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[New York Jets]

Free agent positional scarcity and the NFL draft

Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images

Some positions just need to be drafted

Much is made every year about how teams should draft the best player on the board, or “BPA.” However, that argument fails to consider a crucial factor, which is that certain positions are not only more valuable, but that players who play those positions are extremely hard to acquire on the free agent market.

Yep. Not only is there a lack of talent but the talent doesnt leave the team who drafts them pic.twitter.com/bbdWVH95Rl

— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) April 8, 2025​

As shown in the above plot by Jason of Overthecap.com, the percentage of top 20 players who reach free agency varies quite a bit by position. While top 20 linebackers reach free agency at a rate nearing 70%, top 20 quarterbacks, left tackles, and wide receivers reach free agency at a rate that is 3 times less. Overall, that implies that these premium positions are in a “draft it or don’t have it” situation for teams, which strongly incentivizes teams to identify draftable talent at these positions and get them into the building (and then locked up for the long-term).

Related to the New York Jets, this has short-term implications for their decision around wide receiver Garrett Wilson. Basically, this implies that a replacement at his level would essentially have to come in the draft, which is an inexact science to put it lightly. While other wideouts may be better than Wilson, this hits home just how difficult it will be to acquire one of those options, giving him quite a bit of leverage in negotiations if the Jets hope to be competitive in the near future.

Source: https://www.ganggreennation.com/202...city-and-the-nfl-draft-garrett-wilson-ny-jets

 

[New York Jets]

Building A GGN Big Board 2025: Prospect No. 40

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Let’s crowd source a 2025 NFL draft big board

We have the #40 prospect on the 2025 GGN Big Board. And the winner is: Mason Taylor, Tight End, LSU! With Taylor taking the #40 spot, our crowd sourced Big Board now looks like this:

1. Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
2. Travis Hunter, Cornerback/Wide Receiver, Colorado
3. Mason Graham, Defensive Tackle, Michigan
4. Cam Ward, Quarterback, Miami
5. Tyler Warren, Tight End, Penn State
6. Ashton Jeanty, Running Back, Boise State
7. Tetairoa McMillan, Wide Receiver, Arizona
8. Will Campbell, Offensive Lineman, LSU
9. Armand Membou, Offensive Tackle, Missouri
10. Will Johnson, Cornerback, Michigan
11. Shedeur Sanders, Quarterback, Colorado
12. Kelvin Banks Jr, Offensive Tackle, Texas
13. Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia
14. Malaki Starks, Safety, Georgia
15. Shemar Stewart, Edge, Texas A&M
16. Jalon Walker, Edge, Georgia
17. Matthew Golden, Wide Receiver, Texas
18. Nick Emmanwori, Safety, South Carolina
19. Colston Loveland, Tight End, Michigan
20. Jaxson Dart, Quarterback, Mississippi
21. Jahdae Barron, Cornerback, Texas
22. Emeka Egbuka, Wide Receiver, Ohio State
23. Mike Green, Edge, Marshall
24. Jihaad Campbell, Linebacker, Alabama
25. Kenneth Grant, Defensive Tackle, Michigan (Tie 25)
26. Josh Simmons, Offensive Tackle, Ohio State (Tie 25)
27. Walter Nolen, Defensive Tackle, Mississippi
28. James Pearce Jr, Edge, Tennessee
29. Luther Burden, Wide Receiver, Missouri
30. Derrick Harmon, Defensive Tackle, Oregon
31. Omarion Hampton, Running Back, North Carolina
32. Tyler Booker, Offensive Lineman, Alabama (Tie 32)
33. Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College (Tie 32)
34. Josh Conerly, Offensive Tackle, Oregon (Tie 32)
35. J.T. Tuimoloau, Edge, Ohio State
36. Dillon Gabriel, Quarterback, Oregon
37. Tyleik Williams, Defensive Tackle, Ohio State
38. Aireontae Ersery, Offensive Tackle, Minnesota
39. Jack Sawyer, Edge, Ohio State
40. Mason Taylor, Tight End, LSU
41. ?

From now until late April I’ll be putting up a daily poll asking GGN to vote on the best available players from a rolling list of 15 candidates. The idea here is to build a generic Big Board reflecting the community’s view of this year’s draft class regardless of the Jets’ (or any other team’s) particular needs. For example, you may think the Jets don’t need a Center this year, but that should not necessarily prevent you from placing a Center high on the Big Board if said Center warrants it. Each day we will close the previous day’s poll and the candidate with the most votes will be added to the GGN Big Board. In the event of a tie vote both players will go up on the Board. By the time the draft rolls around we should have 50 players on our Big Board.

If a name you think should be on the poll is not there you can write in candidates in the comments. If a player gets support in the comments I’ll consider adding him to the poll. If a player repeatedly gets zero votes he may be dropped from the poll for a few days.

We all have different views. What we’re looking for here is a composite of the best players in the community’s collective mind. Your views may or may not coincide with the community’s, and either way that’s OK. Life here on GGN would be pretty boring if we all agreed on everything.

Let’s get to it. Today we continue with the #41 prospect on the crowd sourced GGN Big Board 2025. Who will it be? Vote early, vote often, and let’s hear who you think are the best players in this draft.

Source: https://www.ganggreennation.com/202...ct-no-40-mason-taylor-nfl-draft-new-york-jets

 

[New York Jets]

Why Jalen Milroe attending night 1 of NFL draft matters

Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images

Is Milroe going in the first round?

Quarterback Jalen Milroe is one of the more polarizing prospects in the 2025 NFL draft. On one hand, the quarterback had some impressive output stats (e.g., 36 total touchdowns in 2024) and is one the fastest quarterback prospects ever seen.

