NY Jets 2021 Draft Class Power Rankings: Brandin Echols soaring after Week 15

The NY Jets have seen some excellent production from their 2021 NFL Draft class throughout their rookie seasons. General manager Joe Douglas already seems to have landed a few future building blocks in what appears to be a strong draft class.

And after a shaky first draft with the organization, Douglas needed to knock it out of the park in 2021. By all accounts, he did just that.

The Jets have the youngest roster in the NFL and have given their rookies more snaps than any other team in the league. And part of the reason for that is due to the fact that the rookies are more than holding their own.

At the moment, you could legitimately point to three players who have already established themselves as building blocks of the future. And any time you could do that in a draft, the class was a complete success

Of course, you're never going to hit on 100 percent of your picks. Some players will ultimately outperform others both in the short and long term.

But where do the Jets' rookies stand after 15 weeks? Which rookies are climbing up the rankings and which rookies are falling?

Let's take a look at an updated power ranking of the Jets' rookie class through Week 15.

10. Jonathan Marshall, DT, NY Jets

Jonathan Marshall has appeared in just three games for the Jets in 2021 recording the first two tackles and the first QB hit of his career this past Sunday. But at this stage of his NFL journey, Marshall is clearly a reserve option.

This is a developmental year for Marshall who will compete for a spot in the defensive line rotation in 2022. For now, he isn't going to make much of an impact.

9. Hamsah Nasirildeen, LB, NY Jets

Hamsah Nasirildeen was forced to miss this Sunday's game after landing on the COVID-19 list. But the sixth-round rookie hasn't played a snap on defense since Week 2 anyway.

Nasirildeen began the year as the Jets' starting WILL linebacker before being demoted to strictly special teams. Stuck on specials, Nasirildeen's impact in 2021 has obviously been limited.

8. Jason Pinnock, DB, NY Jets

Jason Pinnock has managed to receive some playing time in recent weeks, primarily due to the Jets' many injuries in the secondary. The results have been less-than-stellar.

Pinnock looks overwhelmed on defense, although he's made a couple of nice plays on special teams including this past week with Justin Hardee absent. He's another developmental project on this roster.

7. Jamien Sherwood, LB, NY Jets

Jamien Sherwood got the opportunity to play often and early in his career given the Jets' lack of linebacker depth. He started four of the first five games before suffering a torn Achilles.

Sherwood will look to return healthy in 2022 and compete for a role on defense. He expectedly struggled when thrust into a starting role as a rookie, but could turn things around with another year of development.

6. Zach Wilson, QB, NY Jets

Zach Wilson is gradually improving as the year goes on, but it's hard to argue his rookie season has been a "good" one. Wilson still struggles with short accuracy and has a long way to go before he's a viable NFL starter.

That said, his struggles are far from uncommon for a rookie QB. Wilson has cut down on his turnovers immensely with just two turnover-worthy plays since returning from injury, including none in his last two games.

Wilson is seeing the field better and making smarter decisions. The next step for him will be to improve his ball placement and take a few more chances downfield. The eventual return of Elijah Moore will help with the latter.

The Jets just want to see improvement. For now, Wilson remains an overall question mark.

5. Michael Carter II, CB, NY Jets

After a hot start, Michael Carter II has cooled down significantly and finds himself falling to No. 5 on this list. Carter was a top-10 nickel cornerback in football over the first seven weeks of the season.

Since then, he's been among the worst in the NFL. From Week 9 on, Carter's 39.0 Pro Football Focus coverage grade ranks 176th out of 187 qualified cornerbacks.

Carter has taken a significant step back, but he still lands at No. 5 on this list because of his strong start. The Jets would like to see more of the early-season version of Carter down the stretch.

Especially with the team's other young cornerbacks continuing to shine. More on that in a moment.

4. Brandin Echols, CB, NY Jets

Brandin Echols had the game of his life against the Miami Dolphins in Week 15. The rookie cornerback allowed just one catch for nine yards on four targets, recording two pass breakups and allowing a passer rating of 0.0 when targeted.

His 93.3 Pro Football Focus coverage grade was not only the highest among all cornerbacks in Week 15, but it was also the fifth-highest among all cornerbacks in any game this season.

Oh, and he also did this.

Echols has now put together back-to-back solid performances since returning from injury, and his ridiculous day on Sunday moves him up to No. 4 on this list.

3. Alijah Vera-Tucker, OG, NY Jets

Alijah Vera-Tucker, much like Michael Carter II, has also tapered off after a very strong start to the season. He's still a starting-caliber guard, but his play has definitely slipped a little.

Vera-Tucker ranks second on the Jets with 39 pressures allowed, with 27 of those pressures coming over his last eight games. Since Week 8, Vera-Tucker is allowing nearly 3.5 pressures per game. That's not great.

Still, the former USC standout has undoubtedly been a major asset in the run game and he's shown enough promise this season to convince most that he should be a long-term starter in this offense.

The Jets would like to see him become more consistent in pass protection down the stretch.

2. Michael Carter, RB, NY Jets

Michael Carter returned from a three-game absence in Week 15, and although his stat line isn't flattering, the Jets were treated to more of the same from the rookie running back.

Carter has been one of the NFL's most elusive running backs in 2021 and has succeeded in spite of his supporting cast. In fact, the fourth-round pick ranks fourth in the NFL in "elusive rating" which is a stat meant to determine the effectiveness of a running back independent of their situation.

Carter never (and I mean never) goes down on first contact, has been an asset in the passing game, and is already one of the most important and productive players on the Jets' offense.

He's been an instant-impact contributor in year one.

1. Elijah Moore, WR, NY Jets

The top spot on this list goes to a man who isn't even playing at the moment. Elijah Moore remains on the injured reserve with the hope that he will return for the Jets' final two games of the season.

And there's no telling how much the Jets miss him right now. The offense without him is night and day.

Moore was quickly becoming one of the NFL's most dangerous offensive weapons putting together a six-game stretch that rivaled some of the best wide receivers in the league prior to his injury.

Moore is already the clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver on the Jets roster and a star in the making. He has been the Jets' best rookie in 2021 and the team is counting down the days until he returns.