Jets Rookies Turning Heads in Training Camp
The New York Jets have one of the youngest rosters in the NFL. Their only players over 30 years old are Josh Reynolds, Tyrod Taylor, and newly signed kicker Nick Folk. The success of this young core is what will determine the long-term success of this Jets team. Fortunately for them, some of the players of their most recent draft class have been standing out early in training camp.
One of the main rookie standouts of training camp has been tight end Mason Taylor. Taylor has made multiple nice plays in camp thus far, including an athletic diving catch in the back of the endzone. Taylor’s success bodes well for newly acquired quarterback Justin Fields, who is known to heavily rely on his tight ends in the receiving game. Taylor has the talent to be a legitimate threat at the professional level, with legendary college coach Nick Saban saying that not getting him on his team at Alabama was “the biggest recruiting regret” of his career. If Taylor can hit the ground running, it would make things a lot easier for this Jets offense right out of the gate.
Another name that has popped up a noticeable amount throughout camp has been rookie receiver Arian Smith. Smith was not a popular draft pick with both the media and fans, who all believed that he was a reach in the fourth round at the time. While Smith was a major speedster coming out of college, he had legitimate drop concerns that limited him while he was with Georgia. Even so, game-breaking speed is not something that can be taught, and the Jets coaching staff believed he could clean up the drops. So far throughout training camp, he has done just that, with the drop issues not showing up thus far into camp. It is still early, but if Smith keeps up at the pace he’s at, the Jets might have found a real deep threat deep down the board.
Rookie first-round pick Armand Membou has been showing out on the offensive line as well. Membou has been flashing the traits that made him a top-10 pick in the NFL draft. He has looked great in run-blocking situations and has especially excelled on the move in space. This is a great sign, as zone-blocking run schemes are most likely what Membou will be asked to do the most as a rookie. Right tackle, the position Membou has been playing in camp, was the only real question mark on the offensive line going into the season for the Jets, and if he continues to show out, the team could have one of the best overall offensive lines that they’ve had in over a decade.