Jalen Milroe blazes to a 4.37 in the 40 yard dash. He is this draft classes’ Justin Fields. In the right situation and with the right pieces around him, he possesses ELITE traits that no other QB in this draft class has. Ceiling for him is Jalen Hurts. pic.twitter.com/d50tRBXQ03

— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) March 19, 2025​

On the other, his passing leaves something to be desired according to some.

Despite the latter (and the importance of the latter to play quarterback at the NFL level), Milroe’s projected draft position has seemed to hover in the late first, early second round range for months. However, news recently broke that Milroe has been invited to and agreed to attend the first round of the NFL draft, signaling that he is likely to be selected in round 1. Indeed, ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky implied as much recently.

He and Dart will both be drafted higher than expected https://t.co/dWRa2cc99s

— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) April 6, 2025​

For the New York Jets this is notable, as they recently invested in quarterback Justin Fields who comes with a similar skillset of being a superb runner and more of an “okay” passer. This gives some reason to think they would be open to taking a player like Milroe who comes with a ton of potential based on his athleticism but has yet to fully tap into it. With that in mind, if the Jets want Milroe than a trade up may be required, making this something to monitor on draft day.

What do you think? Yay or nay to a Jets trade up for Milroe?

Source: https://www.ganggreennation.com/202...-draft-why-that-matters-ny-jets-justin-fields

 

[New York Jets]

Scouting Jets defensive tackle Jay Tufele

Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Taking a look at a Jets free agent signing

The New York Jets signed former Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Jay Tufele to a one-year contract early on in free agency. Today we break Tufele down in detail.

The 25-year old Tufele is listed at 6’3” and 310 pounds and was a fourth round pick out of USC in 2021. He has started five games in his NFL career, recording 44 tackles, three tackles for loss, four quarterback hits, a pass defensed and half a sack in four years.

Background

Tufele was almost 300 pounds as a high schooler and was a five-star recruit who enrolled at USC in 2017 and redshirted his first season.

In 2018, he saw action in a rotational role that saw him start five games. He ended the season with 23 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, earning all-Pac 12 second team honors. He also returned a fumble for a 48-yard touchdown.

As a redshirt sophomore in 2019, he was a first team all-Pac 12 selection after racking up 41 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

However, he opted out of the 2020 season due to the Covid-19 pandemic, deciding to instead prepare to be an early entry into the 2021 draft. While some sites had him listed as a probable day two and possible late first round pick ahead of the 2020 season, sitting out a year hurt his stock and he was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round.

Tufele struggled to make an impact as a rookie, ending up with just two tackles in four games. He was released in final cuts ahead of the 2022 season. However, the Bengals claimed him off waivers and he found himself a home as a rotational lineman with them over the past three seasons.

In 2022, he played in seven games, starting two. He ended up with 16 tackles, two tackles for loss and two quarterback hits. He then had 11 tackles in 10 games as a reserve in 2023.

Last season, he played in 13 games, starting three, and ended up with 15 tackles and the first half-sack of his career. However, the Bengals did not extend him, so he hit the open market at the end of the year.

The Jets signed Tufele to a one-year minimum salary deal during the early stages of free agency.

Let’s move on to some more in-depth analysis of what Tufele brings to the table as a player, based on extensive research and film study.

Measurables/Athleticism

Tufele was already an NFL-sized defensive tackle by the time he was about 16 but he lacks ideal length. Having been part of the draft class that didn’t get a chance to work out at the combine due to the pandemic, he impressed during his pro day workout with a 5.02 time in the 40-yard dash and 30 bench press reps.

His explosiveness and agility numbers were slight below average for the position but he shows flashes of both in his film.

Usage

Tufele has played the majority of his reps at the NFL and college levels as a traditional B-gap defensive tackle, mostly in four-man fronts. He has lined up outside or over the center from time to time but not very often.

He has never had a chance to be a ball carrier, other than on his fumble return in college, but he actually has some experience at this, as he also has a background in rugby.

Motor

Tufele brings plenty of energy as he battles in the trenches. He keeps working after his first move is repelled and hustles in pursuit.

He hasn’t really had a starter’s workload at any stage of his career, with the most snaps he’s played in an NFL game being just 37. However, he has played 50 or more a couple of times in preseason.

Pass rush

With eight sacks in two seasons at USC, the Jaguars and Bengals probably expected more production from Tufele as a pass rusher. However, he has just half a sack in regular season action and doesn’t have one in preseason either.

Despite this, he has shown promise at times. A feature of his rushing is his violent hand work, as he chops down to keep offensive linemen’s hands off him.

He brings power but also has some quickness and agility and can even get to the quarterback versus a double team.

However, his overall pressure rates have been underwhelming, both in regular season and preseason action.

Run defense

Tufele’s run defense grades on analysis sites such as Pro Football Focus have typically been below average. He is often controlled at the point of attack or sealed off as his momentum is used against him to take him out of a play.

He has made plenty of impressive plays at the NFL level though. He displays the quickness to shoot gaps and explode into the backfield.

Perhaps his most impressive attribute is his strength. When he gets his pads low, he can hold his ground against a double team and even leverage his way into running lanes.

He’s efficient on the move too, reacting and hustling downhill with good range to prevent this run from getting to the second level.

Technique

As noted, Tufele has good strength and uses his hands well. When he combines this with good technique he can be effective at leveraging his way off blocks to maintain his gap.

As a pass rusher, he isn’t regarded as someone who will string moves together, but his athletic ability means he can look good when he tries to win matchups this way, so this could be an area with growth potential.

Special teams

Other than one snap rushing a punt, Tufele’s only role on special teams in college and at the pro level has been on the kick block unit.

He had one penalty in college but also had this crucial field goal block to preserve a big win against a Pac 12 rival.

Tackling

Tufele hasn’t been a very productive tackler at the NFL level as he’s averaged less than 1.5 tackles per game despite being more productive in college. However, he does contribute by bottling up runs for other players to clean up while he occupies blockers.

