Jets Rookie & Sophomore Week 5 Power Rankings: (D’Angelo Ponds, Azareye’h Thomas Continue to Rise)

The first quarter of the NFL season is over, and here's how New York's young players stack up.

Azareye'h Thomas is among the Jets' rookies and sophomores who are on the rise coming out of Week 4. But who's trending in the opposite direction? | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Unfortunately for Jets fans, Sunday’s 23-12 loss to the Bears was more than a nightmare. Even with the Bears relying on backup Tyson Bagent, Chicago steamrolled the Jets, dominating time of possession and the line of scrimmage. 

Although it was another rough outing for New York, several rookies and second-year players played well and showed some flashes in the loss. 

Others, meanwhile, saw their stock take a hit. 

With that in mind, let’s take a look at where every Jets rookie and sophomore ranks heading into Week 5. 

Note: Anez Cooper and VJ Payne are currently excluded from the list. Both Cooper and Payne are on injured reserve but are eligible to return after missing the first four games of the season. 

12. Arian Smith, WR [Last week: No. 12]

After suffering a torn ACL in Week 2, Arian Smith won’t play for the rest of the season. But with each passing game, his future with New York is on the line. 

Since he didn’t establish a role on offense in his two years with the organization, Smith must watch the Jets’ receivers get opportunities to earn a role. While he’s recovering, players could pass him on the depth chart and make it even more difficult for him to find a role once he returns. 

We may have already seen the last of Smith in green and white. 

11. Cade Klubnik, QB [Last week: No. 11]

The Jets got their first underwhelming game from Geno Smith. Attempting just 15 passes, Smith completed eight of them for 119 yards and a touchdown. 

Even though Smith wasn’t productive or efficient, we can’t put all the blame on him. Three of the top five pass catchers on the team didn’t play, and the receivers who did play weren’t able to create much separation. 

Additionally, the Bears dominated time of possession, and as a result, New York wasn’t able to get into any rhythm. Despite falling to 1-3, New York won’t turn to Cade Klubnik anytime soon. 

There’s no reason to cut the cord on Smith yet, as he continues to provide competent play at quarterback. For now, the rookie will remain on the sidelines. 

10. Kiko Mauigoa, LB [Last week: No. 9]

For the second straight week, Kiko Mauigoa was sidelined with a quadriceps injury. Even if the second-year linebacker out of the University of Miami played, he wouldn’t have changed the outcome, as he’s played exclusively on special teams in the first two games. 

However, he could have made his season debut on defense. With the game out of reach in the fourth quarter and the Bears controlling the clock, there was no point in keeping Demario Davis or Jamien Sherwood in. 

Kiko Mauigoa's stock is fading and will continue to do so if he can't get back onto the field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If Mauigoa suited up, he could have given them a breather while also having an opportunity to prove his value in limited snaps. Instead, New York continues to deploy two linebackers. 

9. Malachi Moore, DB [Last week: No. 8]

Another week, another Malachi Moore special teams tackle. The second-year player out of the University of Alabama has emerged as one of the more productive players, registering four tackles across four games. 

While he’s proven to be a core contributor to the special teams, he remains a non-factor on defense. In the last two weeks, Moore hasn’t appeared in a single defensive snap, and he played just one snap in Minkah Fitzpatrick’s absence. 

With how well the safeties Fitzpatrick, Andre Cisco and Dane Belton are playing, Moore will remain a depth option until further notice. 

8. Omar Cooper Jr., WR [Last week: No. 7]

If there’s one thing we learned in the Jets' loss to the Bears, it’s that they need their pass-catchers need to get healthy fast. Without Omar Cooper Jr., Adonai Mitchell, and Mason Taylor, the offense struggled to get into a rhythm, recording just 119 passing yards and failing to convert on seven third-down attempts. 

Although Cooper wouldn’t have made a substantial difference, they could’ve used the playmaking ability he showcased in Week 1 against the Titans to help their offense get into rhythm. 

Unfortunately, fans must continue to wait for his return, as Cooper must miss one more game before being eligible to come off injured reserve. But that doesn’t mean he’ll be back in Week 6, as Cooper will only play if his ankle is healed. 

Hopefully, Cooper’s recovery has gone smoothly, because this team needs him back ASAP. 

7. D’Angelo Ponds, CB [Last week: 10]

Heading into this game, it was unclear whether New York would use D’Angelo Ponds in a depth role or give him more snaps. For the most part, Ponds was on the sideline but saw an expanded role once Jarvis Brownlee Jr. went down. 

Ponds appeared in 18 defensive snaps, logging three tackles. While he proved to be a factor against the run, recording two stops and earning a 65.7 run-defense grade, per Pro Football Focus, he struggled in coverage. 

