NY Jets: 5 Underrated defensive targets for the Jets in 2025 NFL draft

In my earlier article, we checked out 5 offensive gamers flying beneath the radar that the New York Jets might look to focus on within the 2025 NFL draft. We now flip our consideration to among the defensive gamers the Jets might look to focus on within the upcoming draft.

Just like the earlier article, this received’t characteristic the top-end attractive names you’ll see within the first spherical of mock drafts. Nonetheless, none of those gamers ought to be slept on of their skill to grow to be difference-makers on the NFL degree.

This was actually exhausting for me to slim down to 5 gamers. Due to that, I’ve tried to slim it all the way down to gamers who might be tradition and scheme suits, in addition to positions of want for the Jets.

New York Jets Underrated Targets

Fadil Diggs, EDGE – Syracuse

Yeah, I do know. After itemizing two Syracuse Orange gamers within the earlier article, it appears absurd to record one other one right here, proper? As I discussed, nevertheless, the management and expertise analysis of their teaching employees has been wonderful. A number of Syracuse gamers are flying beneath the radar by way of their potential draft projection. A type of gamers is EDGE Fadil Diggs.

Diggs is flexible – whether or not based mostly on his pre-snap place or deployment. Diggs was one among 15 EDGE gamers to have at the very least 100 protection snaps. Whereas his 53.5 grade suggests he’s a legal responsibility in cross protection, Diggs shows a excessive soccer IQ, particularly when enjoying in a zone or spy position. He was additionally requested to drop in protection on the Shrine Bowl and carried out properly there.

Diggs shines in his skill to get after the passer and ball carriers. He shows an incredible soccer IQ in figuring out what the play name can be after the snap. That kind of skill is extraordinarily exhausting to search out in a rookie prospect, particularly alongside the defensive position.

Diggs’ 15.0 cross rush win price is tied for thirtieth amongst 128 qualifying gamers. In the meantime, his cross rush grade in true cross units is forty eighth, at 75.2. Diggs wins extraordinarily properly with an influence rush, however his rip transfer may be his greatest asset. Right here he shows it on the Shrine Bowl, the place he would have destroyed the quarterback if it had been an actual recreation.

His run-stopping is taken into account underwhelming from a statistical lens, however Diggs’ common depth of sort out is 1.1 yards, that means he’s persistently offering stress on the line of scrimmage, disrupting performs.

A giant purpose why I’m larger on Diggs than most is his present draft projection. In the mean time, Diggs is projected to be a seventh-round choice. At that price ticket, it’s unattainable to not need to take a shot on a 6-foot-5 edge rusher who ought to solely proceed to impress all through the pre-draft course of.

C.J. West, IDL – Indiana

One participant who has actually caught out to me when watching movie is Indiana’s C.J. West. The Hoosier has a (wholesome) imply streak to him, and a motor that doesn’t stop. West is all energy and athleticism, and he can be an ideal match alongside the inside for the NY Jets. He has a push-pull transfer that’s practically unstoppable, and a very good bull rush to associate with it.

But West isn’t simply brute power along with his energy. He reveals extremely fast fingers to blow previous offensive linemen in one-on-one alternatives.

Amongst inside defensive linemen, West’s 83.6 defensive grade is the Thirteenth-best amongst 467 qualifying gamers. He’s additionally a power as a run-stopper, rating Ninth-best with an 88.1 grade, per PFF. In the meantime, his cease share of 11.4 towards the run can also be the Thirteenth-best amongst inside defensive linemen.

On prime of his run-stopping prowess, West can even carry out as a pass-rusher. His 25 whole pressures as a pass-rusher rank fiftieth amongst 862 qualifiers. His cross rush grade of 73.0 is forty third amongst qualifiers.

At the moment, West is projected as a fifth-round decide. Given his mentality, effort, and manufacturing, there’s little purpose to not take a shot on the Indiana product in a protection seeking to regain their edge.

Teddye Buchanan, Linebacker – California

Teddye Buchanan is my LB1 on this draft class (not together with EDGE gamers and pass-rushers). The previous FCS product joined the FBS ranks with the California Golden Bears in 2024 and immediately confirmed that he belongs. At 6-foot-2 and 236 kilos, Buchanan is a superb mixture of dimension and velocity, and it reveals on movie.