Missed tackles have never been a major issue for him, although he had three last season after having only had two in his first three years combined.

Coverage

Tufele never dropped into coverage in college and has only done so once at the NFL level on a play where the Bengals gave up a touchdown although this wasn’t his fault.

He batted down one pass at the line in college and has done this once in the NFL too. He will also hustle to get in on the play on short passes.

Instincts/Intelligence

The book on Tufele as he entered the NFL was that he was more of an attacking lineman who was less comfortable when tasked with a read and react assignment. However, there are signs that this is something he’s improved at since being drafted.

His awareness can sometimes be lacking when he is hit with a down block and he has yet to develop a good feel for transitioning to counter moves when initially repelled by pass protectors.

Attitude/Demeanor

Tufele’s coaches and teammates have been complimentary about his attitude and character. He’s viewed as a competitor with mental and physical toughness.

His on-field discipline at the NFL level has been excellent with just one defensive penalty in his career, for defensive holding. He had four in college.

He’s not a vocal leader and can be emotional at times, but he’s worked on his maturity and is regarded as a hard worker who is coachable.

As a measure of his determination, when he was in high school, he was once chewed out by the coaches for being two minutes late to an early morning meeting and when they asked him why he was late it turned out he had walked 15 miles to be there.

Injuries

At the NFL level, Tufele has missed 33 games, although most of these have been as a healthy scratch. He did miss six games on injured reserve in his rookie year, though, having broken his hand in a pre-game warmup.

He had some issues in college and high school too. He didn’t play as a high school senior due to a torn ligament in his foot and dealt with a hand injury that required stitches and bothered him throughout the 2019 season at USC. He didn’t miss any game or practice time due to that, though, showcasing his toughness.

Scheme Fit

The Jets signed a trio of veteran linemen to low-level deals in free agency and Tufele will compete for a role with the other two (Byron Cowart and Derrick Nnadi). You can expect any of these to end up in a rotational role as a 4-3 defensive tackle, which would be similar to the role Tufele has already played in his NFL career.

Tufele was a former teammate of current Jet Alijah Vera-Tucker at USC and played with Andre Cisco and Quincy Williams at Jacksonville. He was also a teammate of punter Austin McNamara in Cincinnati.

Conclusions

As a five-star prospect who was drafted in the mid rounds and was a rotational contributor so far in his career, it’s perhaps surprising that Tufele already hit the open market and wasn’t able to get anything more than a minimum salary deal. Especially when some of his film is actually pretty impressive.

He’s still only 25 and it’s a young 25 because he didn’t play in 2016 (injury), 2017 (redshirt) or 2020 (opt-out) so there is plenty of tread on those tires and, the Jets will hope, some residual untapped potential.

It can be treated as a prove-it deal for Tufele, who will no doubt work hard and with a chip on his shoulder as he seeks to establish himself. It should be a good competition on the defensive interior this summer.

Source: https://www.ganggreennation.com/202...ing-new-york-jets-defensive-tackle-jay-tufele

 

[New York Jets]

Building A GGN Big Board 2025: Prospect No. 42

Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images

Let’s crowd source a 2025 NFL draft big board

We have the #42 prospect on the 2025 GGN Big Board. And the winner is: Grey Zabel, Offensive Lineman, North Dakota State! With Zabel taking the #42 spot, our crowd sourced Big Board now looks like this:

1. Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
2. Travis Hunter, Cornerback/Wide Receiver, Colorado
3. Mason Graham, Defensive Tackle, Michigan
4. Cam Ward, Quarterback, Miami
5. Tyler Warren, Tight End, Penn State
6. Ashton Jeanty, Running Back, Boise State
7. Tetairoa McMillan, Wide Receiver, Arizona
8. Will Campbell, Offensive Lineman, LSU
9. Armand Membou, Offensive Tackle, Missouri
10. Will Johnson, Cornerback, Michigan
11. Shedeur Sanders, Quarterback, Colorado
12. Kelvin Banks Jr, Offensive Tackle, Texas
13. Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia
14. Malaki Starks, Safety, Georgia
15. Shemar Stewart, Edge, Texas A&M
16. Jalon Walker, Edge, Georgia
17. Matthew Golden, Wide Receiver, Texas
18. Nick Emmanwori, Safety, South Carolina
19. Colston Loveland, Tight End, Michigan
20. Jaxson Dart, Quarterback, Mississippi
21. Jahdae Barron, Cornerback, Texas
22. Emeka Egbuka, Wide Receiver, Ohio State
23. Mike Green, Edge, Marshall
24. Jihaad Campbell, Linebacker, Alabama
25. Kenneth Grant, Defensive Tackle, Michigan (Tie 25)
26. Josh Simmons, Offensive Tackle, Ohio State (Tie 25)
27. Walter Nolen, Defensive Tackle, Mississippi
28. James Pearce Jr, Edge, Tennessee
29. Luther Burden, Wide Receiver, Missouri
30. Derrick Harmon, Defensive Tackle, Oregon
31. Omarion Hampton, Running Back, North Carolina
32. Tyler Booker, Offensive Lineman, Alabama (Tie 32)
33. Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College (Tie 32)
34. Josh Conerly, Offensive Tackle, Oregon (Tie 32)
35. J.T. Tuimoloau, Edge, Ohio State
36. Dillon Gabriel, Quarterback, Oregon
37. Tyleik Williams, Defensive Tackle, Ohio State
38. Aireontae Ersery, Offensive Tackle, Minnesota
39. Jack Sawyer, Edge, Ohio State
40. Mason Taylor, Tight End, LSU
41. Shavon Revel Jr., Cornerback, East Carolina
42. Grey Zabel, Offensive Lineman, North Dakota State
43. ?

