Over the subsequent few months, we’ll be breaking down the entire rookies added by the Jets throughout the draft and as undrafted free brokers. We proceed as we speak with lengthy snapper Garrison Grimes.
The 25-year outdated Grimes is listed at 6’2” and 220 kilos and was a second crew all-American final season, after having transferred from Baylor to BYU.
Grimes was a two-time all-state and all-region tight finish in highschool, the place he caught 73 passes for 926 yards in his profession and in addition served because the lengthy snapper.
From there, he headed to Baylor, which has a wealthy custom on the lengthy snapper place, to the purpose the place some have referred to it as “Long Snapper U”. Jon Weeks and Ross Matiscik are amongst those that have snapped there beforehand.
After redshirting the 2021 season, Grimes was a three-year starter within the lengthy snapper function, then transferred to BYU forward of the 2025 season.
At BYU, he earned second crew all-American honors and was considered one of many prime prospects at his place when he declared for the 2026 draft.
The Jets signed Grimes as an undrafted free agent, on a contract with simply $1,000 in assured cash.
Let’s transfer onto some extra in-depth evaluation of what Grimes brings to the desk, based mostly on in-depth analysis and movie examine.
Grimes is listed at 225, however truly weighed in at 236 forward of his professional day exercise. He has bulked up significantly since he was a 200-pound highschool recruit.
That professional day exercise has taken on legendary standing, resulting in him being known as probably the most athletic lengthy snapper in historical past, though this requires some context.
That assertion comes from Grimes’ RAS rating, which is a metric compiled by draft analyst Kent Lee Platte that takes under consideration the exercise numbers of draft prospects after which compares it to these of earlier prospects at that very same place. Grimes scores an ideal 10 out of 10 on this class, putting him first in that class.
Clearly there aren’t many exercise numbers for lengthy snappers to match this to, although, so it’s a bit of hyperbolic to speak about him in these phrases. So, let’s as a substitute give it some higher context.
The three gamers on the present Jets roster who’re closest to 236 kilos – Grimes’ weight when he compiled his exercise numbers – by way of listed measurement are operating again Braelon Allen, tight finish Chase Curtis and linebacker Jaden Keller.
Grimes ran 4.82, posted a 32.5-inch vertical and 115-inch broad soar and managed 22 bench press reps.
Allen posted 26 bench press reps and really comparable numbers for broad and vertical, which in principle displays nicely on Grimes. Nevertheless, these jumps had been each nicely under common for the operating again place.
Additionally, Allen famously didn’t do a 40-yard sprint as a result of he stated he felt it was irrelevant how briskly he runs “in his underwear”, however he’s been clocked at 21.3 miles per hour on the sector, which supposedly interprets to a sub-4.5 time.
Keller’s pace and explosiveness numbers had been additionally considerably higher as he outperformed Grimes in every of the jumps by 3-4 inches and in addition ran a 4.50. His bench press was comparable at 21 reps.
Lastly, Curtis, who performs Grimes’ outdated highschool place, additionally ran sooner than him at 4.70 with comparable explosiveness numbers however simply 17 reps.
In the end, though Grimes is clearly extra athletic than most lengthy snappers, he’s nonetheless under common within the context of NFL gamers typically. In fact, that’s traditionally been the case with lengthy snappers.
Nevertheless, the “most athletic long snappers in NFL history” declare sadly falls aside when contemplating Zak DeOssie’s numbers, which aren’t listed among the many lengthy snapper dataset as a result of he initially examined as a linebacker. The 2-time professional bowl lengthy snapper ran a 4.58 at 248 kilos whereas posting 26 bench press reps and superior jumps.
However, Grimes’ potential to get downfield nicely exhibits up on movie and he clearly is athletic sufficient to play at this degree. He could must bulk up a bit of extra, although.
Grimes has solely performed as an extended snapper throughout his school profession, regardless of having additionally been a productive tight finish in highschool. As is the case with most different lengthy snappers, he wasn’t risked in another function, together with kickoff protection.
Snapping the ball precisely and effectively is clearly an important function an extended snapper can have. The consultants on this discipline reward the accuracy and pace of Grimes’ snaps and evaluation web site Professional Soccer Focus confirmed that they didn’t grade any of his 114 lengthy snaps in 2025 negatively. You may see from his sport movie that the majority of his snaps are bullseyes.
He wasn’t excellent over the course of his profession although with occasional punt snaps that had been barely off-line or brief, together with one low snap that the punter needed to bend right down to scoop up, nearly resulting in a block – though there was a flag on the play anyway.
