Over the subsequent few months, we’ll be breaking down all the rookies added by the Jets throughout the draft and as undrafted free brokers. Nonetheless, we’ll break from that right now to take a look at a veteran signing that was made after rookie mini-camp; offensive deal with Landon Younger.
The 28-year outdated Younger is listed at 6’7” and 321 kilos and was a sixth spherical pick of Kentucky in 2021. He has began 12 video games in his NFL profession to this point, all with the New Orleans Saints.
Younger was a five-star highschool recruit who opted to remain near residence and accepted a scholarship at Kentucky.
He began three video games in 2016 and 6 in 2017, however missed the complete 2018 season as a result of damage. Nonetheless, he returned from the damage to begin 24 video games a row at left deal with over the subsequent two seasons.
Having thought of getting into the NFL draft after the 2019 season, Younger returned for 2020 and earned all-SEC first group honors.
After he was invited to the mix, Younger was ranked as a possible late spherical decide and in the end chosen by the Saints within the sixth spherical.
In his rookie season, Younger was a backup that was used sparingly however received an opportunity for his first begin in November. Sadly, he received harm and missed the remainder of the 12 months.
He remained in the identical position however received increasingly alternatives to contribute as he began twice in 2022, 4 occasions in 2023 and 5 occasions in 2024, then signed a one-year extension. Nonetheless, he missed all of final 12 months as a result of a season-ending damage in preseason.
Younger was invited to attend the current Jets rookie mini-camp on a tryout foundation and impressed sufficient to earn a contract.
Let’s transfer onto some extra in-depth evaluation of what Younger brings to the desk, based mostly on in-depth analysis and movie examine.
Younger has bulked up by over 50 kilos since he was a highschool recruit, though he was nonetheless solely 310 when he did his mix weigh-in. He now has good measurement at 321 and sufficient size.
His exercise numbers are wonderful, despite the fact that his reported 40-yard sprint time of 4.91 from his professional day was unofficial and the actual time was 5.18.
Younger’s explosiveness numbers are strong and he posted three-cone drill regardless of a poor brief shuttle. He additionally racked up 34 bench press reps.
Aside from a handful of performs the place he kicked inside as a result of damage, Younger performed his whole faculty profession at left deal with. Nonetheless, he has showcased terrific versatility on the professional degree.
Younger has began common season video games at each guard positions and each deal with positions, enjoying over 100 complete snaps in every position throughout common season motion. He additionally has loads of expertise in jumbo packages however has by no means performed middle at any degree.
Younger gave up eight sacks throughout his faculty profession however solely two of those have been in his final two seasons when he was a full-time starter.
His move safety numbers in his first 12 months as a starter have been excellent as he solely gave up 5 complete pressures. Nonetheless, his stress charge was barely increased in his remaining 12 months. On the time, although, Kentucky didn’t actually throw the ball fairly often as they handed for lower than 1,500 yards in every of his two years as a starter and, once they did, he not often had any true move units.
On the NFL degree, he’s predictably had some struggles in move safety. Though his stress charge has not been unhealthy, he has given up eight sacks in lower than 900 snaps in his profession.
Along with struggling to remain in entrance of rushers off the sting, Younger has additionally been vulnerable to bull rushes at occasions.
Younger was a giant a part of the Wildcats’ working assault in faculty, racking up plenty of knockdowns. Nonetheless, he’s had blended outcomes on the NFL degree, though he’s proven indicators of the facility and dominance he displayed at occasions.
He works properly along with his linemates when it comes to combo blocks, from which he can climb to the second degree or achieve management of his man to seal him off.
He’s much less efficient on the transfer, as his athletic numbers don’t essentially translate to a capability to tug, make attain blocks or get downfield successfully.
Within the first of Younger’s 5 begins in 2024, the Saints scored on a two-yard and a one-yard landing run, together with this play the place he blocked his man to the bottom.
Nonetheless, they didn’t have another touchdowns of lower than 4 yards in his 4 different begins.
He may be helpful as a jumbo bundle tight finish in brief yardage conditions as he can generate some good energy on the level of assault and is the type of participant you may run behind inside.
The Saints didn’t have a lot success on display screen passes with Younger within the line-up, aside from on performs the place he stayed in to dam with different gamers leaking downfield.
Right here’s a play the place he didn’t handle to get out in time to make a downfield block so he tried to seal off the participant behind him as a substitute.
Younger was a wrestler and took part within the hammer throw and discus in highschool, all of which translate into his means to win leverage battles and his punch energy. Nonetheless, he can battle to recuperate when shedding a leverage benefit.
He has one or two technical flaws that may hopefully be cleaned up. Primarily, he’ll bend on the waist which might result in a narrowing of his base and an inclination to lunge into and fall off blocks in area.
Younger has beforehand had some points with sustaining and sustaining blocks as he doesn’t at all times handle to reposition himself to reset angles and maintain his toes beneath him, however appears to be getting higher at this.
Penalties have by no means been a large difficulty for Younger, who had 13 in his faculty profession however by no means greater than 5 in any season. On the NFL degree, he’s been known as 3 times for holding and twice for a false begin.
Each on the NFL degree and in faculty, the one position Younger has had on particular groups has been blocking on the placekicking unit. He has had no vital errors and no penalties inside that position.
Younger’s soccer IQ has enabled him to play a number of positions on the NFL degree and, in response to Kentucky’s personal inside charting, he solely had one missed task in his two seasons as a full time starter.
He was good academically too, graduating in 2019 after which taking up a second diploma. He was additionally on the 2019 SEC fall tutorial honor roll, in addition to receiving first 12 months honors in 2016 and 2017.
There have often been conditions the place Younger has regarded unsure about which task to choose up or who to assist, although.
Younger, who was married in 2020, grew up on a farm, which instilled in him a piece ethic that has been described as second-to-none. He was a group captain in highschool and in his senior 12 months at Kentucky.
He usually shows on-field toughness and aggression when it comes to enjoying to the whistle.
Off the sector, Younger has acquired a ton of recognition for his work in the neighborhood. He was named the captain of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Workforce and was twice on the Wuerffel Trophy watch listing. He was additionally on the 2019 SEC neighborhood service group.
Younger has had some unhealthy damage luck over the course of his profession, together with final season the place his preseason ankle damage required surgical procedure so he was on injured reserve all season.
He additionally missed the complete 2018 season in faculty as a result of a meniscus damage and ended up on injured reserve with a foot damage in his rookie season.
Younger’s means to play a number of positions makes him a helpful camp addition and provides him a robust probability of being retained for emergencies as soon as he’s snug with the system.
He has been a teammate of present Jets gamers Demario Davis, David Onyemata, Kene Nwangwu, Jack Heflin and Cade York whereas with the Saints.
Usually talking, you wouldn’t ordinarily give a veteran who was on the road and needed to check out at rookie camp a lot probability of being a significant contributor within the 12 months forward.
Nonetheless, Younger had a viable document as a rotational participant with the Saints who has stuffed in at occasions, so he could possibly be the type of participant the Jets retain as cowl.
He’s not a participant with a excessive ceiling and has typically been overmatched when relied upon to fill in as a starter, however the versatility and intangibles make him a strong choice to convey alongside to camp to fill out the offensive line room with a number of the less-experienced choices.