From now until late April I’ll be putting up a daily poll asking GGN to vote on the best available players from a rolling list of 15 candidates. The idea here is to build a generic Big Board reflecting the community’s view of this year’s draft class regardless of the Jets’ (or any other team’s) particular needs. For example, you may think the Jets don’t need a Center this year, but that should not necessarily prevent you from placing a Center high on the Big Board if said Center warrants it. Each day we will close the previous day’s poll and the candidate with the most votes will be added to the GGN Big Board. In the event of a tie vote both players will go up on the Board. By the time the draft rolls around we should have 50 players on our Big Board.

If a name you think should be on the poll is not there you can write in candidates in the comments. If a player gets support in the comments I’ll consider adding him to the poll. If a player repeatedly gets zero votes he may be dropped from the poll for a few days.

We all have different views. What we’re looking for here is a composite of the best players in the community’s collective mind. Your views may or may not coincide with the community’s, and either way that’s OK. Life here on GGN would be pretty boring if we all agreed on everything.

Let’s get to it. Today we continue with the #43 prospect on the crowd sourced GGN Big Board 2025. Who will it be? Vote early, vote often, and let’s hear who you think are the best players in this draft.

Source: https://www.ganggreennation.com/202...pect-no-42-grey-zabel-nfl-draft-new-york-jets

 

[New York Jets]

Darren Mougey says Alijah Vera-Tucker will play guard: What that means for the Jets’ draft

Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images

Do the Jets need to target a starting right tackle?

Alijah Vera-Tucker has been nothing if not a team player during his tenure on the New York Jets. Since being drafted in 2021, Vera-Tucker has played all over the offensive line, often being asked to fill in to replace injured players on an as needed basis. That tendency was bucked in 2024 as Vera-Tucker played each of his 916 snaps at right guard, but things could change in 2025 with a new front office and coaching staff entering the picture.

Recently, new general manager Darren Mougey threw cold water on that idea, stating plainly that Vera-Tucker will remain at guard.

Darren Mougey says Alijah Vera-Tucker will play guard pic.twitter.com/p2HC2jQVy0

— Jets Videos (@snyjets) March 30, 2025​

For the Jets, this takes away the best in-house candidate to play right tackle, which is notable with the departure of Morgan Moses to the rival New England Patriots. As of now, the Jets starting right tackle would likely be one of Carter Warren, Max Mitchell, or Chukwuma Okorafor, leaving much to be desired from the right tackle position given that none of these players have shown much at the NFL level.

Moreover, this also sets the Jets up to potentially take a right tackle with a premium pick in the 2025 NFL draft. This may explain why they have been increasingly linked to a player such as tackle Armand Membou, with Jets insider Tony Pauline seemingly implying that he is the Jets preferred plan at pick #7 in recent days.

“The latest rumors in league circles say the Jets will work the phones attempting to move down if Membou is not available.”

- @TonyPauline pic.twitter.com/Nbq4uTW9Dn

— SleeperJets (@SleeperJets) April 11, 2025​

Source: https://www.ganggreennation.com/202...jah-vera-tucker-will-play-guard-jets-draft-ny

 

[New York Jets]

Scouting Jets wide receiver Tyler Johnson

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Taking a look at a new Jets wide receiver

The New York Jets signed former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Tyler Johnson to a one-year contract early on in free agency. Today we break Johnson down in detail.

The 26-year old Johnson is listed at 6’1” and 206 pounds. He was a fifth round pick out of Minnesota in 2020. He has started eight games in his career, catching 76 passes for 828 yards and four touchdowns.

Background

Johnson was a three-star high school recruit, where he had been a dual threat quarterback. However, he was recruited to Minnesota to play wide receiver.

He only started one game as a true freshman, ending the year with 14 catches for 141 yards and a touchdown. However, his role increased in 2017 and he ended up with 35 catches for 677 yards and seven scores in 10 games as a starter.

In 2018, he was a first team all-Big Ten selection after catching 78 passes for 1,169 yards and 12 touchdowns. However, he opted not to enter the 2019 draft and improved on those numbers with 81 catches, 1,318 yards and 13 touchdowns, closing out his college career with a 12 catch, 204 yard, two touchdown effort in the Outback Bowl as he once again earned first-team all-conference honors.

Johnson lasted into the middle rounds before being drafted by the Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 2020 draft. He caught a couple of touchdowns and earned a Super Bowl ring as a rookie, but ended up with just 12 catches for 169 yards.

In his second season, Johnson made the first three starts of his career and put up the best numbers of his career with 36 catches for 360 yards.

However, his career stalled at that point, as he played just three games and caught two passes for eight yards over the next two seasons. During that time, he was cut by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Houston Texans, Los Angeles Rams and Las Vegas Raiders, although he ended the 2023 season on the Rams practice squad.

He bounced back with the Rams in 2024 as he made their roster and played in 15 games, starting two. He ended the season with 26 catches for 291 yards and a touchdown, with a career-high 79 receiving yards in the overtime win over Detroit, who of course had Aaron Glenn as their defensive coordinator at the time.

The Jets signed Johnson to a one-year minimum salary deal during the early stages of free agency.

Let’s move onto some more in-depth analysis of what Johnson brings to the table as a player, based on extensive research and film study.

Measurables/Athleticism

Heading into the 2020 pre-draft process, which was of course disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, the main question surrounding Johnson was his speed. He reportedly worked hard to lower his 40-yard dash only to then opt not to run for scouts. Some estimates said his 40 time would have been around 4.7 which would have basically made him undraftable, although he does display burst and acceleration at times on film.

Johnson has adequate size but he has short arms and small hands, so his catch radius is below average.

Usage

Johnson has produced both on the outside and in the slot in college and at the pro level. He moved into more of a slot role as a junior at Minnesota and has played there over 40 percent of the time at the NFL level.

