The New York Jets attempted and failed to trade up for offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil during the 2016 NFL draft.
According to Gary Myers of the New York Daily News, the Jets offered the 20th overall pick and a second-round pick (No. 51) to the New York Giants for the 10th overall pick, which the Jets would have used to take Tunsil.
According to Myers, the Giants didn’t feel the 20th and 51st picks were enough to move down 10 spots. Instead of making the deal, New York picked Ohio State cornerback Eli Apple—the best player on their board at a need position—at No. 10 overall.
Three picks later, the Miami Dolphins halted Tunsil’s fall down the draft board—taking him at No. 13 overall.
“The Jets loved Tunsil despite the cloud of smoke and the gas mask and now that he was spiraling through the top 10, they aggressively pursued him,” Myers wrote.
Many believed Tunsil to be the top offensive tackle in the 2016 class.
While the Jets traded for veteran offensive tackle Ryan Clady after the retirement of D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Tunsil would have provided short-term and long-term insurance at left tackle and immediate competition to start at right tackle opposite Clady.
It wasn’t to be.
Unable to make the move up before Tunsil came off the board, the Jets kept the 20th pick and took Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee.
The NFL draft always provides a number of interesting fulcrum points. The 10th overall pick—where the Giants passed on a deal down to take Apple and the Jets failed in their effort to move up to get Tunsil—looks like one to track for football fans in New York.
