NFL Analyst Says New York Jets Signed One of the Best UDFA Classes

The New York Jets have one of the best undrafted free agent classes in the NFL.

Nov 18, 2023; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies defensive lineman Eric Watts (95) / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Jets addressed a lot of holes on their roster in the 2024 NFL draft and then continued their success at finding talent in the undrafted free agent class.

FantasyPros' Thor Nystrom ranked all of the UDFA classes around the league and ended up landing the second spot on his list.

For Nystrom, New York's class included three players witihin his top-153 players available in the draft and a fourth that also had a draftable grade. This is incredible value found on the open market.

The highest rated player among the signings was UConn defensive lineman Eric Watts. As a three-season starter with Connecticut, he amassed 153 tackles with 23 going for a loss and 9.5 sacks.

The 6-foot-5, 274 pound pass rusher had a fantastic combine that saw him impress watchers with a 4.67 40-yard dash and 36.5 vertical. He's a bit raw in his approach, but certainly has all of the physical tools that you could ask for.

Next on the list was Miami interior defensive lineman Leonard Taylor III. Taylor was once a top-10 recruit coming out of high school and could have some untapped potential left for the Jets to squeeze out.

Most of his up-side comes as a pass rusher up the middle with six career sacks and 22.5 tackles for a loss. He isn't a very toolsy player on the line, moreso opting for a bull-rush approach.

The other player listed within Nystrom's top-153 was another defensive lineman. This time it was Michigan EDGE rusher Braiden McGregor.

McGregor was definitely overshadowed by more high-profile players throughout his college career, but has some intriguing potential as a hidden gem.

The 6-foot-5, 257-pound defensive end was a former hockey player that switched to football due to his prototypical size. This is more of a potential over production add from the New York front office.

The last 'draftable' player added by the Jets was Miami's speedy receiver Tyler Harrell.

Harrell impressed at the combine, putting up a 4.29 40-yard dash. He's not the most well-rounded athlete, putting up just nine reps on the bench. With his speed at 6-foot, though, it was clear that someone would take a chance on him.

He had a nice season back in 2021 with Louisville, 523 yards and six touchdowns on just 18 catches, but never found much production on offense outside of that. He didn't return kicks or punts often in college, but could try for a roster spot in that role in camp.