Jets strike gold with Jamal Adams in the 2017 NFL Draft

On Thursday, the NFL Draft officially kicked off in front of millions of spectators. For the Jets, a team that recently gutted their roster by releasing several veterans, GM Mike Maccaghan had a few tough decisions to make. Rumors had circled the team regarding their 6th overall pick, as some reports claimed that New York would trade down while others alleged that the Jets would consider reaching for a quarterback. Gang Green ultimately decided to hold onto the draft pick and selected safety Jamal Adams out of LSU. It is the eighth straight year that the Jets drafted a defensive player in the opening round. 

Adams (pictured) figures to be a huge part of the Jets future

In three years at LSU, the 21-year old played in 36 games and racked up 209 tackles with five interceptions. As a junior, he was named to the Associated Press All-Sec first team, and this past January, he announced that he would forgo his senior year and enter the 2017 NFL Draft. 

Standing at 6-0 and weighing 214 lbs, Adams had been projected as a top-five pick by most mock drafts. However, he fell to the Jets after a whirlwind of unexpected moves by the Bears and Titans, who drafted Mitchell Trubisky and Corey Davis, respectively. Jamal Adams, a Texas native, is the son of former Giants running back George Adams, who accumulated 886 rushing yards in six NFL seasons. 

With Adams (pictured) in the fold, the Jets can now focus on the offense

"We knew he was an alpha dog coming in, because we knew that's how he played at LSU," said Jets coach Todd Bowles. "Those were all his intangibles coming in. That's just part of it. The culture we're trying to create, I think he's perfect for our building." 

Adams can play either safety position, but will likely see time at free safety due to the knee injury to Marcus Gilchrist. The Jets last took a safety in the first round in 2014, when they selected Calvin Pryor out of Louisville. New York's secondary ranked among the worst in the NFL in 2016, as they allowed a 98.5 opposing quarterback rating. 

Upon hearing his name called, Adams spoke to reporters. He said "I have to go in and work hard and continue what I do best, and that's play ball. But I'm just going to first go in and earn the respect of my teammates, earn the respect of my coaching staff and let the chips unfold from there."

On Friday at 8 p.m. ET, the NFL Draft will continue to roll on, as we will see how Rounds 2-3 unravel for Gang Green. Then, on Saturday night, there will be Rounds 4-7. 

So far so good for GM Mike Maccaghan and the New York Jets. Now it is time to build offensive depth by grabbing a few running backs and wide receivers.