The New York Jets are starved for offense. Their ground game was almost non-existent and with Mark Sanchez controlling the passing game, things did not go so well there either. After the Darrelle Revis trade, the Jets are in possession of two first-round picks and they are reportedly looking to add a few upgrades to their struggling offensive unit. While speculation has been high that the team will draft a quarterback in the first round, wide receiver Tavon Austin is a favorite option at No. 9 overall.
Austin has seen his draft stock rise over recent weeks as he is being considered the best wide receiver in the draft class. While he lacks top-shelf talent, he stands out as the best in his position this year. The Jets are in need of someone that can help them put points on the board and according to Austin, the team has a plan for him.
"Ryan said he had a plan for me. I talked to the offensive coordinator and they said they like players like me who can bring big-play ability there," Austin said.
It is hard to imagine that with two first-round picks, the Jets will not try and invest in some sort of offensive weapon. Their best receiver, Santonio Holmes, is coming off of foot surgery that cut his 2012 season short. They let running back Shonn Greene and tight end Dustin Keller go in free agency. They have Stephen Hill who was drafted a year ago in the second-round, but no receiver on the roster that is returning scored more than three touchdowns last year. They do not have a running back that surpassed 450 last season. Austin is needed.
He impressed scouts when he ran a 4.34 4-yard dash at the Combine. He acquired 572 all-purpose yards in a single game last season. He average 17.1 yards a catch. Those are the kind of numbers that have the Jets highly interested. A better receiver could drastically help Sanchez stretch the field a bit and might actually get some points on the board for New York.
