How Mekhi Becton changes the dynamic for New York Jets

Former Louisville football left tackle Mekhi Becton fell to the Jets at No. 11. How Becton changes the offensive dynamic in New York.

Many speculated that Mekhi Becton would end up in New York leading up to the 2020 NFL draft, but most probably expected the former Louisville football left tackle to end up in blue and red.

Instead, the heaviest player in the draft fell to the 11th pick, and the New York Jets will have the services of one of the most athletic offensive tackles in the last decade.

Becton soared up draft boards after a stellar junior season that concluded with him being one of the headliners in the NFL draft. Some gaudy measurements and a jaw-dropping 5.10 forty yard dash time at 365 pounds made him a near unanimous choice as a top ten pick.

However, in the week leading up to the draft, we heard some questionable feedback from those in the know with the situation. Many experts questioned the talent level of his opponents, and as often happens, people questioned silly things like his intense love for food and whether or not that would distract him from football.

Then there was the legitimate potential issue of Becton being flagged on a drug test just days before the draft. Though Becton was probably the most talented tackle in the draft, he ultimately was the third taken.

The Jets will gladly take him, however. A somewhat surprising player in the Becton sweepstakes, New York ultimately opted to take a guy who can protect its best assets.

Sam Darnold, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft runs the show in New York, and former rushing champion LeVeon Bell is back for a second year flanking him in the backfield.

The Jets watched their best receiver, Robby Anderson, sign with the Panthers last month, so many thought that they would go after a pass-catcher with their first pick. However, first thing is first for the Jets front office- Finally, shore things up on the edges and protect their two-star players.

The Jets were the fourth-worst team in the league in sacks allowed in 2019 with 3.2 per game. They were also second-to-last in the league in rushing yards per game with 78.6 per contest.

That’s why, even though the Jets were hurting for help at receiver, they opted to protect the future of the franchise first. If you want Sam Darnold to remain upright the entire game, you get a guy like Becton.

With Becton, the old “Planet Theory” logic is in effect here. Draft someone big, strong, and fast, and you can figure out the rest as you go. Many see Becton as a talent that is still “raw,” but in many ways that is lessened by his size and athleticism. You literally can’t get through Becton, and you can’t get around him fast enough to get into the backfield quickly enough.

We talked with The Jets Press,who cover the New York Jets as part of the FanSided Network, about Mekhi Becton and just what he’ll provide the Jets. They told us:

“Mekhi Becton will immediately step in and be the Jets’ Week 1 starter at left tackle. He brings with him a blend of size, agility, and athleticism matched by very few players in the NFL and he should be an instant boost to an offensive line unit that struggled immensely in 2019. Becton will likely be the Jets’ best run blocker from the moment he signs his contract with the upside to be a perennial All-Pro if he could refine the technical aspects of his game in pass protection. An excellent fit for the Jets’ offense and a home-run pick in Round 1.”

Still, people may be discrediting Becton a bit. He didn’t allow a single sack during the 2019 season, and only allowed one during his entire 33 game career at Louisville. The Cardinals’ Javian Hawkins ran for more yards than anyone not named Lamar Jackson in school history last season, and a lot of that had to do with his ability to get to the second-level behind holes Becton created.

Becton takes some heat for not playing a higher level of competition, but he has gone up against defensive linemen from Clemson (3x), Notre Dame, Alabama, Florida State (3x), Miami, and NC State (3x). That’s not anything to scoff at. The Cardinals have put tremendous linemen like Eric Wood, Breno Giocomini, Jason Spitz, John Miller, Jamon Brown, Gerald Christian, and Byron Stingley in the league just over the last couple decades, so any disputes over whether or not Becton has seen the talent level to translate to the league should be null and void.

If Becton still is a bit raw, the Jets front office is making moves to put him in the best position room possible. They just signed former Western Kentucky basketball and football star and four-year veteran George Fant to a lucrative contract to shore up the right side of the offensive line. Fant will join Becton on the edge and be a tremendous asset, along with guard Alex Lewis, in helping with a smoother transition to the league. Fant and Becton have strikingly similar stories as great athletes and former basketball players who are now growing into stars up front for the Jets.

Things should take an uptick for guys like superstar running back Le’Veon Bell. He averaged 4.6 yards per carry the four years prior to signing with the Jets, but he only averaged 3.2 yards per touch in 2019. He should be one of the players to benefit most from Becton’s signing.

With one of the biggest, most athletic linemen in the league over the last decade in the fold, New York is starting to see some of the pieces fall into place that can help them work towards becoming a consistent threat on the offensive side of the ball.