Joe Douglas feels good about Jets productive weekend

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The Jets wrapped up the third and final day of the NFL Draft quickly, adding depth to both lines with their two early fourth-round picks.

They took Louisiana offensive tackle Max Mitchell with the No. 111 choice. Six picks later, the Jets selected Texas A&M defensive end Micheal Clemons. General manager Joe Douglas said the one word he would use to describe both players was “tough.”

By all measurables, Douglas had a very good draft, bringing in playmakers on both sides of the ball and depth at several positions.

Douglas started the draft with nine picks. He made two trades and ended up drafting seven players: cornerback Sauce Gardner, wide receiver Garrett Wilson and defensive end Jermaine Johnson in the first round, running back Breece Hall in the second, tight end and Lindenhurst product Jeremy Ruckert in the third round, and Mitchell and Clemons.

“I felt it was a really productive weekend,” Douglas said. “I feel good about where we’re at.”

The Jets like the 6-6 Mitchell’s versatility. He has played both tackle positions, guard and some center, and gives them flexibility.

Clemons, who Douglas referred to as “Big Mike,” is 6-6, 263 and plays with an edge. Clemons also comes with a checkered past and history of injuries.

As a senior, Clemons was arrested and charged with unlawful carrying of a weapon, failure to identify/giving false information, less than two ounces of marijuana possession and driving with an invalid license. Clemons called it “a one-time incident,” and said he’s learned from it.

“Things like that didn’t happen over the course of my life,” Clemons said. “I’ve been in trouble with the law once. That’s not who I am. That’s not what my character shows. It’s in the past now. I’ve learned and I’m moving forward.”

The Jets did their research and background checks on Clemons. They felt he was worth the risk and are confident that anything like that won’t happen again.

“We were aware of some of those issues going into this process,” Douglas said. “We felt comfortable about adding him to the organization. We feel good about him not making similar mistakes moving forward.”

Clemons, who will be 25 when the season starts, started his football career at Cisco Junior College in Texas. He transferred to Texas A&M in 2017 and was a three-year starter for the Aggies.

He missed the 2018 season with a foot injury. Clemons’ 2020 season was cut short by an ankle injury that required surgery. As a senior, Clemons had seven sacks, including 3.5 against LSU.

Douglas said there were no concerns about Clemons’ health, and he believes the defensive end can help the Jets’ long term.

“I feel like he’s one of the nastier players in this entire draft,” Douglas said. “The physicality, the edge that he plays with, the toughness that he brings — we don’t think we can have enough of that on this team.”