Although he gave up just one reception for 21 yards, he committed two penalties, one of which negated what would’ve been his first career interception. It was an up-and-down game for the former Indiana Hoosier, but he showed enough to suggest he can be a quality contributor moving forward. 

Sunday’s game was a learning curve for the rookie, and we should expect a bounce-back game against the Browns. 

6. Mason Taylor, TE [Last week: No. 6]

It’s been a rough start to Year 2 for Mason Taylor. 

After leading the team in receptions last year with 44, Taylor hasn’t been nearly as impactful, recording two catches (three targets) for negative two yards across two games. New York’s additions to the receiver and tight end rooms play into this; however, the former LSU Tiger just hasn’t looked like his former self. 

On top of that, he’s missed the last two games after suffering a thumb injury against the Packers. With multiple pass catchers sidelined and the offense struggling to move the ball downfield against the Bears, the Jets need Taylor back and, hopefully, to return to the form he showed as a rookie.  

5. Darrell Jackson Jr., DT [Last week: No. 5]

Darrell Jackson Jr. continues to receive an increased workload. After playing 23 snaps against the Lions, Jackson logged 41 snaps against Chicago and recorded four tackles. 

While he bounced back from his quiet game against Detroit, he did, however, commit a costly facemask penalty on the first drive, which moved the Bears up from the 30-yard line to the 15. 

The Jets are slowly ramping up Darrell Jackson Jr.'s workload, making it interesting to see how big his role can become. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The former Florida State Seminole hasn’t stood out or made much of an impact yet, but considering that his snap count keeps going up each week, it’s evident the coaching staff wants him on the field.

Hopefully, with more reps and as the season progresses, Jackson can develop into the contributor the Jets envision he can be. 

4. Kenyon Sadiq, TE [Last week: No. 3]

Things were looking up at this time last week. Kenyon Sadiq introduced himself to the NFL world, recording seven receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown. 

With his impressive performance, Gang Green fans anticipated that the former Oregon Duck would be just as involved in the game plan against Chicago. Those hopes were crushed rather quickly, as Sadiq finished the day with zero receptions on three targets. 

Although it’s disappointing that Sadiq wasn’t able to provide a spark, we can’t expect him to post career highs every week. With Sadiq being a rookie, he’s going to experience the highs and the lows. 

Besides bouncing back against the Browns, the best we can hope is that Sadiq steadily progresses throughout the season and stays healthy.  

3. Azareye’h Thomas, CB [Last week: No. 4]

AZ Thomas has been one of the few standout players for the Jets this season. 

Through four games, the second-year player from Florida State has excelled in coverage, allowing just 17 receptions (21 targets) for 123 yards and two touchdowns. His strong play in coverage continued against the Bears, allowing just three catches (four targets) for 20 yards. 

Despite this, Thomas committed a costly hands-to-the-face penalty in the first quarter, which negated an interception by T’Vondre Sweat and led to Chicago taking an early 7-0 lead. 

While his three penalties in the last three games are somewhat of a concern, it shouldn’t erase how impactful he’s been against the pass, earning a 72.4 coverage grade, per PFF, ranking 17th out of 101 qualifying cornerbacks. 

If he can clean up the penalties and continue building on his quality play in coverage, Thomas could potentially climb up in the rankings. 

2. David Bailey, EDGE [Last week: No. 2]

David Bailey made his presence felt in the first two games, registering eight pressures and two sacks. In the last two games, however, Bailey hasn’t replicated that success, logging just three pressures. 

This is largely due to opposing teams prioritizing containing Bailey, as he’s proven to be the Jets’ best pass rusher. Being a rookie also plays a role, as it takes time for first-year players to adjust and provide consistency. 

Despite not generating as much pressure, he’s still been a factor on the edge against the run, recording nine tackles and three stops in the same span. But he, along with the rest of the defensive line, must do better, as they’ve given up a combined 363 rushing yards in the last two games. 

The Jets need to see more out of David Bailey than they have in their last two games. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While Bailey must return to making life miserable for quarterbacks, his recent production shouldn’t overshadow the impact he made earlier in the season. 

1. Armand Membou, OT [Last week: No. 1]

Armand Membou’s excellent protection against the Bears was one of the only positives from the loss. Membou allowed just one pressure across 17 pass-blocking snaps, earning a 76.7 pass-blocking grade, per PFF.

The former No. 7 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft continues to prove he was well worth the investment, allowing just eight pressures and one sack across 144 pass-blocking snaps this season. 

If he continues his elite-level play, Membou will not only solidify his standing as one of the most promising young stars on the team but also prove that he’s among the valuable players New York has. 

Get Jets On SI straight to your inbox: sign up for our free newsletter here.