NY Jets: 3 players make Pro Football Focus top-101 list

Now that the season has concluded, the offseason has officially begun. While the 2020 season was one to forget for the NY Jets, there were some bright spots on a team that seemed to be intentionally tanking for the first few months of the season.

Even better news for New York is that the bright spots on the team are all players who are young with tons of promise. So much so, that Pro Football Focus made sure to include three of them on their PFF 101 for the 2020 season.

This list is not one based on the best 101 players in the league and is not to be confused with the NFL 100. Instead, this is based on the player’s performances — or their PFF rating.

As mentioned on the Pro Football Focus website, no position is held above the other. These ranks are completely equal.

While the Jets struggled their way to two late-season wins over the Los Angeles Rams and the Cleveland Browns (both of them winning a playoff game this season might I add), three young stars performed well enough to make their way onto the list.

Which three NY Jets players made PFF’s top-101 list?

Rounding out the trio at the lowest spot is defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi. The 25-year-old UConn product has become one of the best run-stopping linemen in the league.

His impressive 2019 season earned him additional playing time in 2020, and he did not disappoint. Still, he has yet to play at least 50 percent of downs on the season.

Fatukasi does not put much pressure on the quarterback, but his consistency in run defense is enough to just make PFF’s list, clocking in at No. 92. Not bad for the former sixth-round pick.

We’ll have to skip ahead nearly 20 spots for the next player for the Jets. Perhaps a bit low, but Quinnen Williams found his way to 77th on the list. The former third overall pick wasn’t blowing fans away last season, but it turns out that he just needed to get comfortable.

2020 was Williams’ breakout season. He nearly doubled his tackle count, and recorded seven sacks. A Pro Bowl snub, Williams showed that he is going to be the player that the Jets expected him to be when they drafted him in 2019.

If Williams can ease up on the late hits for next season, he’ll solidify himself as one of the best defensive tackles in the league. New head coach Robert Saleh should help with that just fine.

And finally, the highest-rated Jets player on the PFF 101 is safety Marcus Maye, ranking at 67th.

Before the trade of Jamal Adams last year, rumors were stirring about Maye’s future with the team. But after Joe Douglas secured a gift of a haul for Adams, Maye proved that the Jets kept the right safety on the team.

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Maye put together a career year in 2020 and went from potential trade bait to a fan favorite defensive cornerstone.

The Jets have a great piece of their secondary finally reaching his full potential. Maye’s contract ran out this year, and it would be wise for the team to re-sign him at their earliest convenience.

Considering the former Florida star turns 28-years-old next month, it might be his only chance to cash in on a big payday. He has earned a long-term deal with quite a bit of money involved and Joe should be trusted with not letting a budding star walk.

Yes, the Jets were a horrible team in total this past season. However, things are trending upwards. It might be safe to say that these players aren’t well represented on the list. However, the players likely only care about furthering their game.

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If the team can finally take the necessary steps forward, it’s unlikely that these three players are the only Jets represented on the PFF 101 this time next year.

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