New York Jets wide receiver Xavier Gipson (82) celebrates after running a punt return back for a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills in overtime of an NFL football game, Monday, Sept. 11, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Finding success on Draft night isn’t always easy for NFL teams but the New York Jets have certainly done so. In 2022, Gang Green’s scouting department nabbed four straight Pro-Bowl or All-Pro caliber players with their first four selections – setting themselves up with a strong core of dominant football players.
It’s not just the loaded draft class from last year that is the cause of the team’s current success though. Arguably the most unsung group of heroes so far this season for the team have been those that everyone has overlooked over the years.
New York’s ability to find diamonds in the rough among the undrafted free agent classes has been highly impressive recently. General manager Joe Douglas has had a history of finding talented individuals after the draft, but what he’s done recently with the Jets is a streak unlike any in modern NFL history.
Having one talented undrafted free agent leave a mark on a current roster is always great, having five is unheard of. For the Jets, their five undrafted free agents have not only saved their season but have put the team in a position to overwhelm any future opponent in their path.
Bryce Huff
Huff has been arguably one of the best defensive players in football this season, let alone an undrafted free agent. The former Memphis star is among the top in the league in pressures while improving his overall run defense. His improvements overall have been so vast that he’s now getting among the top snap totals on the entire defense as a whole.
His game has been a welcome sign for the entire coaching staff.
“When he first got here, he remade his body and became a pretty cool pass rush specialist,” Jets head coach Robert Saleh said of Huff. “Over the…
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