Breaking down the Brandon Bryant signing

The New York Jets as predicted did not bid any of their picks in the 2018 NFL Supplemental Draft. That does not mean there are no surprises as they welcome Brandon Bryant to the team.

In this year’s supplemental draft, the New York Jets chose not to spend any draft capital on a loaded defensive back class. However, that did not mean that the club was going to pass on talent if the opportunity was right. That was well clear when the New York Jets added more depth to the team signing the undrafted free agent out of Mississippi State, safety Brandon Bryant.

Faster than a bullet, this freak of an athlete was reportedly clocked by his coaches at 4.24 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Bryant is known as a big playmaker and in three years of college, he played 37 games, totaling 157 total tackles, five interceptions, one forced fumble, and one touchdown.

The Jets safety position is loaded. After signing J.J. Wilcox last month, Bryant comes to making sure that if something goes wrong, the Jets are covered. His speed is appealing as today’s passing game requires players that can cover great amounts of the field.

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Nowadays, some wide receivers are so dependent on how fast they are that having a player like the former Bulldog could be a game changer. Also, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero believes he could have an immediate impact on special teams.

Bryant failed to be selected in this year’s supplemental draft. That does not mean his talent should be overlooked. He had a great freshman year and showed a lot of potential. The next year, he failed to build on that as his father, unfortunately, died in a motorcycle accident. Nonetheless, last season he was rejuvenated under former safeties coach Ron English and ended up with a solid campaign.

The Jets were one of 14 teams to attend his pro day last month. That means that they were impressed, not just about the player but about the man as well. General manager Mike Maccagnan is all about finding hidden gems in the rough as Bryant will likely find a role on special teams and build from there.

This year’s supplemental draft was one to remember. Cornerbacks Sam Beal and Adonis Alexander were both selected. Beal was picked up by the New York Giants in the third round and Alexander by the Washington Redskins in the sixth round. It goes to show that no matter what, opportunities can come sooner or later as long as you ride things out one day at a time.