2013 NFL mock draft: Jets select Zach Ertz

With the 39th pick in Pride Of Detroit's 2013 NFL mock draft, the New York Jets select Stanford tight end Zach Ertz. Mgoblue4ever is serving as the Jets' general manager, and his reasoning for the pick is below.

My first choice would be to trade this pick and Mark Sanchez's contract out of town for a bag of potato chips, or better yet a treadmill for Rex Ryan. But alas, there is no trading in this mock. I considered taking another USC quarterback in Matt Barkley, but with questions about Barkley's arm strength, I didn't think he was a definite upgrade over Sanchez. I suspect the Jets will take a quarterback in rounds three or four to compete with Sanchez, assuming Geno Smith isn't available at nine.

Speaking of the ninth pick, the Jets took OG Chance Warmack in the first round of this mock. Guard is the Jets' biggest need right now, and Warmack will fill that need.

I also considered Eddie Lacy to continue running behind his fellow Alabama alum Chance Warmack, but there are more backs later in the draft, such as Le'Veon Bell. The Jets drafted Bilal Powell last year and signed Mike Goodson, so running back isn't a dire need. Getting rid of Shonn Greene may be addition by subtraction.

So, the pick came down to Zach Ertz and 3-4 OLBs Alex Okafor and Damontre Moore. The Jets would have loved it if Tyler Eifert would have fallen one more pick, but the Jets are reportedly very interested in Ertz as well. Right now, the Jets' starting TE is Jeff Cumberland, so it is definitely a position of need. The Jets could really use an OLB to rush the passer, but I went with Ertz because I considered him a safer pick and because the Jets need all the help they can get on offense. The tight end position has really evolved over the last few years, and here the Jets add a weapon for whoever is the starting quarterback this year and in the future.

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Check out the 2013 Pride Of Detroit Community Mock Draft tracker for a look at all of the picks.