The 2015 regular season is over, and that means it's time for legit 2016 NFL Draft analysis and predictions for the top 20 picks, which are now set. Picking No. 20 overall are the New York Jets, and did they come ever close to the playoffs this year? One of the relatively rare occasions where a 10-win team doesn't make it took place this season, and the Jets were the odd man out. This team is pretty good, but they're not complete, and one player who could help get them a little closer is Ohio State RB Ezekiel Elliott.
Yes, the Jets had a great season. In their first year without Rex Ryan, the Jets found a recipe for success, and really were unfortunate to have such a good campaign in a year where the other two wild-card teams did just a bit better.
Defensively, this squad is fantastic. The Jets' D-line is one of the most feared in the NFL, with studs like Damon Harrison and Muhammad Wilkerson lining up there. The secondary is just as potent, with Darrelle Revis, Calvin Pryor and Antonio Cromartie lurking about. There are a couple of positions that could use a bit of a boost, but overall, this group is going to be top-notch in 2016.
Offensively, New York was respectable. Veteran QB Ryan Fitzpatrick performed higher than expected for the majority of the season, and a big part of that was the presence of receivers Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall. Those two were excellent, and the passing game took off.
One area of concern, however, was the running game. While it was productive with Chris Ivory and a stout offensive line, it wasn't as explosive as you'd like.
Someone who could help quite a bit would be Ezekiel Elliott.
What Ivory doesn't do all that well, Elliott does exceptionally. The former is a perfect ground-and-pound type of running back, who'll average 4-5 yards every game, but doesn't hit the big one very often, and also isn't a major factor in the passing game.
Elliot, on the other hand, has tremendous breakaway speed, and had a propensity for the home-run play all through college. Back-to-back 1,800-yard seasons and 18-plus touchdowns each year attest to that. And he also has a solid pair of hands out of the backfield, which would be something that Fitzpatrick and the offense could utilize effectively.
The OSU product could be exactly what this offense is missing from taking things to the next level, and giving the Jets a fighting chance for a playoff berth in 2016.
