After getting blocked from taking an offensive lineman in round one of the NFL Draft, the Jets landed one in round two.
The Jets selected Wisconsin center Joe Tippmann with the No. 43 overall pick on Friday night, giving a boost to the offensive line in front of new quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Tippmann was considered one of the two best centers in this draft. Some had him as the top player at the position while others had him No. 2 behind Minnesota’s John Michael Schmitz.
Tippman started 22 games for the Badgers and was honorable mention All-Big Ten in each of the last two years.
The 6-foot-6, 313-pounder is powerful.
He squads 635 pounds and bench presses 455 pounds.
He is known as a good locker room guy.
Tippmann has battled shoulder injuries in college and while he has practiced at guard and tackle, he played primarily center in games.
He is an athletic big man that is good at pulling and playing in space, something the Jets ask their centers to do in their wide-zone scheme.
Tippman allowed one sack and five pressures over 338 pass blocking snaps in 2022.
Joe Tippmann started at center for Wisconsin. Getty Images
“I’m a physical, dominant player, athletic as well, someone who is going to hopefully get out and pull,” Tippmann said. “As far as for the Jets, first things first I need to earn the trust and respect of the rest of my teammates before anything I guess.”
Tippmann may have to win the starting job over incumbent Connor McGovern, who just re-signed with the team last week.
McGovern only received a one-year, $1.9 million contract, indicating that his hold on the job was not that secure.
McGovern has started for the Jets in the last three seasons at center but has been disappointing.
“You guys know how we are. Everyone’s competing,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “It doesn’t matter where you get drafted. It doesn’t matter what you get paid. You’re coming in to compete to begin with. So, it’s going to be an open competition.”
Tippmann has an interesting connection to the Jets.
He was coached by Jason Fabini, a fourth-round pick of the Jets in 1998 who played tackle for the team until 2005.
Fabini began coaching Tippmann when he was in the fifth grade and coached him through high school.
“I was able to absorb so much from him,” Tippmann said. “He was somebody that helped me with my transition from high school to college. He’s somebody who currently helping me with my transition from college to the NFL. He’s been someone that’s been like a mentor to me, kind of like a lifeline, somebody I can always lean on, I guess count on to be able to assist me with anything and kind of just push me to be a better player.”
Joe Tippmann will help the Jets protect Aaron Rodgers. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Jets general manager Joe Douglas complimented Tippman’s playing ability and his mullet, calling it the “Wisconsin Waterfall.”
The Jets needed to address the offensive line during this draft.
They have question marks at nearly every position.
The belief entering the draft was the Jets would take a tackle in the first round with uncertainty surrounding Duane Brown and Mekhi Becton.
But every top tackle was off the board before the Jets drafted at No. 15.
The last of those tackles to be taken was Broderick Jones by the Steelers, who leapfrogged the Jets in a trade with the Patriots to move up to No. 14.
That left the Jets with no top offensive linemen on the board. They pivoted to Iowa State edge rusher Will McDonald.
The Jets only had one pick on the second night of the draft.
They traded their third-round pick to the Browns in March along with wide receiver Elijah Moore.
They got an extra second-round pick back in the Moore deal, but they flipped that to the Packers in the trade for Rodgers.
The Jets have three more picks on Day 3 — one in the fourth round and two in the fifth round.
