The Jets felt that they did not just add good players in this spring’s NFL Draft, but they also added a certain style of player.
They wanted to get more physical players on the roster.
They felt they accomplished that with the selections of wide receiver Malachi Corley in the third round and running backs Braelon Allen in the fourth round and Isaiah Davis in the fifth round.
3 Braelon Allen at Jets practice on July 25, 2024. Bill Kostroun/New York Post
On Saturday, the Jets will get to truly see that physicality for the first time when they face the Commanders in their preseason opener at MetLife Stadium.
There have been impressive moments for all three in training camp already, but with the lack of tackling in practice, they have not been able to really show what they can do.
While most of the Jets veterans are expected to sit this game out, the rookies should get plenty of opportunities.
Allen has been one of the most impressive Jets in training camp.
He is a large man (235 pounds), but moves like a much smaller one.
Davis is 20 pounds lighter than Allen, but he also looks for contact.
3 Malachi Corley at Jets practice on Aug. 3, 2024. Bill Kostroun/New York Post
The duo should show their bruising style of running against the Commanders.
“I kind of want to see a style of play out of them,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “Braelon Allen looks heavy, he’s felt heavy in practice, and I’m excited to see what it looks like in game action. Same thing with Isaiah, we’re looking forward to see what they can do from a protection standpoint on third down, working in and out of protection and then out of the backfield as a route runner, so I’m just looking for an overall game out of them, but if all indications of practice come to fruition on game day it’s going to be pretty good.”
Allen is the most likely to wow the fans on Saturday.
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He looks huge coming out of the backfield and has already delivered a few hits, even though practice is supposed to be nearly no contact.
One of the knocks on Allen coming out of Wisconsin is he did not use his size enough, but the Jets have been pleased with what they have seen and Allen said he knows he needs to be physical.
“At this level, the expectation from me is to be that bruiser and, run with more power and low pads and, just impose my will on people,” Allen said. “So, I think as I’ve grown over the years, that’s been that’s become more of an emphasis.”
3 Isaiah Davis at Jets practice on Aug. 3, 2024. Bill Kostroun/New York Post
The other area where Allen and Davis have already impressed is catching the ball out of the backfield.
Both have looked explosive as receivers.
“I feel like I’ve always been underrated in that sense,” Davis said. “In college I didn’t have a lot of opportunities to catch the ball. We tried to my senior year a little bit but we didn’t get the looks we wanted.
“Coming out here and just showing [Aaron Rodgers] and the guys in the running back room and Tyrod [Taylor] that I can catch, that’s when you gain their trust. That could help develop my role and put me in a position where I can be successful.”
Corley was known as the “YAC King” at Western Kentucky for how difficult he was to bring down.
He has had some good moments in training camp catching the ball, but you don’t run over or drag defenders in practice.
Now, he will get the chance to show his full range of skills.
“He’s heavy, in terms of, you can feel him when he’s getting up there and he’s running with the football,” Saleh said, “and you’re trying to tag off on him, or in the run game when he gets his hands on you and he’s blocking. He’s going to be a fun player. Obviously, you can’t see it all. We can see it. We can see the violence that which he runs when he does get the ball in his hands. I think I speak for everyone that we’re looking forward to seeing him in game action to see how it translates.”