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For the first time in a long time, the New York Jets are overflowing with talent at several key positions.
A few years ago Gang Green had one of the most barren rosters in the NFL and now they’re clearly on the upswing.
So much so that one analyst boldly predicted one of those youngsters will walk away with some serious NFL hardware.
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Absolutely Historic Take
Following the first two days of the 2022 NFL draft, the College GameDay crew on ESPN was tasked with predicting who would win the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
Analyst Desmond Howard boldly predicted that Jets second-round rookie Breece Hall will come away with the hardware when everything is said and done:
“I think my guy is going to be Breece Hall the running back from Iowa State. He went to the Jets and I think Hall is going to be the Offensive Player of the Year. Hall is more than a running back. He was a workhorse for the Cyclones and in that Jets offense with a young quarterback, he will be a safety net because he is an excellent receiver out of the backfield. I’m really curious how Mike LaFleur uses him in the Jets offense. I think he has the potential to be the Offensive Rookie of the Year.”
According to Vegas Insider, Hall is tied for the fourth-best overall odds to walk away with the award at +1000. Although there are six players above him and two others are tied with him:
- Kenny Pickett, quarterback, Pittsburgh Steelers: +550
- Malik Willis, quarterback, Tennessee Titans: +600
- Drake London, wide receiver, Atlanta Falcons: +700
- Treylon Burks, wide receiver, Titans: +700
- Garrett Wilson, wide receiver, Jets: +700
- Jameson Williams, wide receiver, Detroit Lions: +700
He also has the same odds as New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave and Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker II at +1000.
If Hall were to accomplish that feat he would become the first Jets offensive rookie in history to win that award.
While Gang Green hasn’t had any luck with their offensive rookies, their defensive ones are a different story. Four former defenders all have won the Defensive Rookie of the Year honors as Jets:
- Sheldon Richardson (2013)
- Jonathan Vilma (2004)
- Hugh Douglas (1995)
- Erik McMillan (1988)
Are You Saying There Is a Chance?
When the Jets traded up to land Hall in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft, they made history.
The former Iowa State product was selected with the No. 36 overall pick and that is the highest a running back has been picked by the Jets since Blair Thomas was the No. 2 overall pick back in the 1990 NFL draft.
Despite his lofty draft status it may prove difficult to win the first Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in franchise history.
Since 2008 only four running backs have won that award in the NFL. The other 10 winners were quarterbacks and wide receivers.
In other words, only a select few have been able to do it and with the Jets, Hall will be a part of a running back by committee. Last year the green and white selected Michael Carter with the No. 107 overall pick in the fourth round out of North Carolina.
With that level of talent in the backfield, both of them will eat into each other’s work likely mitigating their overall statistics.
Putting awards aside, Gang Green now has the best 1-2 punch they’ve had in the backfield since the Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene days. This should bring balance to the offense and set Zach Wilson up to take advantage of the play-action passing game.
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