NFL Mock Draft, Pick 29: Jets Select Jerry Hughes, DE/OLB TCU

The 29th pick is in and SB Nation’s Jets community, Gang Green Nation, has selected...

TCU DE/OLB Jerry Hughes

From Gang Green Nation:

How is it possible to improve the league’s best defense? The Jets may have had the top unit in statistical terms, but they struggled to generate a consistent pass rush without blitzing. Rex Ryan loves to blitz, but the Jets had to do it more than he would prefer last year.

From Mocking The Draft:

Everyone knows that Rex Ryan loves two things in football: Cornerbacks and pass rushers. He got his cornerback with Cromartie and Hughes would represent the pass rusher. Personally, I think this is a little early for Hughes, but it fills a really good need.

From SB Nation’s player profile:

Needs to learn more moves to become a better pass rusher at the NFL level. He played against lesser competition while in the Mountain West. Only played defense full time since arriving at TCU in 2005, he previously played running back in high school.

I agree that it might be slightly early for Hughes but if anyone is going to make this pick worth it, it’s Rex Ryan. The criticisms in his SB Nation player profile may be valid but Ryan is the best in the business to develop him. Like defensive tackles, you can never have enough pass rushers.

Read the full write-up at Mocking the Draft.