Assessing Every New York Jets UDFA's Chances of Making Final Roster
They're the prospects you've never heard of from the schools you never knew existed, but they could end up providing key depth on the final roster.
Undrafted free agents are annually overlooked in the NFL selection meeting known as the draft, but somehow, these players end up still making a team and an impact.
The New York Jets took nine shots at the board on undrafted prospects who were not good enough to warrant a selection in the draft but have enough potential to warrant a tryout in training camp.
The Jets clearly had an eye toward adding depth on defense with eight additions on the defensive side of the ball, and their focal positions tell an interesting story of how the Jets feel about their depth at those spots.
So, which undrafted Jets players have the best chance at making the roster in 2015?
Deion Barnes, DE, Penn State
1 of 9
Some of the Jets' undrafted free agents have a better shot to make the roster than others simply by virtue of which position they play. Defensive end Deion Barnes has a decent shot of at least making an impact in training camp due to fewer bodies at his position.
The 6'4", 255-pound pass-rusher notched 26.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks in his Penn State career, with 12.5 tackles for loss and six sacks in 2014. The Jets have three capable edge defenders in Calvin Pace, Quinton Coples and rookie Lorenzo Mauldin, but their depth is scary if any of those three should suffer an injury.
That would explain why the Jets added not one but two undrafted free agents who could project to an outside linebacker spot in the 3-4 defense: Barnes and Clarion defensive end Julian Howsare.
Barnes and Howsare will both have to compete with veteran Jason Babin and second-year edge defender Ikemefuna Enemkpali, but if Barnes can make the transition to the outside linebacker spot, he could be a threat to one of those incumbents.
Odds: 20 percent
Durell Eskridge, S, Syracuse
2 of 9
The Jets have some question marks at safety, and they signed another one in Syracuse safety Durell Eskridge. At 6'3" and 208 pounds with 32 ⅜" arms, there's no doubt he possesses an NFL frame. Where there is some doubt, however, is where he projects in the NFL.
"No question he should have stayed another year," said an AFC scout, according to NFL.com's Lance Zierlein. "He thinks he's ready, but he needs to define the type of player he is. Right now, he's just a guy to me. I don't know how to define him yet."
Zierlein explains that Eskridge has yet to show off a high ceiling as either an in-the-box safety or a deep safety. He's shown an ability to recognize routes and make plays on the ball on downfield throws, but he also can get to the play a little late as he has a tendency to wait until he sees the throw before breaking on it. He's also shown a willingness to help against the run but is plagued by a lack of fundamentals in that area.
Who knows where the Jets envision him playing, but they could use some depth at safety either way. If he can show enough ability on special teams, why not give him a chance to develop those skills for another year?
Odds: 20 percent
Greg Henderson, CB, Colorado
3 of 9
When you think of Todd Bowles' aggressive man-coverage scheme, you probably think of big-bodied cornerbacks with an ability to jam wide receivers at the line of scrimmage, then turn and run downfield with those receivers.
As it turns out, that's exactly where Colorado's Greg Henderson could stand to improve. At 5'11" and 185 pounds, he doesn't have the size the Jets typically like in their cornerbacks. He wouldn't be the smallest on the roster, but he wouldn't be a fit.
NFL.com's Lance Zierlein points out that Henderson "plays with his back to the ball and does a poor job of turning and locating [the] ball" when in press coverage. He's certainly not getting any help when he has an NFC scout saying, "I don't see coverage traits, instincts or toughness cornerbacks need to have."
The Jets are already loaded at the cornerback position, and although their depth chart could use some improvement, it does not appear that Henderson would be able to provide it.
Odds: 5 percent
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Julian Howsare, LB, Clarion
4 of 9It's not about how a prospect's alma mater matches up with another prospect's school of choice. It's about what that prospect can bring to the team.
Defensive end/outside linebacker Julian Howsare was enormously productive at Clarion. In 43 games, he notched 256 tackles, 57 tackles for loss, 39 sacks, three interceptions, 14 pass breakups, nine forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. College production doesn't always (or usually) match up with NFL production, but he also blocked 10 kicks in college, so he has some special teams value that could help him make the roster as well.
Given the lack of depth at outside linebacker, Howsare has an opportunity to make the roster at a position that needs someone to step up. He may not be a true outside linebacker for his lack of ability to cover, but he could be valuable even as a designated pass-rusher.
Odds: 30 percent
Taiwan Jones, LB, Michigan State
5 of 9
Beyond David Harris and Demario Davis, the Jets are loaded with question marks at linebacker.
