Gang Green Nation
The back of the draft has some hidden gems
For those who may not be aware, I run a company that covers college football. While doing this work ultimately led me to stepping away from doing GGN’s Flight Connections, it’s allowed me to get an inside look at multiple schools and players throughout the year. On top of that, I was also fortunate enough to witness both the Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl sessions this season, too. This work has led me to finding a number of underrated players that the NY Jets could target in the 2025 NFL draft, or as undrafted free agents going forward.
This piece may not feature the sexy names or high-end quarterback options, but these are players with a winning attitude, who can also provide an impact on the field, too. These are the underrated players I believe the NY Jets should target this spring.
Unfortunately, I was at the game in which Kyle McCord threw five interceptions against Pittsburgh, three of which were returned for a touchdown. While that game ultimately tanked his draft stock at the time, McCord is an interesting prospect to look at.
It’s kind of bizarre to say that the quarterback who led the FBS in passing yards is underrated, but given his Day 3 projection, it’s safe to say that’s where he lands.
Unlike other quarterbacks, McCord didn’t have the luxury to sit in the pocket and watch plays unfold before him. The Syracuse signal-caller only had 2.40 seconds of time to throw, which was the seventh-lowest among 114 qualifying FBS quarterbacks (min. 250 attempts). His 17% pressure-to-sack rate in that regard is admirable, but what’s equally impressive is that his big time throw percentage of 5.7 was tied for 15th-best.
McCord was the engine that made the Syracuse offense go. He throws on time, allows for YAC ability for his receivers, and can throw from a variety of angles.
Equally important is McCord’s football IQ. He understands how to look off the safety, and has no problem going through his reads on longer developing plays. He also understands where his hot read is when faced with a blitz.
My player comparison of “better Drew Lock” may not be what fans want to hear. However, the question is, how much better, is the ceiling worth looking at? For a Day 3 pick, McCord is the type of player worth taking a chance on.
Yeah, I know. It’s another Syracuse player. While Tyler Warren, Colston Loveland, and Harold Fannin Jr. are the talk of this tight end class, Oronde Gadsden (currently projected as a fifth-round selection) is a unicorn yet to be discovered.
In essence, Gadsden is what a true “big slot” represents. The Syracuse prospect had the fourth-most targets (103) and slot usage (58.3) among tight ends this past season. In the Orange’s passing attack, Gadsden could not be...