As noted, he was a dual threat quarterback in high school. Despite this, he ran the ball just once (for a loss) and threw it just once (incomplete) in college.

Deep threat

Johnson isn’t a player who will get a step on his man deep, with not many downfield catches during his college or pro career. The few that he has had have tended to be on double moves and/or blown coverages.

Routes

Johnson came into the NFL with a reputation as a skilled route runner, but he hasn’t had much success at gaining separation from NFL-level defenders.

Most of his success seems to have come in the short-to-intermediate game on slants, out routes and crossers.

He can release off the line with good burst and is able to use footwork and deception to set up his breaks.

However, he has shown that he can be effective at getting a clean release when dealing with press coverage.

Hands

Dating back to his college career, Johnson has had issues with dropping easy passes. His drop rate has been poor, including in postseason games where he has dropped four of 12 targets. He had six drops in 2021 and two more in preseason in 2022 but, to his credit, hasn’t had one since. However, that’s been less than 50 targets.

He shows an ability to go to ground to secure a low catch, to come up with the ball in traffic or go up and over a defender for a catch. He can also adjust to badly thrown passes.

Red zone

With 25 touchdowns in his last two years in college, Johnson showed good red zone potential and a nose for the goal line. His four NFL touchdowns have all come in the red zone.

After the catch

After the catch is where Johnson has had some of his best highlights. He will turn upfield and run with aggression and an ability to break tackles.

Johnson also showcases a good feel for when to turn it upfield and displays good vision in the open field.

He’s been a consistent option on receiver screens, averaging almost seven yards per catch on such plays in his career so far. He fumbled four times in college, though.

Blocking

Johnson’s blocking grades on analysis sites such as Pro Football Focus have been below average as he shows uncertainty in downfield situations.

He can carry out a basic assignment well, though, as he demonstrates on this lead block to set up a touchdown.

He has had one holding penalty at the NFL level.

Physicality

Johnson works well against press coverage and has had some good success on contested catches over the years. However, his physicality manifests itself primarily when he has the ball in his hands.

Special Teams

Johnson hasn’t contributed much on special teams in his career, where he has seen work rushing punts, covering kicks and blocking on the kick return unit. He had one special teams tackle in preseason action at the NFL level and one in his college career.

He also fielded one kickoff and returned it 10 yards in college and had a good block on the kickoff return unit in one game.

Instincts and Intelligence

As a former quarterback, you’d expect Johnson to have some ability to read coverages, and he displays this with a lot of his production coming due to his ability to find open areas against zone coverage.

As noted, he has some good open field running instincts but is less comfortable when in blocking situations.

Attitude

Johnson is described as a laid-back character who likes to process information and take it in. He is humble but confident, and he shows good competitiveness while remaining under control. He has a good work ethic and his on-field discipline at the NFL level has been excellent with only one penalty.

Injuries

Johnson has been a healthy scratch at times during his career, including for most of the 2022 and 2023 seasons, but his only recorded injury at the NFL level - a rib issue - came in 2021 when he actually played all 17 games.

In college, he suffered a hand fracture in his sophomore year, which caused him to miss two games.

Scheme Fit

Johnson has been brought in to compete with Allen Lazard and Josh Reynolds for playing time, but his best chance to make the team might be as a slot receiver.

With his success against Glenn’s Lions last year, it’s possible they have a specific role in mind for Johnson.

He has played with current Jets Rashad Weaver and Zach Evans while with the Rams and Zack Bailey when he was with the Bucs.

Conclusions

Johnson was almost out of the league a few years ago, but showed he still has plenty to offer as he got opportunities due to injuries in the Rams receiving corps last season.

He’s never had a 100-yard game in the NFL and is most likely to be used in a possession role, but he has some playmaking ability that could earn him extra looks if he can also play with consistency.

As another low-cost option who would probably only be a fourth or fifth option with everyone healthy, Johnson was a solid addition who, at only 26 years old, will still be keen to prove he can be more than that.

Source: https://www.ganggreennation.com/202...ing-new-york-jets-wide-receiver-tyler-johnson

 

[New York Jets]

Jets fans are higher on the team than oddsmakers in 2025

John Jones-Imagn Images

TheJets have a low 5.5 win projection from FanDuel

Our partners at FanDuel recently posted their initial over/under win totals for NFL teams in the 2025 season.

The Jets came in with a low mark at 5.5 wins, almost matching their 2024 record of 5-12. We recently asked fans in our SB Nation Reacts survey whether they expect the Jets to go over or under that total. The result was overwhelming.

I have to say that I agree with the majority on this one.

The 2024 Jets entered the seasons with expectations too high for the team’s talent level. They were almost certain to disappoint.

For the 2025 Jets, the bar has been set awfully low. I don’t think the team has downgraded in any major way. Last year’s team went 5-12 amidst some bad luck in close games and bottom of the league coaching. I know every team’s fanbase thinks a new coaching staff replacing a fired regime will automatically be an upgrade. That doesn’t always prove to be the case, but it’s difficult to imagine Aaron Glenn not being substantially better than Jeff Ulbrich.

For once, the Jets seem set to underpromise and overdeliver.

Bet on the game with FanDuel Sportsbook, SB Nation’s official sportsbook partner!​

Source: https://www.ganggreennation.com/202...re-higher-on-the-team-than-oddsmakers-in-2025

 

[New York Jets]

2025 NFL Draft: No “NEDs” for the New York Jets

Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A certain type of receiver might be best avoided in the draft

The New York Jets have been an organization plagued with bad luck when drafting wide receivers. Garrett Wilson has panned out, but outside of that, the Jets haven’t had a receiver reach 1000 yards with the team since Jerricho Cotchery, who was drafted in 2004. That’s 20 years with 17 receivers who did not hit that mark with the Jets. A large reason for that lack of success is whom the Jets were drafting. And it’s more than just a talent issue. It’s when the players chose to declare for the NFL draft. That’s because the Jets are (normally) choosing non-early declare prospects, or, “NEDs”. And studies show that those players have a much higher chance of failing in the NFL than their early declare counterparts.

