Getty New York Jets wide receiver Jason Brownlee reacting in the middle of an NFL game.
The New York Jets might have a hidden gem on its hands.
Rich Cimini of ESPN highlighted wide receiver Jason Brownlee as someone to “keep an eye on.”
“One player who has impressed is wide receiver Jason Brownlee, who was featured in ‘Hard Knocks’ last summer and made the team as an undrafted rookie. He could be a surprise in the receiving corps,” Cimini explained in a column posted on Sunday, May 19.
Brownlee Could Be a Surprising Pass Catcher That Emerges for the Jets
The former Southern Miss product had a difficult path to the National Football League. Brownlee started his college experience by spending two years at East Mississippi Community College. He then transferred to a bigger school, Southern Miss, for his three years of college football.
During his three seasons with the Golden Eagles, Brownlee racked up 135 receptions for 2,144 receiving yards and he finished with 21 touchdowns.
At the NFL Combine, he measured in at 6-foot-2 and tipped the scales at 198 pounds. Ahead of the 2023 NFL draft, Lance Zierlein projected him as a fifth-round draft choice. He never heard his name called during that draft and instead signed with the Jets as an undrafted free agent.
“Perimeter wideout with NFL size, an outstanding catch radius, and the potential to outplay his draft slotting. Brownlee will need to prove his speed, but he can make top-flight contested catches down the field and has the spring and length to outreach opponents when the ball is in the air. His contested catch count is entirely too high, but he can be his own worst enemy in that regard thanks to unrefined route running. Brownlee is a competitive worker and has enough flash plays on tape to believe that he might have upside to be cultivated,” Zierlein explained ahead of the draft via the NFL Media group.
Brownlee had enough traits and flashes to make the Jets’ 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent last year.
An Interesting Path to Potential Playing Time for the Jets
Last year, Brownlee got some opportunities at wide receiver because of an array of injuries and odd situations.
He appeared in seven games and made five starts. Brownlee finished with five catches for 56 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Although expectations were much higher after his viral moment during training camp.
The Jets’ social media team shared a clip of Brownlee going up in a 1-on-1 situation versus a cornerback where he made a spectacular one-handed grab.
Adam Schefter of ESPN tweeted out the clip and it had over 1.9 million views.
Jets’ undrafted free-agent WR Jason Brownlee, who led Southern Miss in receiving the past three seasons, made another dazzling catch today, as he has done throughout camp.
📹 @nyjets pic.twitter.com/QeWwDWTtmK
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 1, 2023
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Jets fans have been waiting to see that flash in camp translate to the game. So far, no dice. However, there is a path for him to get on the field this year.
“Kind of my dark horse guy is Jason Brownlee who made the team last year. I’ve been hearing good things about him so you might see a nice jump from him,” Cimini explained to Connor of NY Flight Jets Talk.
Brownlee, 25, is sitting behind some proven veterans/standouts on the wideout depth chart, Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams. However, Connor Hughes of SNY name-dropped Brownlee as someone who can “fill in” for Williams if he misses time due to injury.
Head coach Robert Saleh said at the Annual League Meeting earlier this offseason that Williams has a “long way to go” from his torn ACL in 2023. That could open the door for Brownlee to carve out a role early.
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