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NFL Draft Grades: Jets & Giants Getting High Praise, Marks

The reaction from pundits and scouts alike are that the New York Jets and New York Giants both did extremely well during last weekend’s NFL Draft. The Jets got the…

Jermaine Johnson II

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 28: Jermaine Johnson II poses onstage after being selected 26th by the New York Jets during round one of the 2022 NFL Draft on April 28, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

The reaction from pundits and scouts alike are that the New York Jets and New York Giants both did extremely well during last weekend's NFL Draft.

The Jets got the highest marks, with many giving Gang Green and General Manager an A+. According to ESPN, "the Jets became the first team in the history of Scouts Inc., which has been evaluating prospects for ESPN.com since 2004, to select three players with a grade of 92 or better (on a 100 scale) in the same draft." The Jets accomplished that by taking talented cornerback Amhad "Sauce" Gardner with the fourth overall pick; wide receiver Garret Wilson with the 10th overall pick, and trading back into the first round to nap defensive end Jermaine Johnson II with the 26th pick.

The Jets weren't done taking talented Iowa State running back Breece Hall in the second round. Hall had over 1,400 yards in each of the past two seasons, and was considered by many scouts to be the top running back in this year's draft class.

Meanwhile the Giants made out like bandits on night one of the draft, selecting talented and talkative Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux. Thibodeaux was ranked as one of the best defensive ends in this year's draft class. He registered 19 sacks over the course of his Oregon career.  Thibodeaux is not short on confidence. He told pundits leading up to the draft that he wanted to head to New York, and has expressed supreme confidence in his abilities.

The Giants also took offensive tackle Evan Neal from Alabama with the seventh overall pick. Neal gives Big Blue the bookend right tackle it desperately needs. Now quarterback Daniel Jones is surrounded by two former SEC tackles with Neal and left tackle Andrew Thomas (drafted last year out of Georgia). Jones is going to need all the help he can as he is in his walk year after the Giants didn't pick up his fifth year option.

The Giants would add mostly depth pieces in later rounds of the draft, but the overall feeling is Big Blue had a really solid weekend.

Michael Cohen is the News and Sports Director at Fox Sports Radio New Jersey and Magic 98.3 FM, as well as a radio production assistant with Fox and Magic in New Jersey. He started his career in Somerset in 2018 initially as a news fill-in at WCTC 1450 AM, and soon moved up to higher responsibilities in the ensuing years, assuming News & Sports Director title in 2021Prior to his time with Fox Sports New Jersey, Michael was play-by-play voice for New Jersey Jackals baseball, and as well as play-by-play and color for the College of Staten Island basketball (men and women), softball and baseball. Michael began his career as a news and sportswriter with the Jersey Journal of Hudson County.