Breece Hall didn’t make CBS Sports’ latest young-player rankings, but this one is a lot easier to swallow than some of the other Jets slights that have piled up this offseason.
CBS has already irritated New York fans with decisions like leaving Garrett Wilson off a top-100 players list and floating the idea that the fifth-year wideout could ask for a trade. So when Tyler Sullivan rolled out his top 25 players who will be 25 or younger when the season opens on Sept. 9, it was fair to wonder whether the Jets were about to get hit again.
Instead, the omission of Wilson was simple enough to explain. He turns 26 later this month, so he wasn’t eligible.
Hall, though, did not crack the list either. Even so, this one doesn’t land anywhere near as hard as Pete Prisco ranking 13 receivers ahead of Wilson.
Sullivan’s list did include two running backs: Miami’s De'Von Achane at No. 21 and Atlanta's Bijan Robinson at No. 1.
“I personally would have put Puka Nacua or Penei Sewell, who finished No. 2 and 3, atop the list, partly because their teams have at least reached the postseason.”
The rankings also serve as a reminder of just how crowded the league is with young talent. Hall is coming off his first 1,000-yard season, and the Giants rewarded him with an extension earlier this year. But even with that production, he’s not really in the same conversation as the players who made this particular cut.
Achane, for example, has averaged 1,675 yards from scrimmage over his first three seasons, and he started his career as the Dolphins' No. 2 running back behind Raheem Mostert.
And that’s the point here: this isn’t a knock on Hall. It’s just a case where the numbers and the list line up pretty cleanly. If you’re choosing a backfield piece between Hall and Achane, the answer is obvious.
As for the rest of the Jets’ roster, Hall was probably the only real candidate to make Sullivan’s list. Maybe Olu Fashanu had a case, especially with Chargers right tackle Joe Alt - who came in at No. 24 - limited to six games last year by an ankle injury.
Beyond that, the Jets’ younger players will have to wait for another year. D’Angelo Ponds, or any of the team’s other first-year players, can try to break into Sullivan’s 2027 rankings.
In Other News...
Jets Still Have One Defensive Weak Spot They Cannot Ignore
The Jets have spent plenty of time trying to shore up the defense, but one spot still looks vulnerable enough to keep the front office shopping. Linebacker depth has become a real concern, with age and possible regression around the current group pushing New York to at least consider outside help rather than hoping the room sorts itself out on its own.
Several veteran names fit the kind of short-term fix the Jets could use, including Jerome Baker, Matt Milano and Elandon Roberts. Bobby Okereke also belongs on the radar, though he may not be eager to come in as a backup, and Milano brings the kind of upside that always tempts teams even if his availability makes the calculation a tricky one. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Added A Defensive Piece Who Comes With One Big Catch
The Jets kept working to shore up their defensive front by signing former Packers lineman Kingsley Enagbare to a one-year contract, another move aimed at making the run defense sturdier. Enagbare gives New York a familiar kind of depth piece for this stage of the offseason, the sort of player who can fit into a rotation and help the line hold up better against physical opponents.
What makes the signing interesting is the role the Jets appear to have in mind for him. Enagbare is expected to be used more as a dependable run defender than as a consistent pass-rush threat, which means the fit matters as much as the name on the transaction wire. With T'Vondre Sweat, David Onyemata and Darrell Jackson Jr. already in the mix, the Jets are clearly building with a specific need in mind, and the next question is how much pressure Enagbare can actually add when the game plan asks for more than just setting the edge. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Trade Idea Targets A Fix For Their Biggest Defensive Hole
The Jets have spent the offseason trying to patch the middle of their defense, and a new trade proposal points them toward a linebacker who could help stabilize that area without requiring a major investment. SirVocea Dennis has been viewed as an intriguing fit because of his range and upside, and the idea is simple enough: add a young defender who could grow alongside Jamien Sherwood while giving New York another option in a spot that has been a concern.
It is still just a speculative concept, not a confirmed move, but it speaks to where the Jets are right now. They have been active in trying to reshape the roster, and a low-cost deal for a player who might be squeezed out in Tampa Bay would fit the kind of opportunistic approach teams often take when they believe a clear need is staring them in the face. [Read more 🡒]