What can we expect from Jets' 2024 NFL Draft picks in Year Two?

Last season, we kept tabs on the Jets' rookies, most of whom had a minor impact. Let's look at the outlook for each player heading into Year Two and assess whether they could play an expanded role.

Offensive Tackle Olu Fashanu

The Jets are high on Fashanu heading into his second season, which will see him starting at left tackle. With rookie Armand Membou expected to start on the right side, the Jets hope those two will become one of the best young tackle duos in the league.

Fashanu started five games in a row on the left last year before missing the final game due to a foot injury. He looked good in those games, but had struggled when called upon to fill in on the right and at guard earlier in the season. Hopefully, Fashanu's late-season success is a sign that keeping him in his preferred position will lead to more consistent play in 2025 and beyond.

While he seems further along as a pass protector than a run blocker, the main thing Fashanu needs to do better in 2025 is to cut down on penalties. He had seven last season, including five in those five starts on the left.

Wide Receiver Malachi Corley

Corley was a player who looked set to be a key contributor last season, but he was a complete non-factor with just three catches. Having struggled to get on the field, he compounded matters on what looked like being his long-awaited breakout moment, with an inexplicable mental error that saw him drop the ball before crossing the goal line for what would have been his first career touchdown.

The fact that the Jets will have a new quarterback and offensive coaching staff gives Corley a chance at a much-needed fresh start. And the team doesn't have much depth at wide receiver, so he has a shot at redemption if he does well in training camp. Corley needs to learn the playbook inside-out and avoid mistakes to make this a reality.

Oct 31, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Malachi Corley (14) drops the ball prior to crossing the goal line against the Houston Texans during the first half at MetLife Stadium. / Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

Running Back Braelon Allen

Despite being the youngest player in the NFL, Allen's career got off to an encouraging start as the Jets won in Week 2 and Week 3 with Allen contributing 124 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. However, his numbers fell off over the rest of the season as he averaged fewer than four yards per carry in 12 of the last 13 games.

Allen runs with power and showed some promise in the passing game, but didn't have much success in a change-of-pace role behind Breece Hall. The main things he needs to improve upon are his pass blocking and contact balance.

Running Back Isaiah Davis

Davis didn't play much early in the season but took advantage of Allen's struggles to earn some reps down the stretch -- and made a solid impact. In limited action, Davis averaged 5.8 yards per carry and caught nine passes for 75 yards, so he will look to build on that.

Davis also brought some value on special teams, where he had seven tackles in kick coverage and averaged almost 26 yards per kickoff return. Those contributions improve his chances of retaining a role in 2025.

Cornerback Qwan'tez Stiggers

Much like Corley, Stiggers was a player who seemed like he was primed to play a significant role in his rookie year, with the coaching staff high on him while he showed off some impressive playmaking in training camp. However, this role never materialized as he started just one late-season game and recorded only eight tackles all year.

The fact that the Jets re-signed Isaiah Oliver doesn't bode well for Stiggers' chances of climbing the depth chart, as it was Oliver who seemed to get reps ahead of Stiggers whenever a cornerback missed time last season. Part of that was because Jeff Ulbrich trusted Oliver, having coached him in the past. So it's up to Stiggers to prove to the new staff he can be trusted, too.

Note: Two members of the Jets' 2024 draft class -- safety Jaylen Key and quarterback Jordan Travis -- are already off the team. In the case of Travis, this was injury-related.

Undrafted rookie recap

While none of them started a game last season, the Jets got some defensive depth from four of their undrafted rookie signings, led by defensive tackle Leonard Taylor, who had 24 tackles -- four tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

Eric Watts and Braiden McGregor both saw reps in the defensive line rotation, with Watts developing over the course of the season and looking serviceable down the stretch, especially against the run.

Safety Jarius Monroe saw brief action at the safety position, but looked like a difference-maker on special teams in the last few games.

All four of these have a realistic shot at a roster spot in 2025, with Watts and Taylor legitimate candidates to play rotational roles all season long.