He additionally had this notably dangerous snap that led on to a missed discipline purpose whereas he was at Baylor.
Blocking just isn’t a serious operate of the lengthy snapper’s function, as their fundamental precedence is to get the ball again rapidly and precisely. Nevertheless, they do have to be alert to inside rushes at instances.
Grimes wasn’t challenged too typically in these conditions on punts, typically simply operating downfield as rapidly as he might somewhat than staying in to sluggish up a rusher.
This play, which doubtless would have been a penalty anyway below NFL guidelines, noticed Grimes enable inside stress that led to a block and finally a return for a landing.
At BYU, they ran a handful of fakes on punts and discipline objectives and Grimes was required to hold out a run blocking project on most of those. On one, he executed a double crew block with the appropriate guard which allowed the holder to run for a primary down over the left aspect.
Grimes racked up 5 tackles and in addition recovered two fumbles throughout his school profession together with his potential to hustle downfield successfully. He additionally downed some punts.
These two fumbles each got here in the identical sport in opposition to Texas and every noticed him dive on a muffed punt opportunistically.
You may see right here how Grimes will get downfield nicely however stays below management so he can break down and make the cease.
As famous, Grimes would typically simply snap the ball and run downfield instantly somewhat than staying in to dam. When he did this, he was normally unblocked however in conditions the place opposing groups schemed in opposition to this and left somebody in the course of the sector to dam him, he typically received held up.
On this play he takes an over-aggressive angle and allows the return man to chop again and keep away from his deal with try for some further yardage.
Right here’s one other instance of Grimes getting downfield nicely after which closing on the return man to get in on the deal with.
Grimes had a stable GPA in highschool and went on to earn first crew tutorial all-Large 12 honors in 2022, together with a spot on the commissioner’s honor roll.
His father is Jeff Grimes, who’s the present Wisconsin offensive coordinator and coached at Baylor in the identical function from 2021 to 2023 whereas his son was on the crew. As a coach’s son, Grimes is considered coachable.
When he was at Baylor, Grimes was praised by head coach Dave Aranda for his maturity, work ethic and care issue by way of particulars and preparation.
Grimes, who’s a person of religion and was a highschool captain, does admit that he and the opposite specialists “goofed off” at instances early in his profession, resulting in dumb errors, however famous that they took issues extra significantly and noticed constructive outcomes from that in 2024.
As famous above, he recovered two fumbles in a rivalry sport in opposition to Texas, the second of which sparked a wild celebration on the sideline with a big group of different particular teamers leaping up and down round him. Whereas this speaks to the truth that he’s clearly a well-liked teammate, Baylor was truly dropping 38-6 on the time, so such over-exuberance was arguably inappropriate.
No person appears to have made a giant deal over that and it doubtless wasn’t of main significance however maybe this is without doubt one of the issues Grimes was speaking about by way of goofing off and making errors.
In 2023, Grimes suffered a torn ACL within the fifth sport of the 12 months and missed the remainder of the season. He began all of 2024, although, and it doesn’t appear to have impacted him since.
You most likely wouldn’t take into account methods to have a lot significance to your lengthy snapper typically talking, however the primary concern arising out of Grimes’ movie could be that he may have extra blocking obligations on the NFL degree with the completely different guidelines resulting in variations between the safety schemes employed. Consequently, he may must bulk up and work on that space extra.
He was a teammate of two of the opposite undrafted rookie signings for the Jets; kicker Will Ferrin and cornerback Mo Bamba. Ferrin was already launched although.
Whereas he was redshirting at Baylor in 2021, Grimes was additionally a teammate of present Jets offensive lineman Xavier Newman.
Grimes was one of many extra attention-grabbing undrafted rookie signings for the Jets this 12 months, however to be able to win a task with the Jets, he must oust the longest-tenured Jet, Thomas Hennessy.
It could quickly be time for the Jets to maneuver on from Hennessy, who will likely be 33 in the beginning of the 2027 season and Grimes represents a possible long-term reply as a result of it’s felt by many he has an NFL future.
Nevertheless, if the Jets decide to groom him to be Hennessy’s successor through a spot on the follow squad, there’s a hazard he could possibly be poached throughout the season if there’s an harm or a performance-based lower elsewhere across the NFL at that place.
Whereas we shouldn’t overreact to the entire “best athlete ever” dialogue, Grimes does have good instruments and the dedication to compete arduous for a long-term function so will probably be attention-grabbing to see if he sticks.