Some of that is common sense. After all, players who declare early for the draft usually excel in college football. Yet, general managers won’t stop themselves from taking chances if the ability is deemed to be there. One instance is Malachi Corley, whom the Jets selected on Day 2 of last year’s draft, only to see Corley ride the bench for the majority of the season. And though it may be too early to completely call it a career, the odds of him performing well with the Jets (or the NFL as a whole) are slim.

With that in mind, there are multiple players in this year’s draft who will be classified as “NEDs”, that the New York Jets should avoid in the first three rounds.

*For the purpose of this exercise, I will be using the MDB 2025 Consensus Big Board.

NEDs in the 2025 NFL Draft​

There are always going to be exceptions to the rule. However, just based on the “NED” criteria and their expected draft position, these players are better to avoid, than be selected by the Jets.

Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State (Rank: 33rd Overall)​

A lot of NFL fans love the prospect of Emeka Egbuka being on their football team. Egbuka hit 1011 receiving yards last year to go with 10 touchdowns. He also had an 82.4 receiving grade, which ranked 19th in the FBS. Egbuka was primarily a slot receiver with the Buckeyes, lining up inside at over an 82 percent clip. While that leaves room for him to also perform outside in the NFL, it’s not something he’s too familiar with doing.

The Ohio State receiver also holds a respectable 2.51 yards per route run. While that isn’t bad, what is concerning is his 7.9-yard aDOT, which was the 34th-lowest among receivers in the FBS (among 260 eligible players). Another issue (that fans may believe is not an issue) is that Egbuka has a high number of contested catches, with 22 in 2024. While he did catch them at greater than a 50-percent clip, a large number of contested catches usually signifies that a player is unable to create separation consistently. This is especially concerning considering the high slot-usage of Egbuka at Ohio State.

While the fan in me sincerely enjoys these type of players, very few can create sustainable success at the NFL level. With his non-early declare status (affected by injury or not), he’s a player that may be better for the Jets to avoid.

Jayden Higgins, Iowa State (Rank: 50th Overall)​

Unlike Egbuka, Iowa State wide receiver Jayden Higgins is primarily an outside receiver. Higgins was seventh in receiving yards this past year, with a 90.5 receiving grade, which was the highest amongst the position group. While Higgins’ 2.66 yards per route run is respectable, along with his 12.1 aDOT, there are some concerns.

Like Egbuka, Higgins is a player with a lot of contested catch targets. His 24 is tied for 27th among eligible players. Yet another concern is his ability to garner yards after the catch.

His 3.8 yards after catch is tied for 48th-worst at the position. And, despite his 6-foot-4 frame, he only has 12 missed tackles forced.

Admittedly, I’d like to acknowledge that Higgins came up from the FCS and still dominated in the FBS. He also has an impressive 2.2 percent drop rate.

Higgins may be one of the players who avoids the “NED” narrative. However, he makes the list here.

Tre Harris, Ole Miss (Rank: 60th Overall)​

Tre Harris had a fantastic season at Ole Miss. The senior compiled 1030 yards on just 60 catches, with an outlandish 17.2 yards per reception. On top of that, his 89.4 receiving grade was tied for fourth among all wide receivers. Harris was consistently a playmaker with Jaxson Dart at Ole Miss. It seemed like when Dart threw it up, Harris was there to come down with it. The Rebels’ wideout led the FBS with an absurd 5.12 yards per route run, but that might not be sustainable in the NFL.

To be honest, Harris is unimpressive as a route runner. A lot of his success came on hitches and curls while the defender was playing in off-man coverage. Furthermore, he was unable to really do much after the catch when given those opportunities. Where Harris really won was with his downfield speed, and that’s where a lot of his YAC came from.

For Harris to succeed, he needs to develop as a route runner or change his release. And while his 5.12 Y/RR is incredible, the only players to surpass the 5.00 mark in the last 10 years are Geraud Sanders in 2019 and Jalen Rowell in 2016 (Justyn Ross had a 4.98). If you don’t know who those players are, I don’t blame you. It’s not to say that Harris can’t beat the odds, but with most NEDs, it may be an uphill battle to do so.

Jaylin Noel, Iowa State (Rank: 64th Overall)​

Developing for four years at Iowa State, Jaylin Noel truly broke out in 2024 with 1193 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Noel spent about 70 percent of his time in the slot last season, and his slighter frame may force him into that role into the NFL, too.

An area of concern surrounding a player of his stature is his ability to separate and make players miss at the next level. A slot player who only forced three missed tackles raises some eyebrows, especially considering his YAC was tied for the 70th-worst (4.3 yards) among 260 qualifiers.

Noel’s nuance as a route-runner may be his bread and butter, and ultimately, that may save him from suffering the dreaded outcome most NEDs face. If nothing else, it’s always encouraging to see a player stick with a program and continue to improve at an elite pace.

Jack Bech, TCU (Rank: 66th Overall)​

Jack Bech is a very interesting case. I was debating putting him on here at all considering how he was deployed throughout his college career. Bech began at LSU and played inline, and in the slot for the majority of his breakout freshman season. Then, just as quickly, he disappeared for two years before completely breaking out at TCU in 2024.

Bech has elite hands and understands how to use his leverage on his stems. He may not be the greatest separator, but he has strong hands that always seem to be in the right place. It’ll be interesting to see where Bech ends up, and how he’s deployed in the offense. Unlike other players on this list, he is the one who could be versatile enough to play multiple positions.

