7 NFL Draft Prospects Who Are Perfect Fits for NFL's Worst Teams

The NFL prides itself on parity, on being a league in which any given team can win on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays and occasionally Saturdays.

The 2021 New York Jets have been a perfect example of how the haves and the have-nots aren't always that far apart. The Jets have beaten two potential title contenders in the Tennessee Titans and the Cincinnati Bengals. However, anyone who watched New York get dominated by the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday night can recognize that the Jets themselves are not close to contention.

No squad should be circled as a win on the schedule, but bad teams do exist in the NFL. The hope is that they don't stay bad forever.

How does a team like the Jets go from being a plucky underdog to a playoff team? They do it by adding the right pieces in free agency and especially through the draft. The Bengals, for example, were in the Jets' shoes just a couple of years ago. They won two games in 2019, have since used first-round picks on centerpieces Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase and now boast a 5-3 record and a passing attack ranked second in yards per attempt.

Finding the perfect fit early in the draft can change a franchise's fortunes.

Here, we'll examine the seven NFL teams with two or fewer wins entering Week 9 and match them with 2022 draft prospects who would fit perfectly. We'll dive into where these teams' weaknesses lie and how they can be addressed with the right draft selection.

Teams are listed in alphabetical order.

Team Record: 0-8

The Detroit Lions have yet to win a game, and logic would suggest they should be on the lookout for a new franchise quarterback. However, no quarterback prospect has established himself as a must-have at No. 1 overall, where Detroit is currently slated to pick, and it's fair to question whether the Lions could find an immediate upgrade over Jared Goff in this class.

Goff hasn't been tremendous—he holds a passer rating of just 85.3—but he's far from Detroit's biggest issue. The Lions lack talent on both sides of the ball and currently rank 27th in total offense, 24th in total defense, 30th in scoring and 31st in points allowed.

The Lions are in position to take the best player available because they need a little bit of everything. If they secure the top spot in the draft, that player will likely be Oregon pass-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux.

This is a pairing that the Bleacher Report Scouting Department made at the top of their latest mock draft, and it's hard to disagree.

"Best player in the draft. Plain and simple," Bleacher Report's Derrik Klassen said.

Thibodeaux, who has four sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss through five games, is a potential NFL game-wrecker in the mold of Nick Bosa or Myles Garrett. If a team cannot land a true franchise quarterback in the draft, landing a franchise pass-rusher is the next best thing.

Plus, the Lions have a second first-round pick, acquired from the Los Angeles Rams. If they want to take a flier on a signal-caller, they can do it later in the first round.

Team Record: 1-7

Remember what we just said about a franchise pass-rusher being nearly as valuable as a franchise quarterback? That's the thought process here as we examine another pairing from the B/R Scouting Department's mock draft.

The reality is that the Houston Texans do need a new franchise signal-caller. They are widely expected to part ways with Deshaun Watson, who has requested a trade and faces 22 civil lawsuits and 10 criminal complaints from women who have accused him of sexual assault or misconduct. 

However, Houston has seen some flashes of promise from rookie quarterback Davis Mills, and it lacks talent all over the roster. Mills, who holds a passer rating of just 80.2, may not be the long-term answer. The problem is that there isn't a quarterback prospect who appears worthy of being taken over one of the draft's top edge defenders.

But Purdue edge-rusher George Karlaftis is worthy of a top-five pick, and he'd be a terrific addition for the Texans. A polished pass-rusher who has tallied three sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss and one fumble-return touchdown this season, Karlaftis could be Houston's new defensive centerpiece.

It's worth noting that since the end of last season, the Texans have parted with pass-rushers J.J. Watt, Whitney Mercilus and Charles Omenihu.

Houston could also benefit from adding a young wide receiver to aid Mills, Tyrod Taylor or a journeyman quarterback to be named later. However, it still has Brandin Cooks on the roster and signed through the 2022 season. Cooks, by the way, appears comfortable with the rebuilding process.

"It would be pretty special to be a part of something that's turned around," Cooks said, per Coty Davis of Texans Wire. "How that looks, I don't know. I've got to trust that."

Team Record: 1-6

The Jacksonville Jaguars are one of the league's most overmatched teams each week, and it's unclear whether first-year head coach Urban Meyer will survive beyond the 2021 season. The good news is that Jacksonville should have its franchise quarterback in place after taking Clemson's Trevor Lawrence first overall this past April.

Lawrence hasn't put it all together just yet, but he has as much upside as any young passer in the game.

Jacksonville could help unlock Lawrence's potential by getting him a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver. The Jaguars have some promising young guys in Laviska Shenault Jr. and DJ Chark Jr., but the 31-year-old Marvin Jones Jr. is currently Lawrence's top option.

Jones leads the team with 33 receptions and 378 receiving yards.

Jacksonville's needs will change if they land, say, Davante Adams in free agency. However, going the Burrow-Chase route and pairing Lawrence with a premier receiver prospect would make a ton of sense.

Ohio State's Garrett Wilson isn't a former teammate of Lawrence like Chase was to Burrow, but he's a fantastic pass-catcher with No. 1 receiver traits and plenty of production.

Through eight games this season, Wilson has caught 43 passes for 687 yards and six touchdowns.

"He tracks the deep ball well, and while he isn't going to elude many defenders laterally, he turns up field and hits the second gear so swiftly that he is trouble after the catch," ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay wrote of Wilson.

McShay lists Wilson as the No. 8 prospect on his draft board.

