An undrafted free agent has a chance to crash the party.
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic ranked the entire 2026 New York Jets UDFA class in order of who has the best shot at making the 53-man roster. The No. 1-ranked player on his list was BYU placekicker Will Ferrin.
“The Jets went into last year’s training camp prepared to let an undrafted rookie (Caden Davis) and another young kicker (Harrison Mevis) duke it out. It didn’t go well to the point that veteran Nick Folk was eventually signed during training camp. Folk won the job over Mevis, had a stellar season, and then left in free agency, signing with the Falcons. Back to square one,” Rosenblatt explained.
“Ferrin is being brought in to push 25-year-old Cade York, a kicker with leg strength but who has struggled in the NFL, only converting 73.3 percent of his field goals on 45 tries; he hasn’t kicked in an NFL game since 2024. The Jets also have German kicker Lenny Krieg, but he has no NFL experience (though he did spend last season on the Falcons practice squad),” Rosenblatt wrote.
“If Ferrin can find some of his 2024 magic, he has a real shot to win the job. That year, Ferrin made 24-of-27 field goals and 6-of-7 from 40 yards to 49 yards. He only made 23-of-30, and his biggest struggle was that range — he went 2-of-7 from 40 yards to 49 yards, though he did convert 8 of 11 from 50 yards over those two years combined. Zierlein wrote that Ferrin ‘struggled with ball striking and flight path in 2025,” Rosenblatt added.
A Match Made in Heaven
Ferrin chose the Jets, and it’s easy to see why.
Folk led the league in field goal conversion rate for a third straight year in 2025. The Jets were a little squeamish about his age (41 will turn 42 during the 2026 season). When he left in free agency, that left a gaping hole in the starting lineup.
The team added some non-needle-moving names to the roster, which opened up a huge opportunity for someone to seize the day.
During the NFL draft, the power belongs to the teams. They can draft you, whether you like it or not, and boom, you’re in the league. However, when the draft ends, the power shifts to the players. Instead of just going wherever you’re called, you get to evaluate the offers that are pouring in.
Ferrin and his representation saw the same thing the rest of the world can see: the Jets don’t have a starting kicker on the roster. He chose this opportunity because it provided the clearest path to a starting job and long-term security for him and his family.
He is in the driver’s seat to win the job as long as he doesn’t screw it up.
“Will Ferrin is one of the most clutch individuals I’ve ever met. He enjoys every moment. Every time there’s a clutch kick, he is embracing the opportunity that he’s in, and he’s excited about it. You just don’t have a lot of guys like him. He’s got ice in his veins. I know people say that often but you can see it in him,” BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said before the 2025 season via Rosenblatt. “He loves being around his teammates, and he’s been such a great leader for us. I’m really grateful that he’s our kicker; he’s an automatic guy.”
Jets Earn High Praise From NFL Execs
NFL Insider Matt Lombardo spoke with some anonymous NFL executives about the 2026 draft for the Jets.
When Lombardo asked an AFC Scouting Director who helped themselves the most during the draft, he responded, “The Jets.”
“Darren [Mougey] grabbed the best pass rusher, the best tight end, a starting wide receiver, and the best nickel cornerback in this class. That was just the first two days,” he told Lombardo via “Between The Hashmarks.”
On top of the Jets’ efforts in the draft, the team added some big time contributors in free agency and on the trade market.
“Don’t forget,” the Scouting Director told Lombardo. “The Jets also brought in veterans during free agency, like Minkah Fitzpatrick and Demario Davis. You look at guys like Dylan Parham, David Onyemata, and Nahshon Wright, and all together, they’re huge upgrades on that roster.”
On paper, the Jets improved dramatically this offseason. However, the straw that will stir the drink is the coaching staff.
In 2024, the Jets were heralded as a pretty talented team, but it only amounted to five wins in the standings. Talent alone isn’t enough to win. If the Jets are going to pop in 2026, it’ll be because the coaching staff maximized the talent on the roster.
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