The New York Jets have concluded the first rookie minicamp under head coach Aaron Glenn.
To say it was a success would be an understatement.
From drafted rookies excelling, to undrafted stars standing out, both Glenn and the Jets staff as a whole must be thrilled with the work they have done with their newcomers over the last few days.
Not everyone came away a winner over the weekend, though. Today, we’ll go through the winners and losers of Jets rookie camp from the last few days.
Jets Rookie Minicamp
As always, it is important to remember that while the Jets should be thrilled with how the rookie class looks so far, things can change drastically once veterans are thrown into the mix, and the pads come on.
This is why fans and analysts can’t get too high or too low on certain prospects.
Until voluntary workouts continue, though, New York should feel pleased about some of the winners that showed out this weekend, as well as hope the losers show even more when they get the chance.
Stock Up: Arian Smith
No one helped their cause this week more than Jets’ fourth-round rookie Arian Smith.
The speed demon showcased that athleticism in droves and also showed drastic improvements in catching the football. Should that continue when veterans join the rookies, there’s a legitimate chance Smith may be in contention to be WR2 this year.
The fact that Glenn raved about him following minicamp is just the latest example that this team believes the Georgia product can be the steal of the entire draft moving forward.
Stock Down: Malachi Corley
Smith is doing what Corley did not in his rookie year: impressing the coaches in practice. The “YAC King” will need a massive OTA and training camp session if he is going to make the roster moving forward, even if it means playing on special teams.
As things stand right now, Smith was a clear winner from the last couple of days, and that is terrible news for Corley. With a new regime in place that did not draft him, Corley needs to earn his spot on the team.
Stock Up: Aaron Glenn
The more Glenn talks to the media, the more we notice the difference in coaching styles between him and the Robert Saleh-Jeff Ulbrich duo from last season. Glenn is developing a nurturing style of coaching that also holds players accountable.
The fact that he has 94% attendance in voluntary workouts and minimal distractions is just the tip of the iceberg of how strong a start he is making as head coach of the Jets.
Stock Down: Quentin Skinner
Skinner was a player that fans and analysts were high on as an undrafted free agent out of Kansas. His 6-foot-3 frame is not easy to miss, but he simply wasn’t used much at all during minicamp. The Jets have a lot of rosterable players at receiver, so a player like Skinner will need to produce a lot moving forward if he wants a crack at the 53-man roster.
Stock Up: Top 2025 Picks
This week could not have been a better showcase for the Jets 2025 draft class if they tried. Each of their seven picks made an impact on the field in 11-on-11 drills and in individual work.
As things stand right now, the Jets should have two clear-cut starters from this group going into the start of the regular season. If players like Tyler Baron and Malachi Moore continue to stand out like they did this week, that number could grow much quicker than anyone realizes.
Stock Down: Brady Cook
The Missouri undrafted free agent was never going to beat out Adrian Martinez in the first few practices of minicamp. He’s learning how to be a professional and learning a new playbook with a new team. That being said, he did miss several throws on the final day of minicamp. His growth will have to come a lot faster if he wants to beat out Martinez.
Stock Up: Donovan Edwards
If Smith was the biggest winner of the 2025 draft class, then Michigan running back Donovan Edwards was the biggest winner of the undrafted group in attendance this week for the Jets.
Edwards doesn’t have blazing speed, but he showed patience and good maneuverability to find gaping holes during 11-on-11 work. He is bottlenecked by his position at this point, but Edwards is going to make things very interesting moving forward in the running back room.
