NY Jets reportedly had a fourth-round grade on TE Kenny Yeboah

The NY Jets signed quite a few intriguing undrafted free agents this year. But perhaps none more so than Ole Miss tight end Kenny Yeboah.

Yeboah was one of the most high-profile players to go undrafted in the 2021 NFL Draft and the Jets beat out multiple suitors to land their prized target. In fact, upward to eight teams were reportedly interested in signing the former Mississippi star.

In the end, the Jets paid a pretty penny to land Yeboah in New York giving him a deal that includes a $20,000 signing bonus and a $180,000 base salary guarantee.

The Jets were high on Yeboah. So high that they even considered him a rock-solid mid-round prospect. According to The Athletic's Connor Hughes, the Jets had a fourth-round grade on Yeboah and were "stunned" that he went undrafted.

The NY Jets are very high on Kenny Yeboah

While that may seem ridiculous to some, the Jets likely weren't alone in their assessment. Yeboah was widely seen as a Day 3 prospect with many even viewing him as a fourth or fifth-round pick.

His conglomerate draft projection, taken from NFL Mock Draft Database, was pick No. 153 at the beginning of Round 5. Yeboah was very much a draftable prospect — a fourth-round grade wasn't far off from where most analysts had him.

The 22-year-old should be given every opportunity to earn a spot on the 53-man roster despite a somewhat crowded tight end room. Chris Herndon and free-agent signee Tyler Kroft figure to be locks, but Yeboah should be in the mix for the No. 3 tight end role.

His biggest competition will come in the form of special-teams holdovers Daniel Brown and Trevon Wesco. Wesco has experience playing fullback, a role the Jets don't currently have filled at the moment, and Brown has been the team's most active special-teamer over the last two years.

But Yeboah possesses the upside that neither Wesco nor Brown does.

A one-year starter at Ole Miss, Yeboah transferred from Temple and put together a strong senior season finishing with 27 catches for 524 yards and six touchdowns in eight games.

He's an athletic tight end with natural pass-catching traits that should allow him to find success in the passing game. His inexperience as a blocker is evident, although it's never been due to a lack of effort.

Nonetheless, Kenny Yeboah stands as good a shot as any undrafted free agent to make the final roster this year. And the Jets seem to be very high on him.