G Tristen Hoge - BYU

One common theme when draft analysts were evaluating Zach Wilson was concern over the fact that he rarely seemed to be under pressure. If Wilson’s offensive line kept him so clean, then how can the Jets be sure that he’ll be able to make good decisions and accurate throws at the NFL level? However, the Jets instead used this to inspire one of their undrafted pickups. What better solution than to bring in one of the key players responsible for protecting Wilson?

Hoge started 25 games at right guard over the past three years and didn’t give up a sack in eight 2020 appearances. While he might lack the athletic ability of most of the Jets’ recent additions, he flashes signs of physical dominance and may bring some versatility because he has worked at center in the past.

At 24, Hoge is an older prospect and has some durability concerns having missed games due to injury and illness over the past few years so it’s easy to see why he didn’t get drafted. However, he’ll give Wilson a familiar face to go through his first offseason with and will compete for a role on a Jets offensive line that is looking for young players to step up and establish themselves as potential long-term contributors.

OLB Hamilcar Rashed Jr. - Oregon State

Amazingly, Rashed went from earning some potential first-rounder buzz to completely undrafted in less than a year. Having broken onto the scene as a junior, Rashed almost entered the 2020 draft but his decision to stay in school backfired badly. His production fell off a cliff in 2020 as he dealt with injury issues and criticisms over his effort levels.

Rashed’s 2019 season had made NFL scouts sit up and take notice as he racked up 14 sacks, led the nation in tackles for loss and was a first team All-American. While questions surrounding effort levels are troubling, it’s notable that his relentless work ethic was widely praised during and after the 2019 season. Clearly, if he can rediscover the form that led him to register those numbers, Rashed could be a bargain for the Jets. They certainly wasted no time in securing his agreement because he was the first undrafted player reported to have agreed terms with any team.

While he’s primarily a pass rusher, Rashed also exhibits some ability to set the edge against the run and drop back and match up in coverage. This would make him an interesting fit within the Jets’ system and a potential candidate to compete for time at the strong side linebacker position.

TE Kenny Yeboah - Ole Miss

Many were shocked when Yeboah went undrafted following a breakout senior campaign which saw him rack up 524 yards and six touchdowns in just seven games. The Jets, having not addressed the tight end position with any of their 10 draft picks, went above and beyond to get Yeboah signed, as they reportedly agreed to give him $200,000 in guarantees to outbid a few other teams.

After four years at Temple, Yeboah transferred to Ole Miss where he thrived as a teammate of Jets’ second round pick Elijah Moore. He’s more of a pass catching threat than a blocker but is versatile enough to line up in the slot, out wide or in the backfield.

The Jets added Tyler Kroft to their tight end room during the offseason so there should be a good competition for roles between him, Chris Herndon, Ryan Griffin and Trevon Wesco. Yeboah, however, arguably has higher upside than any of them, so the Jets could look to find a spot for him if he impresses during the offseason.

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