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Florham Park – Less is more for the Jets at rookie minicamp.
Walking out to the practice field, it didn’t look as crowded with players as past rookie minicamps.
Why?
There were a lot less tryout players than in recent years.
There were only 12 tryout players. They have had a lot more than that in the past. One example was in 2018 when they had 44. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have 34 tryout players at their rookie minicamp this year.
While on one hand, it gives fewer chances to long shots, it increases the attention the players get in individual drills from position coaches.
For instance, there were not a lot of outside corners at this camp, so Jets cornerback coach Dre Bly spent a ton of time tutoring the round pick Azareye’h Thomas. Bly was working with only two corners, Thomas and a tryout player from Georgia Tech, Warren Burrell.
The Jets had one nickel back in camp, UDFA Jordan Clark (Notre Dame), and he essentially had his own private tutor today, Jets nickel back coach Alonso Escalante.
So in a way, while it cuts down on longshots getting a chance, it helps the Jets draft picks and UDFAs get a lot more attention in the rookie minicamp, helping their maturation process get rolling faster.
Observing the practice, it looked like a really good plan, seeing the draft picks and priority UDFAs getting so much extra attention . . .
Not to make too big a deal about a pass in a rookie minicamp, but rookie free agent QB Brady Cook badly overthrew a receiver down the deep middle.
It’s unfair to rip rookie QBs for plays in a rookie minicamp in a new system with new receivers, but the only reason I bring this up is because NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in his scouting report that Cook sometimes has “troubling inaccuracy.”
So whether this is a rookie minicamp or whatever, this is something Cook clearly needs to work on, and he surely will, with Jets QB coach Charles London . . .
While on the topic of not making a big deal about plays in a rookie minicamp, but also pointing out things players need to work on – UDFA Aaron Smith seemed to get beat in coverage on a deep out by either a tight end or running back, and it was a teachable moment for Jets LB coach Aaron Curry.
Coming from I-AA South Carolina State, jumping to the NFL is a huge step up in competition, so Smith has some things to work on. Smith certainly has the speed to handle coverage, but must trigger faster to what he sees in front of him . . .
Speaking of Curry, he also had a short chat with rookie linebacker Jared Bartlett for taking Cook to the ground on a QB bootleg.
That is not allowed in minicamp – no player is supposed to be brought to the ground. Everything needs to be done standing up.
Curry is just what they need at linebacker coach – somebody who isn’t going to sugarcoat anything . . .
A UDFA signing that came late was Clemson defensive tackle Payton Page, and he had a nice play in today’s practice, shooting into the backfield to blow up a running play.
The former four-star recruit for the Tigers has nice first-step quickness for a 300-pounder . . .
Jets rookie tight end Mason Taylor (pictured above) is wearing #46.
In a day and age of players becoming obsessed with numbers, he doesn’t care.
“I’m here to play football, it’s not about a number,” Taylor said. “I will wear whatever they give me.”
This guy is so wise beyond his years for a 21-year-old. His father (Jason Taylor) and uncle (Zach Thomas) had a huge impact on his maturation process as a football player. He gets it.
May 9, 2025
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