Each year, there are a few under-the-radar players who emerge and quickly become fan favorites thanks to their preseason showings.

Last year, for the New York Jets, much of that praise went to wide receivers Jamaal Pritchett and Quentin Skinner, while Brandon Codrington fit that bill the year prior.

Who will be the Jets’ “preseason darlings” in 2026?

WR Malik McClain

If the NFL draft were based solely on athletic traits, Malik McClain would have been a Day 2 selection at the very least.

Standing at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, McClain ran a 4.47 40-yard dash, while recording a 40-inch vertical, which contributed to a stellar 9.92 RAS (Relative Athletic Score).

Over five years in the NCAA, he played in 57 games across three different programs, hauling in 72 receptions for 993 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging an impressive 13.8 yards per reception.

The main reason he went undrafted, though, is that his production never matched his athletic tools.

His career high in receiving yards came in 2025 at Arizona State with 441. Other than that, he logged 190 in 2021 at Florida State and 206 the year after. He then transferred to Penn State and recorded only six receptions for 71 yards in 13 games. In 2024, his first season at Arizona State, he played in only six games and had two receptions for 85 yards.

The tools are there, though, and that’s exactly what teams hunt for in undrafted rookies.

Long-term, the hope is that he can develop into a rotational field stretcher in the pros. Perhaps that could emerge in the preseason with Gang Green.

RB Chip Trayanum

Chip Trayanum, 24, appears primed to deliver big throughout the preseason.

At 5-foot-10 and 224 pounds, he was excellent at Toledo last season, finishing the year with 1,015 yards and 12 touchdowns throughout 182 carries. He also contributed as a receiver, catching 21 passes for 212 yards and two additional touchdowns.

Trayanum’s speed is limited, but he can contribute on special teams and is excellent near the goal line, as evidenced by his 12 touchdowns last year. He was also highly efficient, averaging 5.6 yards per carry during his final year in the NCAA.

With the Jets’ starters only expected to play 25-30 snaps throughout the preseason and Isaiah Davis nursing a knee injury, there will be no shortage of carries for the undrafted rookie.

He is a physical, bruising-type running back, hence his experience even playing linebacker in college. The 24-year-old posted a 2.51 20-yard split that ranked in the 98th percentile, along with 27 bench reps and a 37-inch vertical.

That alone puts him in rare company, especially among UDFAs.

Can he prove that he is more than just a workout warrior? We will see as the preseason unfolds.

While he certainly has what it takes to become a fan favorite, his best-case scenario seems to be a practice squad spot given the logjam the Jets have at running back with Breece Hall, Isaiah Davis, Braelon Allen and Kene Nwangwu.

EDGE Nathan Voorhis

Nathan Voorhis is arguably the Jets’ most exciting undrafted free agent addition this offseason. The edge rusher out of Ball State grew up a Jets fan, born and raised in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, just over 70 miles west of MetLife Stadium.

He already has multiple things going for him when it comes to becoming a fan favorite. Not only did he grow up a fan of the team he is now suiting up for, but he also has an epic nickname: “The QB Killer.”

While earning first-team All-MAC honors at Ball State in 2025, he finished the year with 51 total tackles (17.0 for loss), 12 sacks and two forced fumbles.

At 6-foot-2 and 251 pounds, he is considered undersized to be a full-time edge in the NFL, but his production last year was too good to ignore.

Aside from his 12-sack mark, 17 tackles for loss is a highly impressive feat and shows that he has the run-defending ability to complement his pass-rushing chops.

Similar to the team’s running back room, the Jets are very crowded at the edge position, but with a strong preseason, anything can happen.

The Jets have a history of giving undrafted defensive linemen chances on the roster after promising preseasons, including Braiden McGregor, Leonard Taylor III, and Eric Watts.

Each year, new fan favorites emerge for their flashes of brilliance in exhibition action. Starting tonight, we’ll get our first look at who might become the Jets’ next preseason darling.