One of those question marks is how a linebacker as talented as Taiwan Jones went undrafted. At 6'3" and 245 pounds, he has the size that teams look for in their linebackers. He lacks the speed of an NFL linebacker (4.95-second 40-yard dash), but he plays faster than he showed at the scouting combine.
That being said, no one will mistake him for a speedy coverage linebacker like Davis. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein says, "Jones' coverage limitations could be mitigated by his ability to thump and blitz as a 3-4 inside linebacker next to a more instinctive chaser." Well, what more perfect situation could he ask for than to go to the Jets, who could plug him next to Davis for a perfect one-two punch?
That role currently belongs to David Harris, but even though he signed a three-year, $21.5 million contract this offseason, he'll need to come off the field at some point. Meanwhile, Jones has shown the ability to contribute on special teams while he waits his turn to flex his run-stuffing muscle on defense.
Between Erin Henderson, Jamari Lattimore and Joe Mays, the Jets don't have a lot of reliable backups to turn to. Jones could provide an answer.
Odds: 60 percent
Demarkus Perkins, S, Florida International
6 of 9
With two signings at safety, the Jets have acknowledged their need for depth at the position. The problem is that none of the players they signed will address that need. At least, not in the way the Jets need to address it.
Florida International's Demarkus Perkins looks like a strong safety at 6'0" and 219 pounds. He plays like a strong safety, according to Tony Pauline of TFY Draft Insider, who says Perkins is a "tough, hard-hitting defensive back with average size/speed numbers" and lauds him for his sense of urgency to get into the box.
The problem is that the Jets already have a surplus of strong safeties and not enough players who can man the free safety spot. They hope that Marcus Gilchrist will make the switch this year, but he's not renowned for his coverage ability.
This is a redundant signing, given the presence of both Calvin Pryor and Antonio Allen on the roster.
Odds: 5 percent
Wes Saxton, TE, South Alabama
7 of 9
The Jets already had four tight ends on their roster before signing South Alabama's Wes Saxton, but with a new regime in place, it's always possible that the undrafted free agent could take over for the vested veterans.
Jace Amaro and Jeff Cumberland are already locks for the roster, so Saxton will be competing with the likes of Zach Sudfeld and Kellen Davis. Sudfeld is mostly a pass-catching threat, while Davis is primarily a run-blocking option. Of those two, Sudfeld is the one Saxton will probably have to beat out, since the two project to a similar role.
Saxton was projected as a fifth- or sixth-round pick and showed off some impressive athleticism at the scouting combine with a 4.65-second 40-yard dash, 36" vertical jump and 119" broad jump. At 6'3" and 248 pounds, though, he's not particularly imposing as a blocker. He's also not particularly willing either, as noted by NFL.com's Lance Zierlein.
The Jets may have found a diamond in the rough in a player who still needs to show some toughness, but if he gets the right coaching, he could be used in the right ways to accentuate his strengths.
Odds: 40 percent
Davon Walls, DL, Lincoln
8 of 9Why even bother adding more bodies at defensive tackle? Two words: camp bodies.
The Jets already have a fleet of dominant, talented defensive tackles in veterans Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson and Damon Harrison and rookie Leonard Williams. The Jets will need a deep group to execute a versatile 3-4 defensive scheme under Todd Bowles, but they won't need more than six or seven defensive linemen to field a healthy rotation.
At 6'7" and 290 pounds, Walls projects to a role on the defensive line. Where, exactly, is unknown. He's more of a penetrating defensive lineman (17.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks in 2014). That would seem to fit him in as a 3-4 defensive end or 4-3 defensive tackle. The Jets may be able to find a spot for him on the practice squad, but with a surplus at the position, a roster spot seems to be out of the question.
Odds: 5 percent
Jordan Williams, DE, Tennessee
9 of 9
The Jets added yet another defensive line prospect despite their lack of a need for one. Who knows what they have in mind—perhaps carrying 10 defensive linemen is in order for the Todd Bowles era?
In any case, at 6'4" and 287 pounds, Tennessee defensive end Jordan Williams is something of an obscure prospect in terms of his fit in the Jets defense. He's too small to play a true two-gap defensive line spot but too big to be a defensive end or an outside linebacker. The Jets may envision him as a disruptive lineman for passing downs, but he'll get run over in the running game.
That's if he even gets a crack at the roster. With so much depth at the defensive line spots, there just aren't many opportunities to go around, and Williams may find it hard to stand out from the pack among a group of second- and third-stringers fighting for jobs.
Odds: 5 percent
Unless otherwise noted, all scouting combine information and draft notes provided by NFL.com and CBSSports.com and all salary cap and contract information provided by Over The Cap.
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