I think the Jets have had a decent team for at least the last 3 seasons, but have managed to get Top 10 talent each year at the draft despite that. 6 drafts and I'd say only once (Morrissey) have they not walked away with a guy who would arguably go Top 5 in a re-draft.
This is exactly right. They haven't really whiffed on a top pick yet. Stanley seems most likely to be a first-round whiff.
They've also added some good depth picks - Lowry, Copp, Hellebuyck, Petan.
What I really like is that they have added extra quality depth through strategic trades - Armia, Dano, Lemieux, Roslovic, (Stanley). The "price" for this boost to the prospect pool in terms of traded vets was Kane, Bogo and Ladd, and we received Myers and Stafford back. Myers and Stafford might balance Bogo and Kane, all things considered, so the Jets have essentially added the equivalent of 5 first round talents for Ladd. That's a huge haul, and why the Jets have an overflowing cupboard of prospects. They have a big war-chest to go out and fill in gaps in their development pool or on their roster.
Winning the #2 overall in this draft was icing on the cake. Adding a franchise-level talent could be transformative.