6 biggest standouts from the NY Jets mandatory minicamp

The NY Jets officially concluded their three-day mandatory minicamp on Wednesday bringing an end to the team's spring practices. Next stop: training camp.

Much like OTAs, the Jets kept things light during minicamp opting for a passing-exclusive set of practices that saw minimal contact and, in turn, minimal chance for injury.

Still, a number of players were able to make the most of their snaps and stand out amongst their peers. While it's always important to take spring practices with a grain of salt, the Jets have to be encouraged by the performances of the six players on this list.

With that, let's take a look at six of the biggest standouts from the Jets' mandatory minicamp.

6. Garrett Wilson, WR, NY Jets

Garrett Wilson had a relatively quiet OTAs period as the rookie wide receiver wasn't among those who shined the brightest. And while he was still overshadowed by a couple of wideouts during minicamp, he started to show signs of the player the Jets hope he could be.

The highlight of his minicamp was a brilliant leaping grab he made on Tuesday in which he skied into the air, twisted his body, and came down with a highlight-reel 15-yard catch.

Wilson looked more comfortable during minicamp as he continued to learn the nuances of the playbook. The wide receiver position is notably a complex one to learn in the Jets' offense, but Wilson showed signs of growth over the course of just a few weeks.

While Wilson primarily worked with the second-team offense, it shouldn't be long before he's out there getting reps with the starters. Training camp will be the next step in his development.

5. Lawrence Cager, TE, NY Jets

Remember Lawrence Cager? The former Georgia standout signed with the Jets as an undrafted free agent back in 2020, had a cup of coffee on the active roster, and spent the majority of the 2021 season bouncing between the practice squad and the 53-man roster of the Cleveland Browns.

The Jets re-signed Cager in January and quickly announced that he'd be switching positions this season. Now a tight end, Cager is looking to make some noise in a suddenly crowded tight end room.

At 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, Cager has always had the size to play at the NFL level. He wasn't a dynamic enough athlete to fit in with this Jets' wide receiver room, but as a tight end, he's been making some waves.

Cager was one of the most frequently targeted players for the Jets this spring whether he was working with Zach Wilson, Joe Flacco, or Mike White.

Of course, his production primarily came against second and third-string linebackers and safeties. It's important to keep that perspective. Still, Cager's strong spring shouldn't be overlooked.

It's going to be difficult for Cager to make the 53-man roster in such a crowded tight end room, but with C.J. Uzomah and Jeremy Ruckert sidelined for the spring, Cager made the most of his reps.

We'll see if that translates into the summer, especially once he's asked to do some actual in-line blocking.

4. Denzel Mims, WR, NY Jets

Few players on the Jets' roster have more to prove this summer than Denzel Mims. Following a disastrous 2021 season that saw him fall out of favor with the Jets' coaching staff, Mims is looking to reclaim a role in the offense.

Given everything we saw from the former Baylor standout last year, actually accomplishing that almost feels like a pipedream at this point. Nonetheless, he's off to a pretty good start.

Mims flashed at times during minicamp including a spectacular contested-catch near the sideline during Wednesday's practice. He used all 6-foot-3 of his frame to shield the defender and keep his feet in bounds.

Those are the types of plays that got Mims drafted in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. It's why the Jets were so high on him coming out of college and it's why they believed he could be a future cornerstone of the roster.

Unfortunately, that version of Mims seemed like a distant memory last season. The 24-year-old finished with just eight catches for 133 yards despite playing just shy of 300 offensive snaps.

The 2021 season was an utter disaster for Mims who needs a strong summer to not only try to reclaim a role on offense but to solidify his roster status. He's not a lock to make the final roster by any means.

Mims may not have been the most impressive wide receiver during minicamp (more on that in a bit), but he had his moments. Now, let's see if he can carry over that momentum into training camp and continue to impress when he's not battling the third-team defense.

3. Zach Wilson, QB, NY Jets

Zach Wilson didn't look very good during OTAs. The second-year quarterback had some positive moments, but as a whole, he was inaccurate, inconsistent, and unsure of himself.

That was not the case, however, in the open-media portions of mandatory minicamp.

Wilson came out firing on Tuesday completing 10-of-13 passes in the team's 11-on-11 drill while going 13-for-16 in 7-on-7 drills. It was an excellent turnaround for Wilson given his slow start to the spring.

The 22-year-old looked more confident and composed than he had all spring, and it showed in the results. He carried that momentum over into Wednesday too with another hot start.

Wilson started off 7-of-9 in team drills and 5-of-7 in 7-on-7s before he cooled down during the red-zone portion of practice. The highlight of the day was a long bomb to wide receiver Jeff Smith who burnt past cornerback Bryce Hall for a touchdown.

Wilson actually tossed two long touchdowns to Smith during Wednesday's practice, one during each session. His performance during red-zone drills left a lot to be desired, however, as the former BYU star finished just 1-of-8 on the day.

Still, Wilson looked really good for the majority of minicamp. He wasn't necessarily flashy, but he was making the proper reads and lasering in some tight-window throws.

The Jets would love to see him continue his progress this summer.

2. Sauce Gardner, CB, NY Jets

Sauce Gardner is as-advertised — and that's about the greatest compliment you can provide for a player who many believe is one of the best cornerback prospects to enter the NFL in years.

Gardner worked with the first-team defense for a lot of OTAs and minicamp with D.J. Reed nursing a minor injury. This afforded him the opportunity to work against the first-team offense — and he looked the part.

The No. 4 overall pick exudes confidence and swagger, from his off-field demeanor to his on-field dominance. The Jets got a glimmer of that during Wednesday's practice.

Gardner was the most notable defensive standout on Wednesday as the 21-year-old made numerous highlight-worthy plays in coverage including a 100-yard pick-six off Zach Wilson in red-zone drills.

He also had a fantastic pass breakup when working against Corey Davis earlier in practice. Wilson unloaded on a deep ball for Davis who had a step on Gardner, only for the rookie to use his speed and length to make up ground and knock the ball away from his teammate in picture-perfect fashion.

Gardner's combination of size, speed, and length give him All-Pro upside, and he's entering the NFL after an illustrious college career that saw him allow just one career red-zone catch and zero touchdowns.

The Jets believe that Gardner will be their best cornerback since the days of Darrelle Revis. It's still early, but he already looks like the real deal.

1. Jeff Smith, WR, NY Jets

The biggest standout from minicamp wasn't Zach Wilson. It wasn't Sauce Gardner. It wasn't even a player who most expect to play a prominent role this season. Instead, the player who made the biggest impact this week was wide receiver Jeff Smith.

Smith was the unquestioned star of minicamp with the former undrafted free agent consistently making plays whether he was working with the starters or the backups.

The Jets rotated their receivers a lot this spring which allowed Smith to get plenty of reps in with the first-team offense. He made the most of his snaps hauling in two long Zach Wilson touchdowns on Wednesday.

Smith was the most active player on either side of the ball during minicamp as his name continuously popped up. Based solely on snap count and rep allocation, he's the clear-cut WR5 on the roster ahead of Denzel Mims.

A former college quarterback, Smith was signed by the Jets as an undrafted free agent back in 2019. He's spent the last three years with the organization, serving as a depth receiver and special-teamer.

His work on special teams should make him a favorite to earn a roster spot, and he's doing his best to convince the Jets that he deserves some snaps on offense too. At the very least, his background as a quarterback could make him useful if Mike LaFleur wants to get a little tricky with his play-calling.

Jeff Smith may not be the name that immediately springs to mind when discussing players to watch this summer, but overlook him at your own discretion. No player shined brighter than he did during minicamp.