Savion Williams, TCU (Rank: 85th Overall)​

I don’t understand the hype surrounding TCU’s Savion Williams. A five-year player who was unable to crack 700 receiving yards in the Big 12 is concerning, to say the least. But at 6-foot-5, teams will fall in love with that size and what it can do in redzone situations.

It’s kind of ironic that both TCU players can be used in multiple positions, but Williams was also a factor as a wildcat quarterback. While he had success there, it’s hard to imagine that will be replicated in the NFL. The wildcat was a nice gimmick, but in most playbooks, it’s found its own way off the board.

Williams could be an interesting chess piece for some team, but I don’t think he fits what the Jets should be looking to do in the NFL draft.

Kyle Williams, Washington State (Rank: 91st Overall)​

Kyle Williams exploded in 2024 to the tune of 1196 yards and an incredible 14 touchdowns. He primarily played along the boundary, and had solid YAC, Y/RR, and aDOT numbers in his final season. And even looking at his film, Williams looks the part. He’s quick on his release, is good at creating separation in his stem, and has the speed to win deep or with YAC.

With that said, one should raise an eyebrow when a player truly explodes in his fifth year. Considering Washington State had the 106th-weakest strength of schedule last year (out of 134 teams), it’s a little more concerning. Perhaps even more-so when the quarterback on the same team who has never thrown for more than 500 yards, hits 3139 in his first year as the starter.

With that in mind, there is one saving grace to Williams’ production profile. Williams tends to play up to his competition. In the Holiday Bowl against Syracuse, Williams had his best game of the season. The wideout secured 10-of-15 targets for 172 yards and a touchdown. So, while there is some concern from a profile perspective, there are bright spots.

Final Thoughts​

Of course, just because a player is a “NED”, doesn’t mean that it’s the end of his football career. There have been plenty of successful players in that category. With the NIL taking over college football, there’s a good chance that we see the amount of early-declare players continuously decrease.

For now, however, the data says that taking early-declare receivers is the best option for NFL teams. Because of that, these NEDs are prospects that New York fans should be wary of when the Jets make their picks in the first three rounds of the NFL draft.

Source: https://www.ganggreennation.com/202...ts-malachi-corley-emeka-egbuka-jayden-higgins

 

[New York Jets]

Building A GGN Big Board 2025: Prospect No. 45

Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Let’s crowd source a 2025 NFL draft big board

We have the #45 prospect on the 2025 GGN Big Board. And the winner is: Treveyon Henderson, Running Back, Ohio State! With Henderson taking the #45 spot, our crowd sourced Big Board now looks like this:

1. Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
2. Travis Hunter, Cornerback/Wide Receiver, Colorado
3. Mason Graham, Defensive Tackle, Michigan
4. Cam Ward, Quarterback, Miami
5. Tyler Warren, Tight End, Penn State
6. Ashton Jeanty, Running Back, Boise State
7. Tetairoa McMillan, Wide Receiver, Arizona
8. Will Campbell, Offensive Lineman, LSU
9. Armand Membou, Offensive Tackle, Missouri
10. Will Johnson, Cornerback, Michigan
11. Shedeur Sanders, Quarterback, Colorado
12. Kelvin Banks Jr, Offensive Tackle, Texas
13. Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia
14. Malaki Starks, Safety, Georgia
15. Shemar Stewart, Edge, Texas A&M
16. Jalon Walker, Edge, Georgia
17. Matthew Golden, Wide Receiver, Texas
18. Nick Emmanwori, Safety, South Carolina
19. Colston Loveland, Tight End, Michigan
20. Jaxson Dart, Quarterback, Mississippi
21. Jahdae Barron, Cornerback, Texas
22. Emeka Egbuka, Wide Receiver, Ohio State
23. Mike Green, Edge, Marshall
24. Jihaad Campbell, Linebacker, Alabama
25. Kenneth Grant, Defensive Tackle, Michigan (Tie 25)
26. Josh Simmons, Offensive Tackle, Ohio State (Tie 25)
27. Walter Nolen, Defensive Tackle, Mississippi
28. James Pearce Jr, Edge, Tennessee
29. Luther Burden, Wide Receiver, Missouri
30. Derrick Harmon, Defensive Tackle, Oregon
31. Omarion Hampton, Running Back, North Carolina
32. Tyler Booker, Offensive Lineman, Alabama (Tie 32)
33. Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College (Tie 32)
34. Josh Conerly, Offensive Tackle, Oregon (Tie 32)
35. J.T. Tuimoloau, Edge, Ohio State
36. Dillon Gabriel, Quarterback, Oregon
37. Tyleik Williams, Defensive Tackle, Ohio State
38. Aireontae Ersery, Offensive Tackle, Minnesota
39. Jack Sawyer, Edge, Ohio State
40. Mason Taylor, Tight End, LSU
41. Shavon Revel Jr., Cornerback, East Carolina
42. Grey Zabel, Offensive Lineman, North Dakota State
43. Quinshon Judkins, Running Back, Ohio State
44. Benjamin Morrison, Cornerback, Notre Dame
45. Treveyon Henderson, Running Back, Ohio State
46. ?

We’re down to the last five prospects on our 2025 GGN Big Board.

Let’s get to it. Today we continue with the #46 prospect on the crowd sourced 2025 GGN Big Board. Who will it be? Vote early, vote often, and let’s hear who you think are the best players in this draft.

Source: https://www.ganggreennation.com/202...45-treveyon-henderson-nfl-draft-new-york-jets

 

[New York Jets]

Jets Reacts Survey: The biggest need heading into the NFL Draft

Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

What should the Jets address?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in New York Jets fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

The 2025 NFL Draft is almost here, and the New York Jets own the 7th overall pick. The team will be in great position to address one of its most pressing needs. It’s a blessing and a curse to have multiple needs. Obviously you’d rather have the key positions filled. But having so many needs essentially allows you to take the best player available and still fill one.

