List of New York Jets first-round draft picks explained

The New York Jets, originally known as the Titans of New York from the team's conception in 1960 until 1962, joined the NFL as part of the 1970 AFL–NFL merger, two years after defeating the Baltimore Colts 16–7 in Super Bowl III.

The Titans made their first American Football League Draft selection in 1961. They chose Tom Brown, a defensive lineman/guard from the University of Minnesota, known as the "Rock of Gibraltar", who won the 1960 Outland Trophy as the nation's best lineman and finished 2nd in the Heisman Trophy voting.[1] Brown later became a College Football Hall of Famer and Canadian Football Hall of Famer.

In 1970, the Jets selected Steve Tannen, a defensive back from the University of Florida, as their first pick in the NFL Draft. The team has most recently selected Will McDonald, an EDGE Rusher out of Iowa State University in 2023.

Every year during April, each NFL franchise seeks to add new players to its roster through a collegiate draft known as "the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting", which is more commonly known as the NFL Draft. Teams are ranked in inverse order based on the previous season's record, with the worst record picking first, and the second worst picking second and so on. The two exceptions to this order are made for teams that appeared in the previous Super Bowl; the Super Bowl champion always picks 32nd, and the Super Bowl loser always picks 31st. Teams have the option of trading away their picks to other teams for different picks, players, cash, or a combination thereof. Thus, it is not uncommon for a team's actual draft pick to differ from their assigned draft pick, or for a team to have extra or no draft picks in any round due to these trades.

The Jets have selected the number one overall pick one time: Keyshawn Johnson, a wide receiver from the University of Southern California in the 1996 NFL draft. The team has also selected number two overall twice and number three overall once. The Jets have selected players from University of Southern California seven times, from the Ohio State University six times, five times from the University of Alabama and three times each from the University of Virginia and University of Miami (Florida). Three eventual Hall of Famers were selected by the Jets: Joe Namath John Riggins, and Darrelle Revis

Key

RBRunning backFBFullback
HBHalfbackQBQuarterback
DEDefensive endCCenter
LBLinebackerT or OTOffensive tackle
TETight endG or OGOffensive Guard
WRWide receiverDTDefensive tackle
SSafetyCBCornerback
DBDefensive back

Player selections

New York Jets first-round draft picks
YearPickPlayer namePositionCollegeYrs NFL/AFLYrs w JetsNotes
American Football League (1961–1962) as Titans
1961--Tom BrownDL/GMinnesota00[2] [3]
1962--Sandy StephensQBMinnesota00[4]
American Football League (1963–1969) as Jets
1963--Jerry StovallHBLSU90[5]
1964--Matt SnellFBOhio State99[6]
1965--Joe NamathQBAlabama1312[7] [8]
--Tom NowatzkeFBIndiana80[9]
1966--Bill YearbyTMichigan11
196712Paul SeilerC/GNotre Dame52[10] [11]
196817Lee WhiteFBWeber State53[12]
196926Dave FoleyTOhio State93[13]
National Football League, Modern Era (1970–present)
197020Steve TannenDBFlorida55
19716John RigginsRBKansas145
19729Jerome BarkumWR/TEJackson State1212
20Mike TaylorLBMichigan22[14]
197313Burgess OwensCB/SMiami (FL)107
19746Carl BarzilauskasDTIndiana64
1975No draft pick[15]
19766Richard ToddQBAlabama108
19774Marvin PowellTUSC119
19784Chris WardTOhio State76
197914Marty LyonsDE/DTAlabama1111
19802Johnny "Lam" JonesWRTexas55[16] [17]
19813Freeman McNeilRBUCLA1212
198223Bob CrableLBNotre Dame66
198324Ken O'BrienQBUC-Davis109
198410Russell CarterCB/SSMU64
15Ron FaurotDE/DTArkansas22[18]
198510Al ToonWRWisconsin88
198622Mike HaightT/GIowa76
198721Roger VickFBTexas A&M31
19888Dave CadiganT/GUSC65
198914Jeff LagemanLBVirginia106
19902Blair ThomasRBPenn State64
1991No draft pick[19]
199215Johnny MitchellTENebraska64
19934Marvin JonesLBFlorida State1010[20]
199412Aaron GlennCBTexas A&M148[21]
19959Kyle BradyTEPenn State138
16Hugh DouglasDECentral State103[22]
19961Keyshawn JohnsonWRUSC114
19978James FarriorLBVirginia145[23]
1998No draft pick[24]
1999[25]
200012Shaun EllisDETennessee1110[26]
13John AbrahamLBSouth Carolina156[27]
18Chad PenningtonQBMarshall118
27Anthony BechtTEWest Virginia105
200116Santana MossWRMiami (FL)144[28]
200222Bryan ThomasDEUAB1111
20034Dewayne RobertsonDTKentucky65[29]
200412Jonathan VilmaLBMiami (FL)103
2005No draft pick[30]
20064D'Brickashaw FergusonTVirginia1010
29Nick MangoldCOhio State1111
200714Darrelle RevisCBPittsburgh108[31]
20086Vernon GholstonDEOhio State52
30Dustin KellerTEPurdue55[32]
20095Mark SanchezQBUSC84[33]
201029Kyle WilsonCBBoise State65[34]
201130Muhammad WilkersonDLTemple87[35]
201216Quinton CoplesDENorth Carolina4 4
20139Dee MillinerCBAlabama33
13Sheldon RichardsonDTMissouri10*4
201418Calvin PryorSLouisville43
20156Leonard WilliamsDTUSC9*5
201620LBOhio State6*3
20176SLSU7*3[36]
20183Sam DarnoldQBUSC6*3
20193Quinnen WilliamsDTAlabama5*5*
202011Mekhi BectonOTLouisville4*4*
20212Zach WilsonQBBYU3*3*
14Alijah Vera-TuckerGUSC3*3*
20224Sauce GardnerCBCincinnati2*2*
10Garrett WilsonWROhio State2*2*
26Jermaine JohnsonDEFlorida State2*2*
202315Will McDonald IVDEIowa State1*1*
202411Olumuyiwa FashanuTPenn State0*0*
Asterisks after active season numbers denote that the player is still active. Asterisks after seasons with Jets numbers denote player is still with the Jets.

