Following the success of Brock Purdy with the San Francisco 49ers, the final pick of the NFL Draft – “Mr. Irrelevant” – has become a coveted pick in the league. The New York Jets held on tight to that pick and made their selection to end the 2024 NFL Draft.
With the 257th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Jets selected Alabama safety Jaylen Key. As a fifth-year senior for the Crimson Tide in 2023, Key had 60 tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss, one pass defended, and one interception.
Prior to joining Alabama as a transfer, he played four seasons at UAB. In 2022, he recorded an equally impressive 60 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles.
The pick marked the first time in history that the Jets had made the final selection in the NFL Draft during the Common Draft Era.
According to some reports, the Jets were unwilling to part with it even in the face of potential trade offers. Whether Key was the player the Jets had their eyes on all along or someone they wound up settling for, we may never know.
The 2024 Draft saw the Jets play it safe in many regards, drafting an offensive tackle who provides critical depth, then bolstering their offense further with two running backs, a wide receiver and a quarterback over the final six rounds.
It’s Super Bowl or bust in New York right now as they try to squeeze a deep playoff run out of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Will Key play a big role in that run?