Mark Sanchez went 5th overall in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Here are 5 players they could have taken instead who went after Sanchez in the first round.
1. Josh Freeman - if the Jets really needed a QB then Freeman who went 17th has 10 more TD's and 6 fewer INT's.
2. Clay Matthews - a top pass rushing LB and perhaps the real pretty-boy drafted out of USC in the first round in 2009.
3. Percy Harvin - a threat to run or catch would have given the Jets offense multiple options
4. Michael Oher - OT whose Blind Side story if it ended in New York would have made for an even bigger movie box office (and besides Oher has been pretty damn good)
5. BJ Raji - a DT who could have anchored the Jets defense.
The draft that yielded Tom Brady will always be known for the player after player taken before Brady and the what ifs for each NFL team if only they took the wiry kid from Michigan. The 2009 draft for Jets fans will probably be known for who they could have taken instead of Mark Sanchez.
Also, they paid for that pick. They traded up from 21st pick with Cleveland. Browns used the Jets pick to select Mack who has developed into a solid center. Browns fans complain because other parts of that trade haven't worked out, but I wouldn't trade Mack straight up for Sanchez. I will concede we wasted rest of that draft 3 second round picks all of whom are gone.
ReplyDeleteGood point. I like to think that if the Jets stayed at 21 they would have took Pat White from West Virginia and things would be just as bad.
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