The New York Jets stayed the course at the 2017 NFL Draft on Thursday night by selecting the best player available regardless of position when they tabbed LSU safety Jamal Adams with the 6th overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft in Philadelphia. This is the eighth consecutive draft that the Jets have selected a defensive player in the first round.
Adams was left on the board along with Alabama DT Johnathan Allen as the two highest-rated players remaining. Adams is a terrific pick by the Jets, a natural leader whose father, George, was the Giants’ top pick in 1985.
“He played with the Giants and it’s crazy that I’m playing with the Jets,” Adams said of his father. “So it’s all in God’s plan and I trusted the process. I just can’t thank the Jets organization enough.”
This is nothing new for Jets GM Mike Maccagnan, when it comes to skimming the cream off the top. He took USC DL Leonard Williams in the first round of his initial draft with the Jets in 2015. Last year, Maccagnan chose LB Darron Lee out of Ohio State. Neither player was considered a “need” pick at the time. Williams has gone on to become a Pro Bowl player while Lee was second on the Jets in tackles last season as a rookie despite playing only 13 games.
“We’re happy to get Jamal where we got him,” Maccagnan said. “Our focus has always been on geting the best player available for the Jets organization.”
Adams, who has excellent size (6’0″, 214) was an All-SEC selection last season as a junior and had been mocked as the top safety in the draft this spring.
About Adams:
“In three years with the Tigers, Adams helped continue LSU’s legacy of “DBU,” standing out immediately and developing into arguably the most well-rounded defensive back in the country. Adams earned first team All-America honors as well as first team All-Southeastern Conference recognition in 2016, recording a career-high 76 tackles, including 7.5 for loss. With Adams leading the charge, LSU allowed just 16 touchdowns over the 2016 season (12 games), lowest in the FBS. This included a 29-9 victory over Louisville and Lamar Jackson in the Citrus Bowl in which the Heisman Trophy winner was kept out of the end zone for the first time all season.” – CBSSports.com
Adams will take immediate charge of the Jets’ young secondary alongside another former first round selection, Calvin Pryor. The Jets are still a bit short at cornerback, but they have five picks remaining this weekend to address that.
The draft opened with the Cleveland Browns ending the suspense by taking Texas A&M DE Myles Garrett with the first overall selection. Then San Francisco and Chicago swapped picks. The Bears surprised the throngs by grabbing QB Mitchell Trubisky of North Carolina, even though they committed $45 million over the next three seasons to Mike Glennon. The 49ers then took the player they probably would have taken had they stayed in place – Stanford DE Solomon Thomas.
Tom Coughlin, in his first draft as the Jacksonville Jaguars football czar, selected RB Leonard Fournette of LSU. That pick was followed by the Tennessee Titans, who chose Western Michigan WR Corey Davis with the fifth pick, a surprise to just about all in attendance.
HC Todd Bowles and GM Mike Maccagnan discuss No. 6 pick Jamal Adams. https://t.co/8Lqtk796pV
— New York Jets (@nyjets) April 28, 2017