The New York Jets are amid a two-game skid right now, being outscored by the Los Angeles Chargers and the Las Vegas Raiders 43-18 in the last two weeks. The Jets held a players-only meeting on Tuesday, and running back Michael Carter was released shortly after.
We are now in the third year of Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas being the head coach-general manager duo for the Jets. The 2021 NFL draft was the first one Saleh and Douglas took part in together, beginning a regime that had fans in New York optimistic about the future.
With the offense struggling with Zach Wilson under center, and Carter being released, now is as good a time as ever to recap how New York’s 2021 NFL draft class has fared thus far.
Round 1, Pick 2: QB Zach Wilson
Career starts with Jets: 30
Current status: Starting QB in relief of Aaron Rodgers
After the Jacksonville Jaguars took Trevor Lawrence with the No. 1 overall pick, the Jets elected to take Wilson out of BYU. The third-year quarterback has struggled to the tune of a 56.7 career completion percentage, 20 passing touchdowns, and 24 interceptions. Upon taking over for Rodgers in Week 1 due to an Achilles injury, Wilson owns the lowest EPA per play (-0.225) and success rate (38.5%) among all starting quarterbacks in the NFL this season.
Round 1, Pick 14: OL Alijah Vera-Tucker
Career starts with Jets: 28
Current status: Out for the rest of the 2023 season after suffering a season-ending injury for the second straight year.
Injuries have been a concern for Vera-Tucker in recent years as he’ll miss 22 games in the last two years once the 2023 season concludes. But when Vera-Tucker is on the field, he is the best offensive lineman on the Jets. Vera-Tucker has the versatility to play at tackle and guard, making him an invaluable piece to the offense if he can remain healthy moving forward.
Round 2, Pick 34: WR Elijah Moore
Career starts with Jets: 15 (active for 27 games)
Current status: Was traded to the Cleveland Browns before the 2023 season.
There were flashes from Moore in his rookie season in 2021 as he totaled 43 catches, 538 yards, and five touchdowns. At the same time, Moore never seemed to mesh well with Wilson at quarterback, prompting the Jets to trade the dynamic wideout to the Browns before this season. Moore is on pace for career-best marks in targets, receptions, and receiving yards in his first year with the Browns.
Round 4, Pick 107: RB Michael Carter
Career starts with Jets: 21 (active for 39 games)
Current status: Was released by the Jets following the team’s 16-12 loss to the Raiders in Week 10.
Carter led the Jets in rushing as a rookie in 2021, logging 639 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns on 147 attempts, along with 36 receptions for 325 yards. Since then, Carter hasn’t been as nearly productive, averaging 4.5 yards per touch on 178 touches since 2022. Carter was operating as the third-down back for the Jets this season, but he played just eight snaps in Week 10 and was released by the team.
Round 5, Pick 146: LB Jamien Sherwood
Career starts with Jets: 5 (active for 31 games)
Current status: Operates as a backup LB to C.J. Mosley and Quincy Williams.
Sherwood made four starts in his rookie season before being placed on injured reserve. The Auburn product has made one start since then, and that lone start came this season. With C.J. Mosley and Quincy Williams forming one of the best linebacker duos in the league, Sherwood spends most of his time on special teams. Sherwood is tallying career-best marks in tackles (27), tackles for loss (2), and forced fumbles (1) entering Week 11.
Round 5, Pick 154: CB Michael Carter II
Career starts with Jets: 17 (active for 41 games)
Current status: Is the starting nickel CB for the Jets alongside Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed.
There is an argument to be made that Carter is the best pick from this draft class. Carter has been New York’s nickel cornerback since his rookie season, accumulating 171 tackles, 16 pass breakups, seven tackles for loss, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and a forced fumble in 41 games. While Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed deservedly get a lot of attention, Carter is also why the Jets have such a dominant secondary.
Round 5, Pick 175: CB Jason Pinnock
Career starts with Jets: 2 (active for 12 games)
Current status: Was released by the Jets ahead of the 2022 campaign and he has spent the last two seasons starting 15 games for the New York Giants.
Pinnock made two starts and 12 appearances for the Jets in 2021 before he was released ahead of the 2022 season. Pinnock was then signed by the Giants, and he has made 15 starts and 24 appearances for the other New York team. The third-year cornerback has combined for 96 tackles, six tackles for loss, six pass breakups, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one interception, and a touchdown in his two seasons with the Giants.
Round 6, Pick 186: LB Hamsah Nasirildeen
Career starts with Jets: 2 (active in 19 games)
Current status: Has been on and off of the team’s practice squad since, and he was recently waived off of injured reserve.
As a rookie, Nasirildeen made two starts and 12 appearances for the Jets as a defensive back out of Florida State. Nasirildeen made the move to a hybrid linebacker in 2022 as teams across the league are looking for athletes to roam the middle of the field. The former Seminole has totaled just 14 tackles in his career and he was recently waived off of injured reserve by the Jets.
Round 6, Pick 200: CB Brandin Echols
Career starts with Jets: 14 (active for 33 games)
Current status: Is a backup CB to Gardner, Reed, and Carter in the secondary.
After making 14 starts at cornerback for the Jets in his first year, Echols hasn’t logged a start since. The 26-year-old cornerback began this season serving a one-game suspension due to violating the league’s personal conduct policy. In the last two seasons, Echols has played on only 103 defensive snaps for the Jets, registering 12 tackles and two pass breakups.
Round 6, Pick 207: DT Jonathan Marshall
Career starts with Jets: 0 (active for 4 games)
Current status: Hasn’t played a snap since 2021 and he is currently on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice squad after being released by the Jets in 2022.
Marshall appeared in four games with the Jets as a rookie before signing with the team’s practice squad in 2022. He would then be released and the Pittsburgh Steelers signed him to their practice squad. The interior defender out of Arkansas remains on Pittsburgh’s practice squad as he’s posted just two career tackles.
