9 New York Jets Who Could Shock the World in 2012

Every year, there are players that rise from the depths of the depth chart to have great seasons. Whether it's Arian Foster in 2010 or Victor Cruz in 2011, there are hidden gems throughout the league that are overlooked and go on to have great careers. 

There are also the players that have taken considerable heat in the offseason or are presumed to be busts or on the decline. The Jets have plenty of players that have something to prove in 2012 after a disappointing 2011 campaign. 

Here are nine Jets who could shock the world in 2012. 

Mike DeVito

As soon as the Jets drafted Quinton Coples in the first round, everyone assumed that DeVito, who is on the last year of his contract, was on his way out of New York. 

However, if you ask anybody that is around DeVito on a daily basis, they will tell you that he is an extremely important cog in the Jets' defense who does not get nearly the kind of credit he deserves. 

If you don't believe me when I say that Mike DeVito is a stud, just go back and watch him abuse Logan Mankins in their first meeting with the Patriots. 

Sure, DeVito is not a very good pass-rusher, but there is no way the Jets are trying to take him off the field on first and second downs. If he gets the kind of playing time he deserves despite the presence of Quinton Coples, people may finally realize the caliber of player he is. 

Ellis Lankster

Once regarded as a special teams stud, the coaching staff appears to be ready to give Lankster a bigger role in the defense this year. 

In an online chat with fans, Mike Pettine spoke glowingly about Lankster and his expanded role for 2012:

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“As far as the fourth corner spot, I would have to say at this point, there is a young kid name by the name of Ellis Lankster who played primarily special teams for us a year ago. He’s done a real nice job for us and he’s taking on a bigger role.”

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To be honest, I have not seen enough of Lankster on the regular defense to say much about him, but if the coaching staff seems willing to give him a promotion, I'm certainly interested in what he brings to the table.

Joe McKnight

If the Jets plan on reverting back to a run-first offense, it would naturally lead to more carries for every running back, not just Shonn Greene.

Outside of a rather impressive performance in a meaningless Week 17 game against the Bills in 2010, McKnight's role has been mostly relegated to special teams duties as a return man. He even played some defensive back earlier in the 2011 season. 

Now that LaDainian Tomlinson is out of the way, it is time for McKnight to take on a meaningful role in the regular offense. If he can prove to be a reliable blocker in protection, he could have a huge year for the Jets in 2012. 

Terrance Ganaway

Staying on the subject of running backs, Terrance Ganaway is another player I can see having an impact in his rookie season. 

Ganaway is a physical "A-type" back that fits the physical style of football the Jets want to play. With all of the running the Jets are going to be doing, there is a solid chance that Shonn Greene will get nicked up at some point during the season. 

Joe McKnight may be able to fill in for a short while, but his body is unable to take the kind of punishment that Ganaway can endure. 

His opportunities will have to derive from luck, but Ganaway seems poised to take advantage of every opportunity he gets in this season. 

Mark Sanchez

With Tebowmania invading New York, the media has all but assumed that Tebow's presence will be the demise of Sanchez. 

I disagree. 

One of the main reasons why I think Sanchez will rebound in 2012 is Tony Sparano's emphasis on tempo. Sanchez has been relatively consistent in the two-minute drill throughout his career, which is a type of offense that creates rhythm for a quarterback. 

Under Schottenheimer, the Jets spent so much time thinking and tweaking their play into the perfect play that they could never develop any kind of rhythm.

Under Sparano, expect that all to change. Next year, you will see a more comfortable Mark Sanchez that is more focused on making a good throw than running the perfect play against a certain defensive look. 

Matt Slauson

For some odd reason, during the 2012 draft process, I kept hearing left guard as an area of need for the Jets. Sometimes, people assume that if a player at a certain position is not well-known, it becomes a "need area."

The truth is, Slauson is quietly becoming one of the better guards in football. After winning the starting job early in training camp in 2010, he struggled a bit in pass protection. However, he has greatly improved in that area and is becoming a more complete guard as he gets more experience. 

Slauson's effectiveness as a run-blocker was hampered by injuries last year, but now that he is healthy, I see no reason why he should not have his best year as a pro in 2012. 

Shonn Greene

So, a man who rushed for 1,000 yards last year, Shonn Greene took a fair amount of slack for not getting the running game going on a consistent basis. 

While Greene should certainly shoulder some of the blame for last season's failures, the Jets were simply not as effective blocking in the run game as they were in 2009 and 2010. Matt Slauson was dealing with injuries, Brandon Moore was coming off surgery and was rated one of the worst run-blocking guards in football by Pro Football Focus. 

As these two players come into 2012 with fewer questions surrounding their health, expect a much more explosive Greene hitting the holes on first and second downs.

With Tony Sparano installing a physical, run-heavy offense, this will be Greene's chance to redeem himself and show everyone that he can, in fact, be a featured runner in the NFL. 

Chaz Schilens

Schilens was one of the first players the Jets signed once free agency started, and for good reason. 

At 6'4", Schilens has great size and will be a perfect red-zone target. Just 26 years old, he is still a young player that will continue to develop with his receivers coach from his days as a Raider, Sanjay Lal. 

Despite the fact that Stephen Hill is getting all of the buzz from minicamps and OTAs, there will be a legitimate competition for playing time opposite Santonio Holmes.

Even if he does lose the starting job, I can see him racking up a fair amount of touchdowns as he is inserted into red-zone packages. 

Eric Smith

Back in the good ol' days of 2009 and 2010, there was not a ton of criticism surrounding Eric Smith—because he was a backup. 

But once he took over the starting role for the first time in 2008, it was apparent that Rex Ryan grossly overrated the talent he had at safety, as they were consistently torched by tight ends and slot receivers. Eric Smith became and easy target for fans on talk radio to rip apart all week after a loss.  

Still, for as bad as Smith was, it is hard to blame a guy for not keeping up with Victor Cruz and Aaron Hernandez while playing with a torn meniscus for a good part of 2011. 

Now he is back in his role as a special teams leader and a role player in sub-packages, where he is most effective. 

There is nowhere to go but up, so expect Eric Smith to prove to the world that he is an NFL-caliber player.