FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Less than an hour into his first draft as general manager, Mike Maccagnan was presented with a situation that tested his claim that the Jets would select the best player available.
They have a surplus of monstrous defensive linemen, yet when it was their turn to go on the clock, another lineman — Leonard Williams from Southern California — was, surprisingly, still around.
Rather than address the pass rush or select a speedy receiver, or trade down to amass more picks, Maccagnan seemed to stay true to his beliefs.
The Jets added Williams to a stable of defensive linemen that includes Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson, making him the seventh consecutive defensive player the Jets have drafted in the first round.