Ranking the Jets' young trade deadline additions from best to worst

While the impressive haul of draft picks is what has generated headlines following the New York Jets' shocking deadline sell-off, Gang Green also acquired four young players to fill out the roster and position themselves for the future.

We've already seen Darren Mougey win when he plucked fiery slot corner Jarvis Brownlee from the Tennessee Titans in the team's first move to swipe a young player with potential, and now the question will be, can any of the youth acquired at the deadline follow in his footsteps and develop into something that seems like a keeper?

The odds of that happening are long, but Mougey targeted these specific players for a reason. Adonai Mitchell, John Metchie III, Mazi Smith, and Ja'Sir Taylor will all get opportunities to prove their worth here in New York. Now it's time to determine which are more and which are less likely to prove themselves to be an overlooked gem.

Power ranking the four young players the Jets acquired at the trade deadline

1. WR Adonai Mitchell

Drafted in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the six-foot-two, 205-pound Mitchell has the size you love to see from a boundary receiver, but he's more than just a jump ball threat. Coming into the league, one of the most surprising positives to his game that scouts noted was the smoothness of his movement skills.

With that, Mitchell has the ability to separate better than most his size, posting a pretty decent 2.6 average yards of separation during his rookie season. Mitchell has unfortunately been buried behind a talented wide receiver corps that features Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, and Josh Downs in Indianapolis.

That collection of receivers meant Mitchell only logged 35% of the offensive snaps last year and 24% this year. With the Jets, he should have a larger opportunity and is the player of this quartet with the best chance to shine.

2. DT Mazi Smith

As the 26th pick of the 2023 NFL draft, Mazi Smith has the best pedigree of all the youth the Jets collected at the deadline. At 337 pounds, he might seem like a departure from the types of defensive tackles we've seen in New York in recent years, but his size is a bit deceiving.

One would expect the University of Michigan product to be a run-stuffing, two-gapping nose tackle, but he's posted the best Pro Football Focus run defense grade of his career this year with a putrid 37.8 mark. Instead, Smith was noted for his surprising athleticism and movement skills coming out of college.

While not a direct Quinnen Williams replacement, Smith, if he reaches his potential, can be a factor as a power rusher on the interior. Unfortunately, the concerns about technique and motor have held him back so far in his young career. With 20 career starts and 39 total games played in his career, he's had more opportunities than anyone else on this list.

3. WR John Metchie III

John Metchie III was a smooth-operating, battle-tested separator when he came out of Alabama. A torn ACL in the SEC Championship game in 2021 seemed like the biggest obstacle to getting his professional career on track, but it would pale in comparison to the leukemia diagnosis that cost him his rookie year.

Just making it back from challenges like those is impressive and speaks to Metchie III's determination and character. Unfortunately, he, like Mitchell, was buried in a stacked wide receiver room.

On talent, Metchie III should have you excited and would have him battling Mitchell for the top spot on this list, but the physical questions knock him down. The good news is he'll get opportunities in the second half of the season, and his status as a restricted free agent in the offseason will give the Jets ample opportunity to bring him back for 2026.

4. CB Ja'Sir Taylor

The most overlooked move was the acquisition of slot corner Ja'Sir Taylor for the low cost of a conditional seventh in 2028. A former sixth-round pick, Taylor has gotten run both in the slot and on special teams over the last three seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers.

There's been some good, like his eight pass breakups in 2023, but there has also been some bad, like his career 19.5% missed tackle rate.

At the end of the day, Taylor doesn't look to be much more than a special teamer and dime back who should only see action on defense in specialized situations and/or as an injury replacement. Still, you need guys like that on the roster, but the lack of a ceiling is what has him bringing up the rear in these rankings.