In this week’s SB Nation Reacts survey, we turn it over to you. Which position would you most prefer to see the Jets address in the 2025 NFL Draft? Vote in our poll below, and we will bring you the results.

Source: https://www.ganggreennation.com/202...y-the-biggest-need-heading-into-the-nfl-draft

 

[New York Jets]

Quarterback Shedeur Sanders, baseball bat speed, and skill tradeoffs

Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images

Should the Jets consider Sanders at #7?

Recent reports seem to suggest that Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders might fall down draft boards a bit longer than expected.

For example, Fanduel recently altered their odds on Shedeur to have his over/under set at pick 8.5... which is notably after the New York Jets pick at 7.

Sportsbooks are starting to lean toward Shedeur Sanders Saints being a strong possibility.

Saints are now the favorite to draft Shedeur Sanders on FanDuel and his draft position O/U is set at 8.5

Do you like this fit? pic.twitter.com/2331sQddOU

— Jaime Eisner (@JaimeEisner) April 6, 2025​

So why is his draft stock falling? Well, in large part because of the sacks that he takes. Indeed, NFL/Jets insider Tony Pauline interviewed some NFL evaluators for an article recently and wrote the below.

One of Sanders’ biggest faults over the past two years, pointed out to me, and something easily witnessed on film, was the propensity to hold the ball too long and take too many sacks, and often bad sacks.

And while many will argue that Colorado fielded a terrible offensive line, which is true, people I spoke with were quick to point out that opponents rarely blitzed Sanders, yet the quarterback refused to get rid of the ball and was taking bad sacks.

Pauline also noted that Sanders’ mechanics could use work and that he didn’t rely enough on the short game. To that, I ask what the point of any of those concerns are when the guy is among the most accurate passers that college football has seen in recent years.

Beyond being an obvious benefit to a quarterback, that accuracy holds a ton of value if we’re projecting forward on what Sanders “could be” in time in relation to his tendency to take pressure. Specifically, while most quarterbacks need to get more accurate, Sanders is so accurate that he can afford to be less accurate and still be really, really, really accurate, which follows a basic premise that is being followed in baseball, a sport that I view as far more developmentally advanced than football.

For those of us that don’t follow baseball, the Boston Red Sox are currently on the rise. This is largely on the back of what many consider to be one of the finest hitting development programs in the league. Their hitting development philosophy boils down to two key elements:

1. Hit the ball hard
2. Hit the ball in the air

To complement that philosophy, the Red Sox have opted in recent years to acquire players who make a ton of contact but could stand to swing harder and with more intent to hit the ball in the air (and then they teach those players to do the latter 2 things). The reason they opt to acquire these players who make a ton of contact is because swinging harder and with a greater intention to hit it in the air typically lessens one’s contact rate. What the Red Sox have figured out is that if they ask a player who runs well above average contact rates to swing harder, the player’s contact rate still stabilizes in a good place, allowing the player to reap the rewards of their new swing. Think of it like this as a hypothetical:

• Swinging harder reduces contact rate by 6%
• A player who could stand to swing harder makes contact 10% more than league average
• Thus, if that players swings harder then they’d still make contact 4% more than league average
• Being 4% above league average is still quite good

So what’s all that got to do with Sanders? Well, he’s superbly accurate, as detailed in an article that I wrote a few weeks back. Part of avoiding sacks simply amounts to getting it out faster or off platform, which harms one’s accuracy. For Sanders, he’s so accurate that there is reason to think he can make those accuracy sacrifices and likely still be meaningfully more accurate than the average quarterback all the same.

This is a case where I see the current problem, but I don’t think that it’s a long-term problem. Every prospect has warts and this sure seems like a case where the warts can simply be reduced with some intentional coaching and a change in what Sanders is choosing to prioritize.

So, with that said, I’ll repeat what I’ve written previously because the point still stands:

Long story short, if Shedeur Sanders is available at #7 then the hardest question that the Jets should have to answer that night is what kind of champagne to pop when celebrating. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth and take Shedeur if the opportunity presents.

Seriously Jets, no need to look a gift horse in the mouth here. Take the really accurate passer and let your quarterbacks coach earn his paycheck.

Source: https://www.ganggreennation.com/202...adeoffs-ny-jets-boston-red-sox-sacks-accuracy

 

[New York Jets]

Where I started is not where I ended: Armand Membou’s rapid draft stock rise

Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Is Membou overrated?

According to reports, offensive tackle Armand Membou is among the New York Jets’ preferred options with their first round pick. Membou is an offensive tackle prospect who has solidified himself as a top 10 pick in this draft. Membou is the #6 player on The Athletic’s consensus big board, which intends to summarize the placements of players on various other big boards.

Membou wasn’t always a blue-chip prospect as his draft stock would imply. Realistically, a year ago he wasn’t anywhere near Round 1 as a prospect, and teams likely would’ve been targeting him closer to day 3 than pick 3. Shown below is MockingTheDraft’s data on Membou’s draft stock as accumulated across expert, fan, and media mock drafts over the last year or so.

Look folks I’m not gonna say that we’ve gone too far on Membou, but I will say this is an insanely quick increase. pic.twitter.com/CCYwPN6DRV

— Sam Bruchhaus (@sambruchhaus) April 16, 2025​

Needless to say, that’s a pretty steep incline for Membou’s draft stock. Obviously players can change over time, but this is typically the kind of sudden rise that gives teams and their fans a bit of hesitation. If the New York Jets do take Membou then we’ll simply have to hope that the gains are real, because his previous track record would suggest that there is some significant risk in his player profile.

Source: https://www.ganggreennation.com/202...apid-draft-stock-rise-mockingthedraft-ny-jets