DeVonta Smith Was Almost Drafted By The Jets?

DeVonta Smith Was Almost Drafted By The Jets?

The New York Jets were faced with a dilemma heading into the 2021 NFL Draft. The Jets held the second pick that year but had to make a choice before they even went on the clock. Stick with Sam Darnold or move on and take a quarterback? It turns out that had the Jets stuck with Darnold, DeVonta Smith would be in New York right now.

Connor Hughes of SNY is pretty locked into all things Jets-related. He says that had the Jets stuck with Darnold, Smith was the player they were targeting.

Underlying storyline of today's #Jets–#Eagles game: In the alternate reality where the #Jets kept Sam Darnold and traded the No. 2 pick, Devonta Smith was the player they planned to draft.

— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) October 15, 2023

It remains to be seen if the Jets would have pulled the trigger on Smith at two. It’s certainly possible considering that he had just won the Heisman as a receiver. Smith, Jaylen Waddle, and Ja’Marr Chase were considered the top end receivers for that draft. It’s safe to say all three panned out.

DeVonta Smith 2021 NFL Draft Profile

Since we’re on this trip down memory lane, I want to bring this post back to your attention. In an old NFL Draft mailbag post, I basically tried to tell everyone that the Jets were screwed regardless of what they did. That turned out to be the case. Drafting Zach Wilson turned out to be a huge mistake. Not saying Darnold was the answer, but the Jets certainly would be better off if Smith was on their team instead. As predicted, the Jets found a way to screw it up regardless of which route they took. It’s classic Jets!

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