7 biggest surprise standouts from the NY Jets' 2021 season

2. Bryce Hall, CB, NY Jets

Back to the cornerback room for a moment, it's time we talk a little about Bryce Hall. The Jets were asking a lot of Hall going into the 2021 season.

A fifth-round pick just a year ago, Hall missed the entire summer and first half of his rookie season recovering from a devastating ankle injury that cut his college career short and caused him to drop in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Hall showed signs of promise down the stretch as a rookie, and evidently, it was enough to make the Jets believe he was ready to be the team's No. 1 cornerback. As a fifth-round pick who had played just eight career games, it was a tall ask.

Jets fans might remember Blessuan Austin, another former late-round pick who returned from injury as a rookie to impress in the second half of the season. Only Austin never recaptured that same magic.

Hall, on the other hand, took his game to new heights in 2021. He was close to being a legitimate CB1, and that's more than the Jets could have ever asked for.

The Virginia product played all 17 games and finished second behind just Marshon Lattimore in forced incompletions ahead of the likes of Jalen Ramsey, James Bradberry, and Kendall Fuller.

Among cornerbacks to play at least 80 percent of snaps, Hall's 64.5 PFF coverage grade ranked 18th in the NFL. He had a couple of rough games late in the season, but as a whole, it's impossible to argue that Hall didn't exceed expectations in 2021.

The Jets placed their trust in Bryce Hall, and he more than rewarded them for their confidence.