Ashtyn Davis has been one of the stars of NY Jets OTAs so far

Justin Fried

NY Jets, Ashtyn Davis / Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The NY Jets have high hopes for many of the young players on their roster, but one developmental piece whose been overlooked has been third-year safety Ashtyn Davis.

A third-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Davis has fallen short of expectations to this point as a combination of ill-timed injuries and illnesses have prevented him from truly being able to develop.

Now participating in his first full offseason with the organization, Davis has begun to make some waves during OTAs. The 25-year-old has been one of the biggest stars of the spring so far, looking much improved in coverage.

Davis recorded interceptions in back-to-back practices on Wednesday and Thursday including a one-handed snag during Wednesday's session. He's made his presence felt on defense, and although it's still only June, the Jets have to be pleased with the progress he's shown.

Could Ashtyn Davis contribute for the NY Jets in 2022?

The Jets knew they were drafting somewhat of a project when they selected Davis with the 68th overall pick in the 2020 draft. A speeding bullet, Davis was an exceptional athlete whose motor always ran hot, but he needed time to develop and refine the technical parts of his game.

Unfortunately, the Jets haven't really seen that development to this point. While Davis' athleticism is evident, he still has a tendency to overrun plays and is frequently caught out of position.

He's been inconsistent at best, but perhaps there's a reason for that.

Davis hasn't had the opportunity to participate in a full offseason program with the Jets in either of his first two years in the league. The COVID-19 pandemic forced him to miss minicamp and OTAs as a rookie before a foot injury cost him more than half of his first NFL season.

That very foot injury also held him out for most of the summer this past year as he was unable to participate in spring practices or even training camp. It's pretty difficult for a developmental player to develop under those circumstances.

The Jets are hoping that Davis can finally take the step forward they've been wanting him to with the benefit of a full offseason, and the early results have been promising.

Yes, it's still only OTAs, but Ashtyn Davis has been arguably the biggest star of the spring so far. That has to count for something as the Jets continue to evaluate their safety depth chart.

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.