Moves like these force good players like Wilkerson down the board. His stock has slipped in recent weeks over concerns about his consistency and a subpar pro day.

But I have liked Wilkerson from the very beginning and he was one of the first players I scouted. He fits perfectly into the Jets’ 3-4 system.

At 6-4, 315 he has prototypical size and bulk for a 5-technique DE. He has long arms and can jolt the offensive lineman with his strength. He does a nice job of taking on double teams.

Wilkerson is a junior who has some maturing to do, both as a player and a person. His work ethic has been questioned so Rex Ryan will have to stay on top of him.

He has a very strong upper body and stacks and sheds well. I like the way he anchors against double teams and he is more than capable of shutting down runs to the outside.

He plays with an excellent combination of power and speed. He can make plays in pursuit and chase down quarterbacks outside the pocket.

He has very good lateral quickness to move down the line and covers a lot of ground. He is mostly a wrap up tackler but can bring a violent hit and cause a turnover.

I expected the Jets to draft an outside linebacker with their first pick. I liked both Jabaal Sheard and Brooks Reed but Wilkerson is a higher rated player and the Jets were fortunate to get him so late in the round.

3-4 defenses usually do not get much pass rush from their defensive ends but the Jets should get more than usual from Wilkerson. He uses his hands well and has good power and rip moves to free himself from blocks.

The Jets may still look for a pass rushing linebacker in the third round but Wilkerson does bring some of the pass rush they were looking for. He just needs to fire off the ball lower and he can be even better.

Wilkerson is instinctive. He sniffs out screens and does not get sucked in by fakes or misdirections.

I did not think he would be available at #30. He was flying under the radar early in the process but teams caught on quickly to his superior skills. But again, after concerns about his consistency, his stock slipped and that is why he was there for the Jets.

However, he has accumulated 116 tackles, 16 sacks and 24 tackles for loss over the last two years, which is excellent production even when you factor in the lower level of competition.

He has position flexibility and can play DE in either the 3-4 or 4-3 so he can stay on the field when the Jets switch fronts. He can play on either the left or right side.

He is a very good pass rusher and will get even better when he learns more moves. He will also have to improve his hand quickness.

Wilkerson is a good pick for the Jets. He brings excellent value with the 30th pick and is someone who has not reached his full potential.

He has the size, strength and athleticism to overpower offensive linemen but will need to maximize that ability with more work on his technique. He will have to play with better leverage but this should improve with more coaching.

After the Jets drafted Vladimir DuCasse out of UMass last year, they bring in another player from a school (Temple) not known for its NFL prospects. But Wilkerson certainly belongs in the pros.

He will have to show more of a mean streak but with a little more experience, the sky’s the limit for this young man.


Written by Alan Levin