The Jets will feature many first-year players in prominent roles in 2021. Here are our final Rookie Power Rankings before the season begins:
Training camp and the preseason allowed the Jets’ rookies to get their feet wet and get acclimated with the speed of the professional game.
Now, it’s time for the real thing.
The Jets kick off the 2021 season on the road against the Panthers on Sunday afternoon. Many of New York’s neophytes will play a major part in Robert Saleh’s first regular season game as a head coach in starting or rotational roles. That will be the case for the entire season, as the Jets are one of the youngest teams in the NFL and are giving their youth extended run on a weekly basis.
Here is a fresh look at where Gang Green’s rookies stand before they take the field in Carolina.
Where do New York’s rookies stand heading into training camp? Jets Wire ranks them all.
Jets Wire’s Rookie Power Rankings are back!
The beginning of training camp marks the beginning of a month-long journey through an NFL camp for New York’s rookie class. The circumstances are less than ideal with the COVID-19 pandemic still in full swing, but training camp will remain a proving ground for Gang Green’s neophytes nonetheless.
With the pads on, the stakes are higher than ever for New York’s promising nine-man 2020 draft class, as well as some undrafted free agents. The intensity and speed of the game will pick up for some and it may take a while to get adjusted. With that being said, each of the Jets’ rookies have enough talent to make some kind of impact this upcoming season.
Without further ado, here is the first edition of Jets Wire’s rookie power rankings for the 2020 season.
Everyone Else
Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports
Before we get into the top five, here is a list of Jets’ rookies who did not make the cut:
RB La’Mical Perine (Fourth-round pick)
Perine is currently New York’s No. 3 running back behind Le’Veon Bell and Frank Gore, which is a good spot for a mid-round draft pick to be. However, with Bell and Gore set to dominate the bulk of the workload in the background, it remains to be seen how much playing time Perine will get at the beginning of the season.
QB James Morgan (Fourth-round pick)
Morgan enters training camp as the Jets’ No. 4 quarterback behind Sam Darnold, Joe Flacco and David Fales. Morgan is all but a lock to crack New York’s 53-man roster at the beginning of the regular season, but he cannot be included in the top five of the power rankings considering his limited role as a backup.
OL Cameron Clark (Fourth-round pick)
The Jets drafted the versatile Clark with an eye on deploying him as a backup who can line up at either guard or tackle in the event of an injury to a veteran starter. Until he enters the starting lineup for one reason or another, Clark will remain out of the top five.
CB Bryce Hall (Fifth-round pick)
Of all the draft picks not included in the initial top five, Hall has the best chance to break into the rankings in the near future. As long as he remains healthy throughout training camp, he has a shot to challenge for the No. 2 cornerback spot opposite Pierre Desir.
Jets Wire breaks down the Jets’ rookie class for the final time this season with its final report card.
The regular season is in the books, which means it’s time to evaluate the overall body of work that each Jets rookie put together in 2019.
New York’s rookie class wound up being relatively underwhelming. Whether it was due to injury or ineffective play, Gang Green’s rookies endured up and down first seasons in the NFL. There is still plenty of hope for the future with this class, though, as it is filled with talented players who have the potential to make an impact for the Jets as soon as next season.
So, where do New York’s neophytes stand with 2019 in the rearview? Let’s take a look in the final Jets Wire rookie power rankings of the year.
Honorable Mention
AP Photo/Adam Hunger
The Jets had seven rookies on their active roster in 2019, which means it wouldn’t be fair to leave two players out of the rankings without some sort of acknowledgment.
Cornerback Kyron Brown appeared in three games and made one start against the Dolphins in Week 14 with New York’s cornerback unit depleted due to injury. Brown played well against Miami, but the injury bug bit him as well and put him out for the final three weeks of the regular season. Tight end Trevon Wesco lucked out on the injury front throughout the year, but caught only two passes for 47 on the season and didn’t exactly stand out in his primary role as a blocker.
