Training camp always delivers at least one story that feels bigger than the depth chart. This summer, the Jets have one of those in Nathan Voorhis, an undrafted rookie who grew up rooting for the team and now gets a real shot to wear the green and white himself.
Voorhis, a former Ball State standout, is facing a steep climb to make the 53-man roster. But if you’re looking for a player to pull for in camp, he brings one of the best backstories on the roster.
The Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania native spent his childhood as a Jets fan, and he made sure everyone knew it after signing with the team in April. He posted a photo of himself at a Jets game as a kid and wrote, "The prophecy is fulfilled. Let's get to work."
The prophecy is fulfilled. Let’s get to work. #jets pic.twitter.com/vRKuvkY1Mq
- Nathan Voorhis (@Nate_Voorhis) April 25, 2026
Voorhis took a winding route to get here. He began at UConn, where playing time was hard to come by, then transferred to Bryant University before the 2024 season. After breaking out at the FCS level, he made another move, this time to Ball State in 2025, and that’s where everything came together.
In his lone season with the Cardinals, Voorhis earned First-Team All-MAC honors after piling up 12 sacks and two forced fumbles. That production put him on NFL radars, even if the pre-draft process still left him on the outside looking in.
At 6-foot-2 and 251 pounds, Voorhis doesn’t fit the usual mold for an NFL edge rusher. The size and length teams often want just aren’t there, and that helped explain why he went undrafted despite the numbers he put up in college.
What he does bring is a nonstop motor. Voorhis plays with a quick first step and keeps coming, using effort and burst to make up for some of the physical limitations that showed up before the draft.
There’s even a stylistic resemblance to former Jets edge rusher Bryce Huff in the way Voorhis attacks tackles with speed instead of pure power, though that comparison still comes with a lot left to prove. Huff’s first-step explosiveness was among the best in the entire NFL.
The path to a roster spot won’t be easy. David Bailey, Joseph Ossai, Will McDonald, and Kingsley Enagbare look set, which leaves little room for anyone else if the Jets decide to keep a fifth edge rusher at all.
That means Voorhis is in the middle of a crowded fight with Tyler Baron, Braiden McGregor, Eric Watts, and Kingsley Jonathan for what could be the last opening in the room. There’s also a real chance none of them are on the Week 1 roster.
Still, making the 53-man roster doesn’t have to be the only bar for success. For an undrafted rookie from a small school, landing on the practice squad and continuing to develop would be a solid first step.
If Voorhis can show that his college production carries over against NFL competition, he’ll give himself a chance to stick. Either way, he’s already living out the kind of moment plenty of Jets fans have imagined for years. Now the next step is trying to turn that childhood dream into an actual NFL career.
In Other News...
Forgotten Jets Lineman Still Has A Real Shot To Survive Camp
Eric Watts is back in the mix for the Jets as training camp opens in 2026, and the undrafted defensive lineman still has a path to make some noise despite spending most of last season on the practice squad. New Yorks move to a 3-4 defense could help his case, since Watts has worked both at defensive end and defensive tackle, giving him the kind of flexibility coaches tend to value when they start sorting out the bottom of the roster.
Even so, the climb remains steep. Watts looks more like a player fighting to keep himself in the organization than one with a clear lane to the Week 1 roster, and the more realistic outcome may be another stint on the practice squad. But camp is exactly where a player with his background can change the conversation, especially if the new scheme creates just enough room for versatility to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Fans Just Got A Frustrating Training Camp Access Update
The Jets are set to open training camp on July 28 at Florham Park, but the familiar summer routine will look a little different this year. The team announced seven open practice dates, and the schedule is being shaped by the ongoing renovations for a new Player Performance Center, which have cut into both parking and usable space around the facility.
For fans hoping to get close to the action, access will be tighter than usual. The club has limited attendance because of the construction, and the announced practices are being spread out with a mix of fan access and member-only opportunities, including two joint sessions with the Buccaneers later in camp. For a fan base eager to see how the roster takes shape, the calendar is there, but the easiest way in is not. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Fans Won't Agree On This Latest Quarterback Trade Idea
The Jets quarterback search is never far from the front of the conversation, and another trade idea has surfaced as the team keeps looking for a way to stabilize the position. The latest suggestion points toward Cleveland, where a young backup has been squeezed into a crowded quarterback room and could be available if the Browns decide to move on from some depth.
For New York, the appeal is obvious: a recent third-round pick with some NFL starts already on his rsum, and a chance to add another arm without paying full starter price. But the fit is trickier than the headline suggests, because the Jets are still trying to solve a much bigger problem than simply adding another name to the depth chart, which is why any move here would have to come at a very low cost to make sense. [Read more 🡒]