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Another Golden Gopher Tunnels Into CFHOF with Tom Brown's Enshrinement. College Football Hall of Fame. July 15, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20050312075403/http://collegefootball.org/news.php?id=412. dead. March 12, 2005. 2007-09-14.
  2. There appears to have been no real draft order in the American Football League Drafts. Some sources indicate the selection number for players, but they conflict with one another.
  3. Brown did not play in the American Football League; he played for the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League from 1960 to 1965. He was later inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
  4. Stephens was one of the first major black quarterbacks in collegiate football, leading the University of Minnesota to a college football championship and two Rose Bowl appearances during his tenure. Stephens was drafted by the Titans in the AFL, and the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 1962 NFL draft, but neither team gave him any playing time. Stephens went to the Canadian Football League where he played two seasons with the Montreal Alouettes.
  5. Stovall was drafted as the second overall pick in the 1963 NFL draft, and opted to play with the St. Louis Cardinals.
  6. Snell was drafted in the fourth round of the 1964 NFL draft by the New York Giants, but he opted to play with the Jets in the AFL. Snell was the 1964 American Football League Rookies of the Year, and later contributed to the Jets' success in the Super Bowl III victory over the Baltimore Colts.
  7. Namath was originally drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals as the 12th overall pick in the 1965 NFL draft, but after being chosen by the Jets in the AFL Draft, he chose to play in the AFL.
  8. Web site: 1965 NFL and AFL Draft . 2007-10-15 . Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Jets received the draft pick from the Denver Broncos.
  9. Nowatzke was drafted by the Detroit Lions as the 11th overall pick in the 1965 NFL Draft, and chose to play with the Lions in the NFL instead of the Jets.
  10. A new system called the Common Draft was implemented from 1967 to 1969. In this system, both the NFL and AFL held a joint draft for college players. The Common Draft took place after the agreement for an AFL–NFL merger in 1966.
  11. Seiler was chosen as the 12th overall pick in the Common Draft, but he was the fourth overall selection made by an AFL team.
  12. White was chosen as the 17th overall pick in the Common Draft, but he was the sixth overall selection made by an AFL team.
  13. Foley was chosen as the 26th overall pick in the Common Draft, but he was the eighth overall selection made by an AFL team.
  14. The Jets acquired their second first-round pick in the 1972 Draft from the Washington Redskins.
  15. News: Richard L. . Jones . Fans of Jets and Giants Face a Long Wait Today . . 2005-04-23 . 2007-10-15 . The Jets traded their first-round pick in 1975 to the New Orleans Saints for defensive end Billy Newsome.
  16. Web site: History: 1980 Draft . 2007-10-15 . . 2009-04-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090408071347/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/1980.jsp . live . The Jets received the draft pick from the San Francisco 49ers.
  17. Jones won the 4 × 100 relay at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
  18. Web site: History: 1984 Draft . 2007-10-15 . . 2008-09-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080917083025/http://profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/1984.jsp . live . The Jets received the draft pick from the New Orleans Saints.
  19. Web site: History: 1991 Draft . 2007-10-15 . . 2009-04-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090407143928/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/1991.jsp . live . The Jets gave up their first-round draft pick in 1991 in order to exercise a supplemental pick for Rob Moore, a wide receiver from Syracuse University, in 1990.
  20. News: Timothy W. . Smith . Jets Trade Down But Still Move Up . . 1993-04-26 . 2007-10-15 . The Jets traded their third overall to the Phoenix Cardinals in exchange for the Cardinals' fourth overall pick in 1993 draft and running back Johnny Johnson.
