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It’s John Idzik’s show at the NFL Draft tonight. The pressure is on the rookie general manager to dramatically remake the laughingstock Jets, and with the ninth and 13th picks of the first round, we get our first real clue as to whether Woody Johnson has picked the right man for the massive rebuilding job that confronts him.
Former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson would have parlayed these picks into a veritable bounty, and long-suffering Jets fans would be delighted if Idzik shows up as Trader John, manipulating the draft board to accumulate value picks to address the many holes on the Good Ship Woody. Former GM Mike Tannenbaum liked to trade up (Darrelle Revis, Mark Sanchez, Shonn Greene, Dustin Keller), but Idzik would be better served to trade down in a draft short on blue-chip difference-makers. If he stays put, he must hit back-to-back home runs.
If quarterback Geno Smith falls in his lap, would Idzik take him? Would he take Ryan Nassib or E.J. Manuel later in the round? Tonight’s first round won’t inspire comparisons to the great Quarterback Class of 1983 (John Elway, Jim Kelly, Dan Marino) nor the Class of 2012 (Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson). That doesn’t mean three or maybe four quarterbacks couldn’t squeeze their way into the round once quarterback-desperate teams start to panic for the likes of Nassib, should Buffalo’s Doug Marrone pass on his former QB at Syracuse, Manuel or Matt Barkley.
High drama inside Radio City Music Hall, where the cynical Jet draftniks always steal the show. GM Jerry Reese and the Giants will do what they always do, pick the highest-rated player on their board with their 19th pick, and probably make it count.
I’ve finished navigating through the NFL smoke, and now, back by popular demand or sports editor assignment, I present the Serby Mock Draft:
1. CHIEFS
OT Eric Fisher, Central Michigan
Alex Smith lost his job to Colin Kaepernick in San Francisco because he sustained a concussion. Andy Reid protects his investment immediately.
2. JAGUARS
OT Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M
A can’t-miss bookend for Eugene Monroe and the left tackle in 2014. The new Dave Caldwell-Gus Bradley regime waits on its pass rusher.
3. RAIDERS
CB Dee Milliner, Alabama
Somebody has to defend against the Peyton Manning menace twice a year.
4. EAGLES
OT Lane Johnson, Oklahoma
Chip Kelly cannot assume that LT Jason Peters (Achilles) will make it all the way back, and this is an athletic freak who can thrive in an caffeinated attack.
5. LIONS
DE Ziggy Ansah, BYU
A raw beast who reminds many of Jason Pierre-Paul, and Jim Schwartz needs to replace Cliff Avril and Kyle Vanden Bosch.
6. BROWNS
OLB Dion Jordan, Oregon
New defensive coordinator Ray Horton can get after Joe Flacco, Ben Roethlisberger and Andy Dalton with this “Mad Stork” Hendricks-like predator to team with OLB Paul Kruger.
7. CARDINALS
DE Barkevious Mingo, LSU
Bruce Arians cannot depend on ILB Daryl Washington (four-game suspension) to be his top sacker. For his sake, the 6-foot-4, 241-pounder isn’t the second coming of Aaron Maybin.
8. BILLS
WR Tavon Austin, West Virginia
Doug Marrone would be better served to trade up later for QB Ryan Nassib and grab this smaller version of Percy Harvin to complement Stevie Johnson and terrify Rex Ryan.
9. JETS
G Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina
With Brandon Moore gone, a new butt is desperately needed up front for Mark Sanchez.
10. TITANS
DT Sharrif Floyd, Florida
Chris Johnson — not to mention Shonn Greene — would have preferred G Chance Warmack as a bookend for Andy Levitre, but someone has to replace Sen’Derrick Marks.
11. CHARGERS
NT Star Lotulelei, Utah
A massive man-mountain to nestle between Kendall Reyes and Cory Liguet. Sorry, Darren McFadden. Sorry, Jamaal Charles.
12. DOLPHINS
TE Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame
A 6-foot-5, 251-pound red-zone target with 4.68 speed for Ryan Tannehill and complement to Dustin Keller.
13. JETS
QB Geno Smith, West Virginia
Oh, go ahead, John. What do you have to lose? Is he a franchise quarterback? Who knows? If you like him, take him with this Revis pick.
14. PANTHERS
DT Sheldon Richardson, Missouri
A disruptor who will make DEs Charles Johnson and Greg Hardy that much more dangerous.
15. SAINTS
OT Menelik Watson, Florida State
If the departure of left tackle Jeremy Bushrod (Bears) is keeping Sean Payton up at night, imagine how Drew Brees is feeling.
16. RAMS
S Kenny Vaccaro, Texas
A playmaker desperately needed in the back end to combat Kaepernick and Russell Wilson twice a year.
17. STEELERS
OLB Jarvis Jones, Georgia
A pass rush threat who plays faster than his 4.92 40-time to replace James Harrison.
18. COWBOYS
G Chance Warmack, Alabama
Jerry Jones needs a mauling road grader, call him Larry Allen Lite, to match up with Big Blue’s upgraded toughness in the trenches.
19. GIANTS
OT D.J. Fluker, Alabama
No one will be able to see Eli Manning, much less David Wilson, behind this 6-foot-5, 339-pound plug-and-play right tackle Monster of the Meadowlands.
20. BEARS
CB D.J. Hayden, Houston
Marc Trestman’s top four corners all are signed just one more season, and this is a guy who miraculously climbed out of his death bed, so Calvin Johnson won’t scare him.
21. BENGALS
DE Tank Carradine, Florida State
A 6-foot-4, 276-pound specimen five months removed from a torn ACL who would be insurance should either Carlos Dunlap or Michael Johnson leave after the season. Mike Zimmer can get his safety in Round 2.
22. RAMS
WR Cordarrelle Patterson, Tennessee
Sam Bradford needs another dynamic target to reach the next level.
23. VIKINGS
CB Xavier Rhodes, Florida State
Antoine Winfield bolted to Seattle, and this is a 6-foot-2 cover guy with the size to challenge Megatron.
24. COLTS
DE Bjoern Werner, Florida State
Chuck Pagano needs to help Robert Mathis rush the passer now that Dwight Freeney is gone.
25. VIKINGS
DT Sylvester Williams, North Carolina
The 305-pound successor to Kevin Williams.
26. PACKERS
RB Eddie Lacy, Alabama
A 231-pounder who can give Aaron Rodgers some much-needed balance.
27. TEXANS
WR Justin Hunter, Tennessee
A lanky 6-foot-4 complement to Andre Johnson, finally, with 4.44 speed.
28. BRONCOS
S Jonathan Cyprien, Florida Int’l.
Rahim Moore? Ahem. Here’s a 6-foot, 217-pounder who can run with tight ends.
29. PATRIOTS
DE Datone Jones, UCLA
A versatile 6-foot-4, 283-pound bookend for Chandler Jones.
30. FALCONS
CB Desmond Trufant, Washington
Mike Smith needs a bookend for Asante Samuel to help slow Payton and Brees.
31. 49ERS
S Matt Elam, Florida
Donte Whitner needs a sidekick in the secondary now that Dashon Goldson took his talents to Tampa.
32. RAVENS
MLB Manti Te’o, Notre Dame
With Lennay Kekua ineligible, Ozzie Newsome targets his replacement for Ray Lewis.
steve.serby@nypost.com
