A single draft class can turn around the misfortunes of a franchise. The New York Jets are just the latest example.
In 1974, the Pittsburgh Steelers brought in five Hall-of-Famers from the draft class. A record that has not been matched yet. In 1995 and 1996, two top picks from both Baltimore and Tampa Bay resulted in multiple Super Bowl wins for the Ravens and Buccaneers respectively.
The 2022 class for the New York Jets could certainly be on that path to matching the other greats in league history. Their top two selections won offensive and defensive Rookie of the Year, while several other players looked so good, that they are considered fast risers at their position.
But what does a sophomore season look like for the several drafted and undrafted second-year players for Gang Green? Can they live up to their already lofty expectations?
Today, we examine what the Jets need to get out of their sophomore class and if they can eventually be thought of as one of the greatest in NFL history.
Sauce Gardner
You don’t get much better than being the first rookie defensive back to be named a First-Team All-Pro since Ronnie Lott in 1981. Sauce was on another level last season while posting top marks in coverage grades and led the Jets defense to be a top-five unit.
Sauce is considered the face of Gang Green’s defense this season with Quinnen Williams and for good reason. He has said he wants to increase his interception total and I think that is certainly achievable for him. The only concern will be if he gets the Darrelle Revis treatment and opposing quarterbacks simply don’t even look his way. If that happens, he could still have a dominant season, it’s just that the numbers won’t necessarily show.
Garrett Wilson
You can’t have better than the Jets’ first two selections in the 2022 draft. Gardner became the face of the defense almost overnight and Wilson set offensive rookie records that may not be broken again for New York. Seriously, a 1,000-yard season with three different quarterbacks is insanely impressive while mixing in over 80 catches.
Those numbers are going to increase with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. Rodgers already sees Wilson as a Davante Adams-type player and could target him a bunch this year. Don’t be surprised if he averages over 10 targets a game on Sunday this season.
The numbers could certainly dip if the Jets try and trade for Adams by the deadline (unlikely) but Wilson is the top receiver in New York and it isn’t particularly close.
Jermaine Johnson
Hitting on two first-round picks is hard. Hitting on all three changes draft classes from good to historic. That’s what Johnson is out to prove this year. Coming into camp bigger and stronger, Johnson has been a force throughout preseason. He looks as though he is on the cusp of breaking out in a big way in 2023 and could reach the 10-sack plateau.
It’ll, of course, be hard for the former FSU product to enter into the top echelon of pass rushers with the depth the Jets have, but with the injury to Carl Lawson, and the fact that he’s a first-round pick, the sky is the limit for Jermaine Johnson.
Certainly, buy stock in a 10+ sack season though.
Breece Hall
Hey, remember when Garrett Wilson wasn’t even considered the best offensive weapon on this team last year? The Jets drafted Breece Hall in the second round out of Iowa State and received immediate production. By the midway point of the year, Hall was averaging close to seven yards a touch and close to 700 yards of offense before his ACL injury in Denver.
While ACL recoveries aren’t always smooth for running backs, Hall has looked good in practice so far this season. Expectations are high for him and this offense but they should be limited to start the season at least for the running back. It may take him a month to get to his 2022 speed and that is ok – that’s why the Jets brought in Dalvin Cook.
Still, a 1,000-yard rushing season is certainly in play. At the very least he’s going to record 1,000+ from scrimmage.
Jeremy Ruckert
One of the big winners throughout training camp and offseason workouts this season has been Jets’ tight end Jeremy Ruckert. The former Ohio State product caught just one pass last season in nine games but should have a bigger role in New York’s offense this season. Playing behind Tyler Conklin and CJ Uzomah certainly won’t help him this year, but the chemistry he has built with Rodgers, and the injuries that have plagued both starting tight ends over the last few years means that Ruckert could be in for a breakout season now.
In fairness, it may still be another year for him though.
Max Mitchell
As mid-round linemen go, the Jets could have done a lot worse than Max Mitchell. A genetic blood-clotting disorder may have prematurely ended his 2022 season after just five starts, but he showed enough to be a dependable swing tackle for the organization this season.
Training camp this season may not have been kind to him, but Mitchell now has experience as a starter and can play on both sides of the line. That versatility makes him a very helpful draft selection for the Jets and the health of the offensive line. He may not start this season, but he’ll certainly have his time to shine.
Michael Clemons
He may not be the best overall edge rusher, but Clemons might just be the most frightening out of any at his position. At 6’9″ 270lbs, Clemons is considered a high-rise in the Jets system. A fourth-round pick who tallied 2.5 sacks last season, New York will use their young pass rusher in spurts. The only thing that will get in the way of Clemons’ overall development is the large list of edge rushers the team is already employing. There may not be enough playing time for him to put up numbers.
Still, the fact that this is the Jets’ last pick of the draft is a very good thing for the team.
Undrafted Free Agents: Zonovan Knight, Irvin Charles, Tony Adams
Oh, you thought that the Jets’ dominant draft class was all they had? Think again. Tony Adams highlights a very strong undrafted free agent group with Zonovan Knight and Irvin Charles flashing at times in camp. While neither is expected to make the final 53-man roster, the Jets could certainly use their talents on the practice squad.
Then, of course, there is Adams. The Jets have been so impressed with his work this offseason that he’s expected to be the starting safety in 2023. The fact that six players from one class are expected to start in some capacity is great news for the Jets’ long-term health.