  21. News: Timothy W. . Smith . Jets Move Up in Draft to Take Glenn, a Cornerback . . 1994-04-25 . 2007-10-15 . The Jets traded their 13th overall pick and a fifth-round selection to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for the Saints' twelfth overall pick.
  22. News: Timothy W. . Smith . Bengals Take Carter at No. 1; Sapp Slips to 12th . . 1995-04-23 . 2007-10-15 . The Jets traded wide receiver Rob Moore to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for the Cardinals' 16th overall pick and fourth-round selection.
  23. News: Dave . Anderson . A Wearin' Of the Green For Tuna . . 1997-04-20 . 2007-10-15 . The Jets originally had the first overall pick in the draft, but they traded it to the St. Louis Rams for the Rams' sixth overall pick and third, fourth and seventh round selections. The Jets then traded their sixth overall pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for the Buccaneers' eighth overall pick and a fourth-round selection.
  24. News: Gerald . Eskenazi . Jets Try to Plug Team's Many Holes . . 1998-04-20 . 2007-10-15 . The Jets traded their 18th overall draft pick and a third round selection to the New England Patriots in exchange for running back Curtis Martin.
  25. News: Gerald . Eskenazi . Jets Use Their 2 Picks to Try to Strengthen Offensive Line . . 1999-04-18 . 2007-10-15 . The Jets gave their 28th overall selection in the draft to the New England Patriots as part of the deal that brought head coach Bill Parcells to the Jets.
  26. News: Judy . Battista . Jets Get 12th Pick in Draft From 49ers . . 2000-04-14 . 2007-10-15 . The Jets gave their 16th and 48th overall (second-round) draft picks to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for the 49ers' 12th overall selection.
  27. News: Judy . Battista . Mike Freeman . Jets Close To Dealing Johnson To Bucs . . 2000-04-12 . 2007-10-15 . The Jets traded wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for the Buccaneers' 13th and 27th overall picks.
  28. News: Judy . Battista . Jets Trade Up for Johnson Replacement. . 2001-04-22 . 2007-10-15 . The Jets traded their 19th overall pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for the Steelers' 16th overall pick.
  29. News: Judy . Battista . Jets Trade Up With an Eye on a Defensive Tackle. . 2003-04-26 . 2007-10-15 . The Jets traded their 13th and 22nd overall picks to the Chicago Bears in exchange for the Bears' fourth overall pick.
  30. News: Richard L. . Jones . Jets Trade First-Round Pick to Fill Void at Tight End Tackle . . 2005-04-21 . 2007-10-15 . 2014-12-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141206173739/http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/21/sports/football/21jets.html? . live . The Jets traded their 26th overall pick to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for the Raiders' tight end Doug Jolley and a second-round draft pick.
  31. News: Karen . Crouse . Jets Trade Up to Draft Revis With 14th Pick Tackle . . 2007-04-29 . 2007-10-15 . 2015-06-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150605121216/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/29/sports/football/29jets.html . live . The Jets traded their 25th, 59th (second round), and 164th (fifth round) overall picks to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for the Panthers' 14th and 191st (sixth-round) selections.
  32. The Jets received the 30th overall pick from the Green Bay Packers.
  33. News: Brian . Heyman . In Blockbuster Deal, Jets Trade Up to Draft Sanchez . . 2009-04-25 . 2009-04-25 . 2011-10-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111020203224/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/26/sports/football/26jets.html . live . The Jets received the 5th overall pick from the Cleveland Browns.
  34. News: Greg . Bishiop . Reviewing the Jets' Draft Picks . . 2010-04-24 . 2009-05-17 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100425101431/http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/reviewing-the-jets-draft-picks/ . 2010-04-25 .
  35. News: Associated Press . Jets select Temple DL Wilkerson at No. 30. . 2011-04-28 . 2009-05-17 .
  36. Web site: Shpigel. Ben. Jets Select L.S.U. Safety Jamal Adams After Surprises Atop Draft. The New York Times. April 28, 2017. April 27, 2017. April 28, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170428180841/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/27/sports/football/ny-jets-first-round-draft-pick.html. live.

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