Over the previous few months, we’ve been breaking down all undrafted free brokers signed by the Jets. We proceed immediately with former West Virginia and Colorado State linebacker Chase Wilson.
The 25-year previous Wilson is listed at 6’1” and 230 kilos and was a two-time all-Mountain West convention second-teamer in faculty. The Jets signed him after initially inviting him to their rookie minicamp on a tryout foundation.
Wilson was a three-star highschool recruit, who headed to Colorado State in 2020. Nonetheless, he didn’t report any stats in his first two seasons, as he performed simply two video games in his freshman season after which redshirted the next yr after struggling a season-ending harm within the third sport.
He lastly bought an opportunity to contribute in 2022, recording 29 tackles, 2.5 sacks and two cross breakups in a reserve function.
In 2023 and 2024, Wilson was a starter and was named as a second-team all-Mountain West Convention choice in every season. He had 107 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and three passes defensed in 2023, every of which represented a career-high. He wasn’t fairly as productive in 2024 however did have the primary two interceptions of his profession as he racked up one other 98 tackles.
Forward of the 2025 season, Wilson opted to enter the switch portal and enrolled at West Virginia. He began each sport, albeit not in a full-time function along with his sort out rely dropping to 46. Nonetheless, he did have three sacks and two extra interceptions.
Wilson was not invited to the scouting mix and wasn’t thought-about prone to be drafted. Having been unable to safe an undrafted free agent contract, he attended the Jets’ rookie minicamp on a tryout foundation however the Jets signed him after that.
Let’s transfer onto some extra in-depth evaluation of what Wilson brings to the desk, primarily based on in-depth analysis and movie examine.
Wilson has common measurement however his athletic numbers are strong throughout the board. He ran a 4.68 within the 40-yard sprint and posted good explosiveness and agility numbers.
Nonetheless, he solely managed 18 bench press numbers, which is barely decrease than you’d sometimes count on for an NFL linebacker.
Wilson performed in an off-ball function all through his profession, usually matching up with gamers within the slot or following them after they motioned out huge. He was primarily the center linebacker.
His function didn’t change by way of his alignment however he blitzed much more usually at West Virginia than he had whereas with the Rams.
Wilson’s run protection manufacturing and grades had been strong all through his profession. He’s aggressive coming downhill and may cowl plenty of floor from sideline-to-sideline.
He’s good at studying the sport and performs with persistence and self-discipline, however is decisive as soon as he goes after the ball provider.
He could be over-aggressive and run himself out of performs or over-pursue on occasion.
Wilson held his personal in protection, though he was exploited at instances. For his profession, he gave up a 73 % catch charge and 9.6 yards per catch, together with 4 touchdowns.
He wasn’t uncovered in deep coverages, with the one 30-yard play he gave up in protection throughout his profession approaching a brief cross.
Whereas Wilson’s on-ball manufacturing was low as a result of he by no means exceeded three cross breakups in a season, he confirmed some playmaking potential with 4 interceptions over the previous two years.
He reveals good positioning, timing and tenaciousness to disrupt this cross on the catch-point.
Wilson was a productive tackler, whose sort out effectivity improved over the course of his faculty profession. He had 18 missed tackles in his first season as a full-time starter, however lower than half that quantity in his remaining season.
He formally had only one compelled fumble in his profession, with none in any of his three seasons as a starter.
Wilson had 9 sacks in his profession, with a great stress charge when blitzing. Nonetheless, that stress charge dropped in his remaining season which noticed him dashing extra usually.
Loads of his manufacturing got here from spying the quarterback after which chasing him down when he stepped up or escaped the pocket.
Wilson bought loads of expertise on particular groups throughout his faculty profession, seeing motion on each unit other than the placekicking unit.
He had 4 tackles in kick protection and two penalties throughout his faculty profession.
Wilson performs with an aggressive downhill type and is thought for his exhausting nosed toughness.
He solely had 4 penalties in his faculty profession, together with none in his remaining season. One was an pointless roughness name.
Wilson is described as a participant with a excessive soccer IQ, who performs with good self-discipline and a “do your job” mentality. He impressed coaches at West Virginia with how rapidly he realized their system and makes good reads within the working sport and in protection.
In zone protection, there have been instances the place a receiver was capable of leak into an space behind him and he was inclined to misdirection and playfakes at instances.
He was a tutorial all-Massive 12 choice final season.
Wilson took on a management function at West Virginia as one among their oldest and most skilled gamers, having been granted an additional yr of eligibility as a result of pandemic. He acknowledged that he had “made mistakes” early in his profession and was eager to supply steerage to his youthful teammates to assist them keep away from the identical points.
He was additionally a workforce captain for the Rams in 2024, in his remaining yr of highschool and for 2 video games final season.
Wilson missed many of the 2021 on account of a season-ending harm however the nature of this was not disclosed publicly.
He additionally missed one sport on account of a leg harm final season however was fairly sturdy general as he performed in 53 video games, beginning the final 36 of these.
Each defenses Wilson performed on throughout his time as a starter had been described as 4-2-5 defenses with an attacking mindset. The Jets definitely used an identical method for many of final season.
The Mountaineers’ protection that Wilson performed in final season was extra a number of, which the Jets’ 2026 protection additionally guarantees to be, so that might assist Wilson’s consolation ranges.
The truth that Wilson performed the sport with a disciplined “do your job” mentality presumably appeals to Aaron Glenn, who was always speaking concerning the want to do this throughout the Jets’ poor begin final season.
In April, the Jets solely signed one undrafted free agent linebacker, Kendrick Blackshire, however they’ve since let Blackshire go whereas giving contracts to Wilson and one other undrafted rookie linebacker, Jaden Keller. That means that Wilson will need to have impressed the workforce and that they view him as a great match.
Whereas Demario Davis and Jamien Sherwood ought to each play full-time roles if wholesome, the depth behind these two isn’t a lot to put in writing dwelling about so there will probably be a contest to be the following man up.
A man like Wilson would most likely must excel on particular groups to have a shot at making the roster, however he has an inexpensive likelihood to stay round and develop on the observe squad and may get loads of possibilities to play throughout preseason. He might even put on the headset at center linebacker on the third unit.
