New York Jets Draft Marcus Maye 39th Overall

With the 39th overall pick, the New York Jets selected former Florida Gator Marcus Maye, the second Gator to be drafted into the NFL.

Couldn't be more proud of you, Marcus! Congrats. So deserved!! #GatorMade #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/TLjom2WaBf

— Jim McElwain (@CoachMcElwain) April 28, 2017

Maye’s Time as a Gator

Marcus Maye has been overshadowed and underrated in recent years on Florida’s defense due to stars such as Vernon Hargreaves III and Jalen Tabor. However, Maye continued to have a successful year season after season and stayed consistent up until he broke his arm during the 2016 season. Maye played and started in Florida’s first nine games during the 2016 season. He had 50 tackles, which tied him for fourth on the team, one sack, one interception and six pass breakups before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury against South Carolina. He was named Second Team All-SEC across multiple platforms.

Maye played and started in Florida’s first nine games during the 2016 season. He had 50 tackles, which tied him for fourth on the team, one sack, one interception and six pass breakups before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury against South Carolina. He was named Second Team All-SEC across multiple platforms.

During his 2015 season, he was named a First Team All-American by USA Today and Pro Football Focus, named First Team All-SEC by PFF and GridIron Now and was named Second Team All-SEC by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele. He finished the season with 82 tackles and forced five fumbles, which was the second most in the country.

In 2014, Maye broke into the lineup and played both safety and nickel positions. He finished the season with a total of 62 tackles, which was the most among all the defensive backs on the team. He also recorded 12 red zone defensive plays, which led the team. He had a career-high of nine tackles against Kentucky during this season.

Skills Maye Can Bring to the Jets

As you can see by Maye’s career statistics, he is a very consistent athlete. He will be a strong contributor to the Jets special teams. Maye’s built like a safety and his long arms are on of his strengths. According to NFL.com, Maye succeeds as a downhill player and has the instincts and speed to perform efficiently from both single-high and two-deep looks.

While Maye skipped physical tests at the NFL Scouting Combine due to his injury, he made an impressive comeback at Florida’s Pro Day. Darftanalyst.com named Maye the winner of Florida’s Pro Day. His 40-yard dash times were between 4.47 and 4.52 seconds, while his short shuttle times were between 4.12 and 4.18 seconds.

The New York Jets

The New York Jets headed into the 2017 NFL Draft looking for basically everything. Therefore, they were in desperate need for a good defensive back. Maye was a great pick for the Jets due to his instincts of a free safety and his physicality of a box player. He is very versatile and will be a strong contributor to the Jets special teams.