, he is a violent hitter who makes sure the offense keeps track of him and tries to run away from him. Against the run, he reads offensive lines well and seems to have a natural feel for the flow of the game. Against the pass, he has shown that he has the speed and bend to get around the edge, and has even shown a bull rush move that has been mildly effective. In coverage, his athleticism shines, as he has the play strength to play through contact at the top of the route and the speed to close on the ball once it’s thrown.

He is a natural leader and was a captain on Auburn’s defense two years in a row. This should mean that his character is in a good spot and that he can be a leader on the defense if he develops into a stud. His biggest issue right now in terms of his game is in his block-shedding ability. If a lineman with length can get their hands on him, he can struggle to escape from their grasp. I think there is a good chance that Owen Pappoe can be a starter for a team by year two in this league. The Jets would be wise to grab him with a non-premium pick and lock down their linebacker position.

Karan Jangra:

The Pick Is In: John Michael Schmitz C — Minnesota (2nd Round, 43rd Overall)

john michael schmitz
Photo Credit: Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

While they have yet to officially finalize an impending trade with Green Bay for Aaron Rodgers, the New York Jets draft seems poised to start in the second round this year. Assuming they do close the deal with Rodgers, their main priority for the rest of the offseason will be to solidify themselves as a contending roster and fill any remaining holes on their offense. Minnesota center John Michael Schmitz checks all the boxes as a potential day one starter and scheme fit in new OC Nathaniel Hackett’s offense.

The 6-foot-3, 301-pound senior earned First Team All-American honors this past season after a strong campaign in which he allowed just eight pressures on the year and graded out as PFF’s top overall center. Additionally, Schmitz was among the hottest names at this year’s Senior Bowl, with many in attendance claiming he had one of, if not the best performance there. 

Schmitz’s main appeal as a prospect is how perfect of a fit he’ll be from day one in modern zone-scheme offenses (such as that of the Jets). His lateral quickness and mobility as an athlete, mixed with consistently strong footwork and run blocking, will make him a highly-coveted asset. Schmitz’s biggest strength, however, comes in his elite football IQ. With nearly 2,500 snaps under his belt, many scouts and coaches have raved about Schmitz’s deep understanding of the game. There’s no reason to believe Schmitz can’t make an early impact with his combination of mobility, technical skill and intelligence. 

Drafting Schmitz is a slam dunk opportunity for New York to (potentially) find Aaron Rodgers his new Corey Linsley. The Jets’ only centers on the roster are journeyman Wes Schweitzer and Trystan Colon, making the odds of them drafting one pretty high. The Jets quietly have a really solid offense, with young, talented skill players and a quality offensive line. Adding an NFL-ready center who’s one of, if not the smartest player in the draft, could be the cherry on top.

About the author

Liam Blutman
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I am a diehard UCLA fan that has enjoyed (?) mediocrity year after year. My favorite CFB moment was witnessing UCLA comeback from 34 down against Texas A&M. Being at the Rose Bowl for that historic moment is something I’ll never forget. I have written about CFB since I was 14 and my favorite thing to do is give under-the-radar athletes the recognition they deserve. You might know me from @NoContextCFB !

Matthew Townsend
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I’m a USC fan of 15 years who majored in Math at UC Riverside, and graduated in 2020. I’m a big fan of using analytics and statistics to shape how I view college football. I've been watching and betting on sports for as long as I legally could. My favorite college football memory is Tua coming in at halftime of the championship game to come back and lead Alabama to a national title.

Karan Jangra
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Proud California Golden Bears fan and aspiring football mind. I specialize in Pac-12 and NFL Draft coverage. My past experiences in journalism include covering the San Francisco 49ers, as well as creating film breakdowns on my own blog. I love the X’s and O’s just as much as anyone else, but also see value in numbers. My favorite CFB game ever was the 2007 Fiesta Bowl between Oklahoma and Boise State.

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