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Jets general manager John Idzik likes the flexibility that comes from having 12 picks in this year's NFL Draft.

(Rich Barnes/USA TODAY Sports)

FLORHAM PARK – Nearing the end of this seemingly interminable lead-up to the NFL Draft, one of the Jets executives who tries to crack this inexact science took numerical stock in the process Wednesday.

Terry Bradway, the Jets’ senior director of college scouting, informed assembled reporters that the Jets had visited 263 different colleges from which the Jets’ scouts wrote reports. Counting repeat trips, the Jets made 575 school visits.

They compiled scouting reports on 1,372 players. They attended 120 college games during the season and 115 pro days after it. They conducted 635 player interviews, though that doesn’t count pro day interviews.

None of these figures are atypical for the Jets. In the end, just one number will matter for them in this draft – 12.

That’s how many selections they have, tied with the Rams for the most this year. The Jets have one pick in each of the first three rounds, and then three in the fourth round. In the sixth round, they have four selections, with three coming during a span of five picks late in that round.

This many picks could give the Jets flexibility to make a trade during the draft, which runs from next Thursday to Saturday.

But if they were considering that, their brass would not let on Wednesday, just as Bradway and general manager John Idzik offered no real insight into the wide receiver or cornerback positions – both areas of need for the Jets.

“We’ll go in open minded,” Idzik said of a trade possibility. “The nice thing about having 12 picks is it does give you flexibility and some maneuverability within the draft. If you have fewer picks, I guess you’re less apt to do that.”

Idzik added that the Jets “don’t mind picking them all,” and simply proceeding through the draft as it is currently laid out, with their 12 selections.

(The Jets have four compensatory selections in this year's draft, because of free agents lost and gained last year. But those picks -- one at the end of the fourth round and three at the end of the sixth round -- cannot be traded.)

The draft was pushed back two weeks this year, but that did not affect when the Jets will finalize their draft board – the pecking order of players they desire. The board will be complete by the end of this week, just as it always is the week before the draft, Idzik said.

“The couple weeks leading right into the draft are the same as they were before,” said Idzik, who is preparing for his second year as the Jets’ general manager.

What’s different for the Jets is they did not attack free agency this year with the same zeal as they did under Idzik’s predecessor, Mike Tannenbaum. So the Jets still have holes at receiver, tight end and cornerback, which seems to put more pressure on them to have a productive draft, particularly since they possess so many picks.

“I don’t know that there’s any more pressure based on what transpired or what may not have transpired during free agency,” Idzik said.

The Jets, who pick 18th in the first round, will come out of the first two days (and first three rounds) with three players, barring a trade. The draft’s final day, when the fourth through seventh rounds are selected, is set to give the Jets nine players. This is the day when hidden-gem players can be found, when scouts’ insights prove critical for a building franchise like the Jets.

“For our scouts, Saturday is going to be a fun day,” Bradway said. “It’s going to be a big day. We probably have more draftable players on our board than we’ve had in a few years. With 12 picks, I think that’s going to be pretty good.”