Jets Rookie Report: Grading All Eight Rookies from David Bailey to VJ Payne

Handing out some training camp grades on this year's rookie class.

New York Jets edge David Bailey has been one of the best players on the practice field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

We are less than a week away from the end of training camp and the beginning of the preparation for Week 1. The New York Jets should love everything they have seen from their roster on both sides of the ball.

When the offense needed to have a strong practice, they did. When the defenses needed to step up, they did. That kind of back-and-forth pendulum is usually reserved for playoff-bound teams. It's unclear what the 2026 Jets will become, but they should be much better than the 2025 unit.

A big part of that reason is their rookie class. New York has eight draft picks trying to compete for playing time. So far, the general assessment of the group is quite positive. Now, it's time to grade just how positive each pick looks.

David Bailey: A+

No one on the Jets roster has been as impactful as David Bailey this camp.

I'll repeat myself.

No one on the Jets, rookie or veteran, has been as impactful as the second overall pick has been so far in camp. Bailey's high motor has brought a new competitive spirit to the Jets, and his quick first step is among the fastest I have ever seen.

If he can continue to improve his run defense as he has, the sky is truly the limit for the Texas Tech product. We won't know whether the Jets should have taken Arvell Reese instead for a few years. But in the now, the Bailey pick looks like the right move with each passing practice.

Kenyon Sadiq: Incomplete

New York Jets tight end Kenyon Sadiq hasn't been available for most of camp due to a setback from hernia surgery, but the sky is the limit for him. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When he was on the field, Sadiq proved to be the offensive weapon that the Jets had sorely needed. The Oregon product showed his physicality and speed throughout the week of work. That said, a setback from Sadiq's hernia surgery has left him off the field for most of camp. He's going to have a role on offense this year, but it's safe to expect he won't be the kind of Day 1 starter that some may have hoped for the 16th overall pick.

Omar Cooper Jr.: B-

Cooper has been solid throughout camp. Has he looked like the second coming of Jerry Rice or Randy Moss? Of course not. But for the 30th overall pick, and compared to other first-round receivers in past history, the Indiana product has been solid.

His grade will be docked because he appeared to lose some viable first-team reps in the dog days of camp, but he's responded quite well and appears back with the perceived starters. He should be in line for a very solid rookie season with the Jets.

D'Angelo Ponds: Incomplete

Ponds hasn't participated in camp to this point, so he gets an incomplete grade. The second-round pick was brought in with the hopes of improving New York's secondary. He might still be able to, but it will take time to get integrated back into the defense. It would not surprise me if it takes a good month into the year before Jets fans really see what Ponds looks like on the field.

Darrell Jackson Jr.: B

Jackson has been a nice surprise along the interior of New York's defensive line. Originally seen as a raw nose tackle, Jackson has played all over the line and has looked the part of both a strong run defender and an improved pass rusher. It was once thought that the first year would be nothing more than a learning experience for Jackson. That isn't the case anymore. He's going to have a role on the unit this year.

Cade Klubnik: B+

New York Jets quarterback Cade Klubnik has been a pleasant surprise throughout training camp and preseason. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Based on the production shown and where he was drafted, Klubnik has been a wonderful surprise for the team. Taken in the fourth round, and due to New York's history with quarterbacks taken in any draft, Klubnik's pocket awareness, accuracy, and touch are all things that should be celebrated.

More importantly, the fact that New York appears more than confident in giving him the immediate backup quarterback role behind Geno Smith shouldn't be overlooked. He has earned that role, and appears to have more than originally thought coming out of college.

Anez Cooper: C+

There was a point during training camp and throughout the preseason when Cooper appeared to be a diamond in the rough: someone who was much better than the sixth-round pick he was selected with.

A difficult contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers and a few inconsistent practices mean Cooper's grade remains quite good for where he was drafted, but maybe not the future starter so many had hoped he could become for the team's future (myself included).

VJ Payne: C

Payne has had a quiet camp. The seventh-round safety even feels comfortably behind Malachi Moore on the depth chart, even though Moore has been less than stellar in his own right. If Payne makes the roster as a late-round pick, it will be because the team believes another organization will jump at the chance to stash him on the practice squad.

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