Joe Douglas’ first draft class as general manager of the New York Jets has not lived up to expectations so far.
Mekhi Becton has struggled to stay on the field and keep his weight in check, Ashtyn Davis has yet to find his ceiling, players like La’Mical Perine and Jabari Zuniga are expected to be cut this summer, and two 2020 selections have already been released — James Morgan and Cameron Clark (retired).
There have been some bright spots. Bryce Hall has exceeded his draft status and Braden Mann looks to be a potential long-term answer at punter. UDFAs Bryce Huff and Javelin Guidry have also carved out roles within this organization if you include them in the conversation.
The success of one or two more pieces might shift the narrative on this inaugural draft and the key could be second-round wide receiver Denzel Mims.
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2020 Class Still Sticking Together
You rarely hear the mild-mannered Baylor product speak out but today on July 14, Mims had a message for all of his doubters — and it involved two of his fellow 2020 rookies.
The simple yet enticing moment of self-belief referenced a 2021 tweet from Perine, who voiced: “Lol I love when they [sleep emoji] on the kid…” That’s where Mims came in, replying: “Omm I do!!”
Becton then retweeted Mims, as the trio of 2020 letdowns attempted to lift each other up ahead of training camp. It was a cool moment that hyped up several fans.
“2020 Draft class coming for blood in 2022,” one commented.
@Zel5Zelly 2020 Draft class coming for blood in 2022 😈
Another predicted a “breakout [season],” while a third called it the “M1M5 revenge tour.” There was also this popular Jets GIF from the HBO television series, “The Wire.”
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Put up or Shut up Time
Not necessarily Mims, but this 2020 class has done a lot of talking with very few tangible results to back up any of the hype. Becton has been at the forefront of that chatter and we’ve heard similar battle cries from Zuniga that ended up being more of a whimper on the field.
Just look at Perine’s 2021 campaign following the proclamation above. Jets fans could have accidentally fallen asleep and missed his 24 snaps of action on offense.
Mims will have to do a bit better than that to prove himself to this coaching staff in 2022.
The 6-foot-3 target had a nice spring by all accounts, but so did his competition. Jeff Smith torched OTAs and minicamp, Kenny Yeboah “looked tremendous” as a pass-catching tight end, and Lawrence Cager turned heads as a WR/TE hybrid. Don’t forget undrafted prospect Calvin Jackson Jr., who battled his way from “Last Chance U” to win a roster spot at rookie camp.
And that’s only the bubble. Mims will have to compete with Corey Davis, Elijah Moore, Braxton Berrios and rookie Garrett Wilson for actual playing time.
To put it bluntly — if Mims wants to make the 53 and prove everyone wrong for “sleeping” on him, it certainly won’t come easy. Having said that, he’s fully healthy this summer and supposedly in the best physical shape of his NFL career.
In New York City, talk is cheap. It’s time to put up or move on.
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Jets WR Denzel Mims Calls out Doubters on Social Media