Over the previous couple of months, we’ve been breaking down all undrafted free brokers signed by the Jets. We proceed as we speak with former Virginia Tech linebacker Jaden Keller.
The 23-year outdated Keller is listed at 6’3” and 235 kilos and began 17 video games in his five-year school profession. He led the Hokies in tackles in 2024.
Keller was a three-star security prospect as a highschool recruit and headed to Virginia Tech in 2021. In his first season, he didn’t file any stats in 4 appearances earlier than opting to redshirt.
As a redshirt freshman in 2022, he began two video games and ended up with 25 tackles, a sack and a pressured fumble in 11 appearances. He then posted comparable numbers in 2023 with 23 tackles and two tackles for loss as he began two of 13 video games.
His function elevated considerably in 2024, as Keller led the group with 83 tackles in 13 video games, seven of which he began. He added a cross defensed and two fumble recoveries.
2025 noticed him beginning six of 11 video games as he ended up with 50 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, half a sack, a cross defensed and a pressured fumble.
Keller was not invited to the scouting mix and wasn’t thought of more likely 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 Keller brings to the desk, based mostly on in-depth analysis and movie examine.
Keller has respectable dimension and size and posted glorious athletic numbers at his professional day exercise. He ran a 4.51 within the 40-yard sprint with glorious explosiveness and agility numbers, together with a sub-seven second three-cone drill. He additionally posted 21 bench press reps.
Keller performed in an off-ball function with the Hokies, usually masking a receiver within the slot or out broad. They often performed with four-man fronts and two off-ball linebackers.
He primarily performed as the need linebacker however did apply for a possible mike function as properly.
Keller was productive towards the run, however his grades in accordance with evaluation websites corresponding to Professional Soccer Focus tended to be common.
His quickness and athleticism could be helpful on run protection, as he can cowl loads of floor from sideline-to-sideline and closes quick on ball carriers.
He’s at his greatest when he is ready to keep away from blockers getting their palms on him, however can take false steps and hesitate whereas making his preliminary reads. This could additionally imply that he’s generally uncontrolled when pursuing downhill which might result in overpursuit or being angled off as a consequence of his momentum getting used towards him.
Keller’s protection function usually noticed him working near the road of scrimmage and limiting yardage on brief passes. He was often employed extra in zone coverages than man-to-man assignments.
Over the course of his profession, he gave up a catch on over 80 % of his targets at a mean of lower than 10 yards per reception. He didn’t hand over many large performs and just one landing.
As a highschool defensive again, you’ll anticipate extra on-ball manufacturing from Keller, however he had no interceptions and simply two cross breakups in school.
Keller was a productive tackler on the school degree, however his missed sort out share was greater than you’d wish to see and truly went up in his final season.
His closing pace and vary are spectacular, and as soon as he strains up his man he can cease a runner in his tracks.
Keller didn’t blitz fairly often however his strain share was strong when he did. He had 1.5 sacks in his school profession.
His timing on blitzes was good, and he was efficient in a spying function.
Keller noticed motion on each particular groups unit aside from the placekicking unit in his school profession. He was credited with 5 particular groups tackles with no penalties.
Keller comes downhill aggressively however there have been occasions the place he obtained caught up in site visitors or taken out of a play by a blocker.
He has confirmed able to making some large, however clear hits at occasions throughout his profession.
Keller’s coaches at West Virginia described him as very sensible and praised his understanding of the sport, particularly in mild of the truth that he was new to the linebacker place when he arrived.
As famous, there are occasions when he exhibits preliminary hesitation and he can generally let gamers leak in behind him in zone protection. Nevertheless, when he makes a decisive learn, he appears good.
On this play, his rush is repelled however he reacts properly to get his palms up for the deflection.
Keller developed into an excellent chief with the Hokies and performed with an unselfish “we not me” angle. His coaches praised his dedication within the weight room.
His on-field self-discipline was glorious with only one defensive penalty in his total profession, though that was for pointless roughness.
Accidents weren’t a serious concern for Keller in his school profession, however he did miss a recreation final season with a decrease physique damage.
The Hokies modified their system in 2025 and this noticed Keller’s manufacturing slipping. He was required to play extra protection and shoot gaps extra, in a protection that was designed to be extra attacking.
He would possibly fare higher within the Jets’ protection if the linebackers are relied upon to play extra of a disciplined function, as this could align higher with the protection he performed in previous to final 12 months.
Keller, together with Chase Wilson, was a late addition to the roster and the pair will possible play extensively alongside each other in preseason. Wilson has extra expertise as a center linebacker, so he’ll presumably put on the headset, whereas Keller is the higher athlete so he can fly round and get an opportunity to make some performs.
So long as Demario Davis and Jamien Sherwood are wholesome, there gained’t be many linebacker reps to go round, so the Jets could also be compelled to hold backups who excel on particular groups quite than needing everybody within the rotation to be skilled.
It’s subsequently not unimaginable that an undrafted rookie like Wilson or Keller might get onto the primary roster in some unspecified time in the future, particularly in the event that they show themselves as helpful particular groups contributors in preseason. It’s a long-shot although, and Keller will possible have a extra real looking aim of displaying sufficient that New York will need to preserve him round on the apply squad so he can study on the job and attempt to compete for a task subsequent season.
