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The New York Jets dropped from No. 1 to No. 2 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft order with a Sunday victory over the Los Angeles Rams. Many project the Jacksonville Jaguars will do the smart thing and select Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the top pick; just as New York would have done if they were in the same situation. Although it might be a bit disappointing to lose out on Lawrence, all hope is not lost for the Jets. Here is a simple flow chart to help fans sort through the options:

Does GM Joe Douglas have any confidence in Sam Darnold? 

If yes:

 
The team can move forward with Darnold rather than taking another quarterback early. In the event that New York believes they can win football games with Darnold, the team could either draft the best player available or trade down to a team that does covet one of those top tier quarterback prospects and acquire more draft capital in the process.

There are not many elite non-quarterback talents that could inspire the Jets to remain at No. 2 overall. Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell would be interesting because Douglas' philosophy is grounded in building the roster from the inside out, which means solidifying the offensive and defensive lines after the quarterback position. Sewell, who opted out prior to the start of the college football season, has played left tackle in his career at Eugene. New York used its first-round pick on Louisville offensive tackle Mekhi Becton a year ago. Although Becton has missed some time with injury, he has been very good in his rookie season. If Sewell or Becton can slide over to right tackle, then this could be an option. For instance, Cleveland signed Jack Conklin in free agency a year ago, then drafted Alabama's Jedrick Wills in the first-round. Wills had played right tackle in high school and college but has shown promise in his transition to left tackle. Darnold would have the makings of his first high-level offensive line since he arrived. There are supporters who feel he could find success if surrounded by the proper talent. 

If Sewell is not the right fit, perhaps the team adds a lockdown cornerback like Virginia Tech's Caleb Farley or Alabama's Patrick Surtain II. LSU wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase might be another intriguing option but, presented those latter three options, Douglas would likely find more value in a trade down situation. New York could presumably slide back to No. 4 or No. 5 overall, pick up an additional first-round pick or multiple second-round picks and still land one of those three players. It could also open the door for an edge rusher like Miami's Gregory Rousseau or the next best lineman, such as Northwestern's Rashawn Slater. There is an understanding that Los Angeles or Cincinnati would take Sewell in the event he is on the board before the Jets return to the clock. 

With those additional draft picks, Douglas has a lot to work with to make additional trades. He could exchange draft capital for veterans to speed up the rebuilding process or he could move around in the draft order to target other prospects of interest. New York already holds Seattle's first-round picks in 2021 and 2022 as part of the trade involving safety Jamal Adams. 

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If no:

If Darnold is not the long-term answer, there are essentially two moves that could be made with branching transactions to follow. New York could select the best quarterback prospect available; likely BYU's Zach Wilson, Ohio State's Justin Fields or North Dakota State's Trey Lance. Each carries a little more risk than Lawrence but the upside is no less exciting. The second option is that New York presents a godfather offer to Jacksonville for the right to select No. 1 overall. Under no circumstance should the Jaguars entertain this deal but the Jets could theoretically offer a package involving some combination of the No. 2 overall pick, Seattle's first-round picks in 2021 and 2022, a high second-round pick and Darnold.

If New York adds another quarterback, Darnold is out the door. Teams do not retain former high draft picks at the quarterback position when they are bringing in a newly minted prospect at the same position. See: Rosen, Josh. The Cardinals fetched a second-round pick in exchange for Rosen so one would assume that Darnold, who has two years of control left on his rookie deal, would bring similar or greater value in return. The concern is that the USC product has missed ten games over the course of his first three seasons. 

Option No. 2 is the most likely, in my opinion. The franchise would hypothetically select either Fields or Wilson and trade Darnold for a late first-round pick. Douglas then has a lot of ammunition -- four of the top 35 picks, in fact -- to fill some needs on the roster. In addition to edge rusher, cornerback and offensive line previously noted in this article, the Jets have needs at linebacker, wide receiver and essentially everywhere else on the roster. 

Prior to becoming the general manager in the Big Apple, Douglas served as the vice president of player personnel with the Eagles. His first year in Philadelphia was the year the team selected North Dakota State's Carson Wentz at No. 2 overall. The NFC franchise was aggressive in trading up for the pick. His experience watching Eagles general manager Howie Roseman navigate that unique set of circumstances will only benefit him in 2020 and moving forward. His first big decision comes early in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Here are some draft resources that could be valuable: the first mock draft with Jacksonville picking No. 1 overall, 2021 NFL Draft prospect rankings, and the draft order following Week 15 play.