Team Record: 1-7

At this rate, the Miami Dolphins are likely looking at another rebuild in the offseason. Head coach Brian Flores has failed to meet expectations coming off of a 10-win season, and the jury is still out on second-year quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

Miami may look to replace Tagovailoa in the draft, though it has shown interest in acquiring Watson from the Texans. If the Dolphins don't make a move for Watson, they already have a developmental quarterback in Tagovailoa.

The Dolphins have plenty of needs besides a quarterback, though, as they rank 30th in total offense, 31st in total defense and 29th in both scoring and points allowed. Unfortunately, Miami may not land a top-10 selection, as the Philadelphia Eagles own the Dolphins' first-round pick, and Miami owns that of the San Francisco 49ers because of trades.

Adding a high-end cornerback prospect like Clemson's Andrew Booth Jr. would go a long way toward improving Miami's 31st-ranked pass defense. The Dolphins have one quality cornerback in Xavien Howard—though he did request a trade in the offseason—but their secondary as a whole leaves much to be desired.

Prized 2020 addition Byron Jones has not lived up to his five-year, $82.5 million contract. He's allowed an opposing passer rating above 100 since joining the Dolphins.

Enter Booth, who has the skills to partner with Howard on the perimeter or replace him if Miami decides to move on.

"Booth is a rangy corner with lockdown potential," Bleacher Report's Cory Giddings said.

Of course, if the Dolphins do deal for Watson, they're unlikely to have a first-round selection at all.

Team Record: 2-6

We'll assume the New York Giants decide to stick with quarterback Daniel Jones for at least another season. Jones has shown plenty of flashes through his two-plus seasons in New York, and he's played very well at times this season, especially considering his injury-depleted supporting cast.

Players like running back Saquon Barkley, wideout Kenny Golladay and offensive tackle Andrew Thomas have all missed time.

If the Giants are going to successfully build around Jones, they need to dramatically improve his offensive line.

Thomas, the fourth overall pick in the 2020 draft, has yet to establish himself as a premier left tackle. He allowed 10 sacks as a rookie, according to Pro Football Focus, and he's now on injured reserve with an ankle injury. The line as a whole has been a liability, as Jones has been sacked 62 times and fumbled 16 times since the start of last season.

This is where Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal comes into play. Neal is a premier tackle prospect with enough positional versatility to fit virtually anywhere along New York's line.

"Neal has played all over the Alabama line, starting at guard as a freshman before sliding to right tackle in 2020 and finally left tackle this season," McShay wrote. "He mirrors and slides really well, and speed rushers struggle to get around his long frame."

Neal is the No. 3 prospect on McShay's big board.

The Giants can simply snag Neal and figure out exactly where to plug him after the fact.

Team Record: 2-6

The Jets aren't going to reach for a quarterback after taking Zach Wilson second overall this past April. They also have a promising left tackle in Mekhi Becton, a solid young runner in Michael Carter and a functional receiving corps that can be augmented in free agency.

Next spring, New York should focus on fixing a defense that ranks dead-last in both yards and points allowed.

While addressing a run defense that just got embarrassed by the Colts would be smart, there's plenty of work to be done in the secondary too. The Jets rank 27th in pass defense and 24th in yards per pass attempt allowed.

Adding LSU's Derek Stingley Jr. would immediately give New York a high-end cover corner on the back end. Stingley, who logged five pass breakups and 19 solo tackles in 2020, is one of the best overall prospects in this class, though he's been out since mid-September following foot surgery.

"He is long, fast and physical, but his versatility is key. Stingley can play press-man, off-coverage, free safety and the overhang position. A bonus: Stingley also has experience returning punts," McShay wrote.

Stingley is the No. 2 prospect on McShay's big board and was the third overall pick in the B/R Scouting Department's mock.

Defense is the calling card of Jets head coach Robert Saleh. While the Jets defense has been a disaster this season, Saleh will look to change this moving forward—and he'd have a lot of fun finding creative ways to scheme around Stingley.

Team Record: 2-6

Just because there isn't a sure-thing quarterback in this draft class doesn't mean that signal-callers won't go early. The Washington Football Team has a serviceable placeholder in Taylor Heinicke (84.3 rating) but is still on the hunt for a legitimate franchise quarterback.

"Until you get one, you're always going to be looking," head coach Ron Rivera told 106.7 The Fan (h/t Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk).

If Washington is willing to gamble on a quarterback prospect next year, Liberty's Malik Willis would be the perfect candidate. He lacks polish but would be a smart traits-based pick Washington can develop for the long term.

The second quarterback taken in the B/R Scouting Department's mock, Willis is the top quarterback on McShay's board. A dynamic dual threat, Willis fits the mold of young successful quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray and Josh Allen.

"Willis is an electric thrower and athlete at the quarterback position," Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network wrote. "The raw athletic tools are prominent and easy to identify, allowing Willis to play off-script and create chunk plays or use his quick-twitch ability in the pocket as a 'get out of jail free' card."

Rivera has plenty of experience developing a dual-threat quarterback from his time with the Carolina Panthers and Cam Newton. He should know firsthand just how valuable a signal-caller like Willis can be.

It will likely take a year or two for Willis to develop, but Washington is proving this season that it isn't a quarterback away from contention. As the Buffalo Bills did with Allen, the Football Team can work through Willis' early struggles and emerge with an elite second- or third-year quarterback.

Contract information via Spotrac. Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference unless otherwise noted.