How Will Former Gators DE Jabari Zuniga Fit With the New York Jets?
The New York Jets have been looking for pass rush help for a long while, and they are betting on former Florida Gators defensive end Jabari Zuniga to help in that department.
Selecting Zuniga with the 79th pick in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, he marks the only defensive lineman the team drafted this year. Last year, the Jets took versatile defensive lineman Quinnen Williams in the first round and former Florida edge rusher Jachai Polite in the third round, expecting those two to pair with defensive end Leonard Williams and creating a fearsome pass rush.
Quinnen Williams is the lone member of that group to remain on the team, as Polite was released in the preseason due to discipline issues and Leonard Williams was traded to the New York Giants. While Zuniga wasn't taken until the third round, he'll be expected to contribute rather immediately.
The 6-3, 264 lb. edge rusher utilized his extreme athleticism and strength at Florida, primarily playing strong-side defensive end as a 5-technique but on occasion moving outside to 7-technique and inside to 3-technique defensive tackle.
The Jets, like Florida, deploy a 3-4 base defense, however, the Gators were plenty flexible and often put four defensive linemen's hands in the dirt while also not utilizing a third traditional linebacker - rather, that position was replaced by a nickel cornerback. Often, Florida's defensive looks resembled a 4-2-5.
New York's 3-4 scheme is more traditional, and the defensive ends are often much bigger in size than what Zuniga offers. His size and athleticism fit the role of outside linebacker in their scheme, yet Zuniga never rushed from a two-point stance at Florida so there would certainly be a transition there.
Based on Zuniga's strengths as a rusher and size, he appears bests suited to work into New York's scheme as a one-gapping, 4i-technique defensive end. Zuniga's size isn't ideal to place him at 5-technique to two-gap against offensive tackles, but the 4i - lining him up on the inside shade of the tackle to penetrate the B-gap - would allow Zuniga to take on blockers vertically with speed and power.
Outside linebackers would demand the attention of the offensive tackle, meaning guards would have to reach to block Zuniga and by that time his speed can begin to wreak havoc.
Zuniga wasn't known for his ability to bend and dip around tackles at Florida. He's a vertical rusher, and Florida previously moving him inside in sub-packages exemplifies that. Zuniga is a bit of a tricky fit as an every-down player for the Jets, but if he's used at the 4i position, his skill-set should allow him to create disruption.
