ROOM TO IMPROVE
Jets defense was good, but Gang should still keep an eye on five top defenders at Senior Bowl
On Tuesday, we looked at five offensive players the Jets should watch during the 2024 Senior Bowl.
Now it’s time to preview some defensive players who will be down in Mobile.
Gang Green finished the 2023 season third in total defense after allowing 292.3 yards per game. That improved from the 2022 season, in which the Jets were fourth in defensive yards allowed (311.1).
Despite having one of the best defenses in the NFL, the Jets have some holes to fill this offseason.
Here are some of the players the Jets could keep an eye on at this year’s Senior Bowl.
T’VONDRE SWEAT, DT, TEXAS
The Jets’ rushing defense took a massive hit after Al Woods tore his Achilles in the Oct. 29 victory against the Giants and missed the rest of the season. With Woods being an impending free agent, Texas’ T’Vondre Sweat is a potential replacement at 6-4, 362 pounds.
Texas finished third (82.7 yards per game) in rushing defense last season and Sweat had a lot to do with that. He registered 45 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two sacks, and four passes defended.
Sweat is massive, and it is nearly impossible for offensive linemen to move consistently. He also moves well for a man his size and is a consistent disrupter in the backfield.
Sweat is one of the top 75 players available in the draft.
BRADEN FISKE, DT, FLORIDA STATE
Braden Fiske is a different type of defensive tackle than Sweat. His play resembles Quinton Jefferson, who finished with 34 tackles and six sacks before suffering a season-ending injury in the Week 15 loss to the Dolphins.
At 6-3, 300 pounds, Fiske was a destructive player for a Florida
State defense that finished 18th in points allowed (19.3). He recorded 43 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and six sacks for the Seminoles.
Fiske has the speed and versatility to line up in the defensive end spot and has experience playing from the three-technique spot between the guard and the tackle.
Versatility is enormous in Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich’s system. With him being the coach of the American Team at the Senior Bowl, don’t be surprised if Fiske is someone the Jets potentially target in the draft.
QUINYON MITCHELL, CB, TOLEDO
With Sauce Gardner and D.J.
Reed, the Jets don’t need to find a starting cornerback. However, Michael Carter II will enter the final year of his rookie contract in 2024 and the Jets could look to replace him.
Quinyon Mitchell has great size at 6-0 to be a nickel cornerback at the NFL level. He has the speed to cover receivers downfield while also having the strength to defend the run in the box.
For the Rockets, Mitchell recorded 41 tackles, two tackles for loss and one interception last season. Mitchell was one of the best cornerbacks at the Group of Five level and the Senior Bowl will be an
excellent chance for him to line up against some of the best receivers in the nation.
KAMREN KINCHENS, S, MIAMI
Kinchens is arguably the best safety prospect in April’s draft. He is as versatile as any player in his position.
Kinchens can cover multiple types of receivers and running backs while having the range to play close to the line of scrimmage to help out in run defense.
During his junior season with the Hurricanes, Kinchens finished with 59 tackles and five interceptions. With Jordan Whitehead a free agent in March, Kinchens could be someone
Ulbrich pays close attention to.
JAVON BULLARD, S, GEORGIA
Javon Bullard isn’t very big at 5-11 and 195 pounds, but he has the athletic ability and coverage skills that should translate at the NFL level.
Bullard is an intelligent safety with the instincts to play both the run and the pass well. He also knows how to bait quarterbacks to throw his way.
Last season, Bullard finished with 56 tackles, two interceptions, and five passes defended for the Bulldogs. He is an allaround safety who has the potential to be a mainstay on an NFL roster for the next decade.