Brown’s rookie season didn’t end as he would’ve liked, but his stay at One Jets Drive is likely far from over. The Jets are thin at cornerback and Brown has the measurables to be a solid depth piece moving forward. He’ll get a long look in training camp next summer. Wesco also figures to factor into New York’s plans for the future as a blocking tight end despite his quiet rookie season.
Jets Wire’s latest edition of rookie power rankings comes on the heels of Gang Green’s 42-21 loss to the Ravens on Thursday night.
As expected, the Ravens took it to the Jets on Thursday night football, dominating from start to finish en route to a 42-21 blowout victory.
The end result of New York’s Week 15 showdown with Baltimore should come as no surprise. The Jets are severely banged up on both sides of the ball and didn’t stand much of a chance against a healthy Ravens team who has dominated for most of 2019.
Unfortunately for Gang Green’s rookies, the injury bug has bitten half of the group. Kyron Brown is done for the season with a quad injury, while Chuma Edoga and Quinnen Williams were both sidelined against the Ravens. That makes for a rather uneventful latest edition of Jets Wire’s rookie power rankings series, but we’re going to do some evaluating nonetheless.
Here’s where New York’s rookie class stands after Week 15.
No. 5: OT Chuma Edoga
AP Photo/Lynne Sladky
Last Week: Not Ranked
Ironically, Edoga is back in the rankings due to an injury.
With Kyron Brown on injured reserve, Edoga slides into the back end of the rankings despite sitting out against the Ravens. The hope is that he can return against the Steelers in Week 16, but the Jets aren’t going to rush him back into action.
Jets Wire breaks down New York’s rookie class in the latest edition of the rookie power rankings series.
Categorizing the Jets’ performance against Bengals in Week 13 as disappointing would be a massive understatement.
Armed with the opportunity to extend its winning streak to four, New York simply did not show up against a winless Cincinnati squad. As Gang Green’s veterans turned in lethargic and disinterested performances, the rookies on the squad followed suit and contributed very little in the loss.
With that being said, let’s take a crack at ranking New York’s rookies following Sunday’s action in the latest edition of Jets Wire’s rookie power rankings series.
No. 5: OT Chuma Edoga
AP Photo/John Amis
Last Week: No. 4
Edoga was inactive against the Bengals due to a knee injury.
New York’s offensive line didn’t seem quite the same with Edoga on the bench and Brandon Shell starting at right tackle. The USC product will have a chance to return to the field in Week 14 against the Dolphins if his knee continues to heal as expected.
Jets Wire breaks down New York’s rookie class in the latest edition of the rookie power rankings series.
Bless Austin’s Week 10 performance against the Giants might not have been a fluke after all.
Austin had another solid performance in New York’s dominant win over the Redskins on Sunday. Washington’s passing attack sputtered throughout the afternoon, and Austin was a big reason why as he excelled in coverage all game.
There’s no doubt that Austin has been Gang Green’s best rookie performer for the past two weeks. What about New York’s other neophytes, though? Let’s take a look at where they stand in the latest edition of Jets Wire’s rookie power rankings.
No. 5: TE Trevon Wesco
AP Photo/Lynne Sladky
Last Week: No. 4
One week after recording the first catch of his career, Wesco couldn’t keep the good times rolling against the Redskins.
The West Virginia product did not appear in the box score against Washington. Ryan Griffin served as New York’s dominant tight end with five catches for 109 yards and a touchdown.
Jets Wire breaks down Gang Green’s rookie class following their performances against the Giants.
Not only did the Jets emerge victoriously in Week 10, but they also got blessed by one of their rookies.
Bless Austin made his NFL debut against the Giants and made an instant impact in his first professional action and appearance on a football field in almost two years. He wasn’t the only rookie who made noise for Gang Green on Sunday, though, as another member of New York’s rookie class made a substantial contribution for the first time this season.
So, where do the neophytes stand after the Jets’ second win of the season? Let’s find out in the latest edition of Jets Wire’s rookie power rankings series.
