NY Jets Week 5 Rookie Stock Report: Bro, they're so good

The NY Jets won their first divisional game since 2019 on Sunday. Credit goes to a lot of players and coaches for the win that put the team over .500, but no group deserves more praise than the 2022 rookie class.

Breece Hall, who had himself a career day against the Miami Dolphins, put it best: they're so good.

While it is still early in the season, this 2022 rookie class does have the feel of a franchise-changing group.

Breece Hall and Sauce Gardner showed this week they could be the best players on their respective sides of the ball in a win. Garrett Wilson was already the star of a Jets victory.

Jermaine Johnson has flashed against the run and has gotten to the quarterback with limited snaps. Max Mitchell looked like a legitimate starter at right tackle. Micheal Clemons and Jeremy Ruckert still have plenty to contribute as they climb the depth charts at their respective positions.

For a typical draft, if a team can get a couple of starters, that's usually considered a success. From the early results, this class could possess five or more starters, a few of which have already flashed star potential.

For this week's rookie report, let's take a deep dive into the two guys who should split the NFL Rookie of the Week honors: Breece Hall and Sauce Gardner.

Stock Way Up: Breece Hall, RB, NY Jets ($BREECE)

• Stats: 18 rushes for 97 yards, 1 rushing touchdown, 2 catches for 100 yards, 69% snap count

Breece The Beast! Feed Breece! Breeeeeece!

Man, that was one heck of a performance from any Jets player, nonetheless a rookie running back. All of the positives that were discussed when the Jets took Breece Hall in the 2022 NFL Draft were on full display in Week 5 against the Dolphins.

His big-play ability gave the Jets a spark on the team's first touchdown drive of the day as he broke open for a 79-yard catch, dragging Miami defenders with him before getting stopped just short of the goal line.

His workhorse ability was also shown throughout the day, as the game script went exactly how the Jets brass would want it to go on offense. Hall ran the ball efficiently (5.4 yards per carry) and got key first downs throughout the game.

This recipe allows Zach Wilson to make the open throws without having to play hero ball, limiting any potential mistakes.

One of the best parts about being in the stands on Sunday was being able to chant "Breeeeece!" with the Jets faithful at MetLife Stadium. It's easy to tell that Hall will become a fan favorite and that chant will hopefully be something that becomes a tradition for the team.

The other really special part about watching a game like this is that Jets fans have rarely seen young explosive playmakers who can change a game like this over the last 10-plus years.

Aside from one flashy season in 2015 with Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker, witnessing players in the green and white put up performances of the caliber of nearly 200 scrimmage yards was simply a dream.

With Hall and players like Garrett Wilson, Elijah Moore, and others, elite offensive performances could become something Jets fans start to see more often.

The Jets offense will start gaining more and more respect from defenses, the media, fantasy football analysts, and more once the potential is fully tapped such as it was for Hall in Week 5.

The rookie out of Iowa State could very well be on his way to back-to-back NFL Rookie of the Week honors.

Stock Way Up:  Sauce Gardner, CB, NY Jets ($SAUCE)

• Stats: 5 tackles, 1 pass defended, 1 QB hit (safety), 1 interception, 100% snap count

Sauce Garder is an instant difference-maker, leader, and culture changer. It's hard to describe just how much of an impact one player has had on the general attitude of the team.

Gardner set the tone early in the game with a cornerback blitz, causing Teddy Bridgewater to take a safety on the play, and ultimately knocking him out of the game.

He continued to be a shutdown force, despite a questionable pass interference call against him, and ultimately got the play that he was chasing through the first four games of the season.

On a wobbly throw, after pressure got to Skylar Thompson, Gardner got in front of the receiver and was able to come up with the first interception of his career.

Gardner's performance has been stellar all season (a couple of rookie mistakes mixed in), and he is already playing himself into the conversation of one of the best young cornerbacks in football.

There is something further to be said about his intangibles, though. Watching him on the sidelines, he is always active in hyping up his teammates and creating a sense of urgency for the defense.

It is rare that a player so young comes into the league with so much confidence and character while also being able to back it up with his play.

Sauce Gardner seems to be establishing himself as a staple of this franchise even just through the first five games of his career.