Extra importantly Buchanan understands his hole assignments and doesn’t hesitate to assault when mandatory.

Statistically, Buchanan was one among solely 13 linebackers to put up a 70.0 grade or larger in protection, run protection, tackling, cross rush, and protection final season. Buchanan is a jack-of-all-trades kind of participant. He additionally has the flexibility to get to the quarterback regardless of not being utilized persistently as a pass-rushing possibility.

His six sacks are tied for ninth amongst all linebackers, and his 25 whole pressures additionally place him ninth. In the meantime, his 48 stops towards the run have him tied for nineteenth amongst linebackers.

Surprisingly, Buchanan has a seventh spherical grade on him. That will change after the NFL Mix. Buchanan is poised to be an electrical participant on the NFL degree. He would make an unbelievable addition to the New York Jets protection.

Kahzir Brown, Cornerback – Florida Atlantic

With DJ Reed anticipated to go away the Jets, New York wants one other playmaking cornerback to affix their secondary. You received’t discover a participant extra deserving, but under-appreciated, than FAU’s Kahzir Brown.

Brown is a 6-foot-3 cornerback who can bench press 300 kilos with ease (no, significantly). He additionally has the velocity to chase down ball-carriers on the other facet of the sector. On prime of that, “Buggs” Brown is a ballhawk with elite athleticism and understanding of the sport.

Sadly for Kahzir, his lack of draft hype is extra because of the groups he has performed with than any form of expertise challenge.

The Trenton, New Jersey product is a superb press-man cornerback who excels in man protection. He’s additionally a dynamic playmaker within the run recreation. Brown brings a kind of physicality on the place that you just don’t usually see anymore. Nonetheless, he has the prowess and finesse to excel at cornerback (and even security).

Brown might probably slip out of the NFL draft. If that’s the case, I hope that the Jets pounce on him and add one other elite participant to their secondary.

Craig Woodson, Security – California

Like Teddye Buchanan, Craig Woodson is an elite participant out of Cal who is totally flying beneath the radar.

The Cal security ranks seventh in defensive grade amongst all safeties. As well as, he’s one among simply two safeties within the FBS final 12 months to put up an 80.0 score in defensive grade, run protection, sort out grade, and cross protection. It’s absurd that he’s being given a seventh-round projection. After I talked to him on the Shrine Bowl, he admitted that he felt like he was being underrated by NFL groups, too.

With a obvious gap at security, the Jets might use a participant of Woodson’s caliber. He hardly ever misses tackles, at an 8.9 % clip, whereas his 22 stops are within the upper-half of safeties within the FBS.

In protection, Woodson is elite. He reveals nice instincts and pursuit on the ball within the air, and he isn’t afraid to put out a receiver to power a breakup.

Woodson is a playmaker who comes up large in large moments. That’s a participant the Jets want of their secondary. Along with his management, work ethic, and angle, Woodson is a participant that may show many fallacious on the subsequent degree.

Honorable Mentions

Like final time, there are a couple of gamers that I actually needed so as to add to this record, however I simply couldn’t given the factors I set for the article.

Aeneas Peebles, Defensive Lineman – Virginia Tech

If Peebles wasn’t already listed with a fourth-round grade (which can solely proceed to climb), he would have simply made this record. He’s barely larger than C.J. West and Peebles has an elite pass-rushing skillset.

On the Senior Bowl, Peebles showcased his unbelievable swim transfer. He additionally was a power in reside drills, proving the one-on-one drills weren’t a fluke.

Nohl Williams, Cornerback – California

I simply couldn’t put three California gamers on this record. But all of them are being fully missed by the final draft group.

Williams led the FBS in interceptions. He’s a wonderful zone protection cornerback who’s a real ballhawk on the place. On prime of his prowess as a defender, Williams can also be a really succesful return man, and he scored final 12 months on a return. He would make a wonderful piece so as to add alongside Sauce Gardner and Michael Carter II.

Zah Frazier, Cornerback – UTSA

Like Williams, Zah Frazier can also be a ball hawking cornerback. He had three video games of a number of interceptions final season, and he’s persistently enhancing as a participant with every passing 12 months. He’s the one cornerback to put up an 80.0 or larger grade in protection, run protection, sort out grade, and cross protection final season. Don’t let him coming from a G5 idiot you. Frazier is an elite participant.