Over the subsequent few months, we’ll be breaking down all undrafted free brokers signed by the Jets. We proceed as we speak with former Hawaii and Incarnate Phrase vast receiver Jalen Walthall.
The 23-year outdated Walthall is listed at 6’0” and 191 kilos and was initially an undrafted free agent signing for the Texans. The Jets picked him up earlier this month when he was launched by them. After catching 37 passes in two years at Hawaii, Walthall transferred to Incarnate Phrase and posted nearly 1,300 receiving yards with 14 touchdowns in 2024, however his manufacturing was down final season.
Walthall was a three-star highschool recruit who headed to Hawaii and redshirted the 2021 season. He had a promising redshirt freshman season with 27 receptions for 333 yards and a landing, however introduced he could be transferring 5 video games into his second season. On the time, he had simply 10 catches for 127 yards regardless of beginning 3 times.
He went on to switch to Incarnate Phrase and had a breakout marketing campaign with them on the FCS degree in 2024. He had 85 catches for 1,290 yards and 14 touchdowns. This noticed him named as a first-team FCS all-American and the Southland Convention Offensive Participant of the Yr.
In 2025, Walthall was a little bit banged up, and his manufacturing dipped however he was nonetheless ok to earn first crew all-Southland Convention honors for the second straight season as he had 70 receptions for 847 yards and eight touchdowns. That manufacturing additionally got here in 4 fewer video games.
Walthall was invited to the scouting mix and thought to be one of many high small-school receivers within the draft however didn’t get chosen and Houston picked him up as an undrafted free agent. The Jets acquired Walthall when he was launched by the Texans in early June.
Let’s transfer onto some extra in-depth evaluation of what Walthall brings to the desk, primarily based on in-depth analysis and movie research.
Walthall has common dimension and will most likely do with bulking up a little bit for the NFL. As famous, he was invited to the mix the place he ran a barely disappointing 4.57 within the 40-yard sprint however posted a superb 131-inch broad leap.
At his professional day, he failed to enhance on his 40-yard sprint however did improve his vertical leap from 35 inches to 38.5. He additionally did the agility drills, posting modest numbers, however didn’t take part within the bench press.
In school, Walthall performed totally on the skin with lower than 10 % of his snaps coming within the slot. He additionally carried 4 instances for 50 yards in his profession, with a longest run of 30 yards. All of these carries got here final season with three in his ultimate recreation.
Walthall undoubtedly established himself as somebody who may get behind the protection along with his burst and acceleration on the FCS degree. In 2024 alone, he had nearly 500 yards on passes greater than 20 yards past the road of scrimmage with 9 touchdowns, and he impresses along with his potential to routinely monitor and find the ball quicker than the person overlaying him.
Nevertheless, his report on deep performs at Hawaii was lower than stellar with simply three catches for 85 yards and a landing on 16 downfield makes an attempt.
Walthall’s catch price was barely 50 % at Hawaii, though that is impacted by the shortage of success on downfield throws famous above. He additionally didn’t get many excessive share brief passes.
His effectivity improved at Incarnate Phrase with a catch price of 65 % and a discount in drops from six in two seasons at Hawaii to only three in two seasons at UIW.
It’s possible you’ll appear him juggle or bobble catches at instances, however he completely has the power to make some spotlight reel performs.
He additionally shows the power to go up and get it athletically on leap balls and fade routes.
Some scouting reviews point out that his hand power on the catch-point may be missing. Nevertheless, this will likely simply be largely primarily based on one play in opposition to Villanova the place he nearly got here down with a leap ball however the defender ripped it out on the final minute which was nearly a tremendous play quite than being an indication of weak spot.
What you’ll usually see with FCS receiver prospects, particularly those that noticed a dramatic improve in manufacturing after dropping a degree, is that it may be attributed to them having have a dimension or pace benefit extra usually than they used to. This could imply that they don’t should be as detailed-oriented to get separation as a result of they’ll depend on these athletic benefits.
In Walthall’s case you possibly can see some good route-running fundamentals and the hope could be that he didn’t turn out to be complacent and begin selecting up unhealthy habits as a result of he was discovering it simple to supply at that decrease degree.
Some scouting reviews have indicated that he struggles to get off press protection however Walthall himself scoffed at this assertion on social media, questioning aloud if the individuals saying that had watched any of his movie. For what it’s value, we do usually discover sure draft analysts who very clearly decide up on one detrimental play from a participant and robotically listing that as a detrimental even when it could be a one-off.
At practices for the East-West Shrine Bowl, he at the very least confirmed some good hand utilization and a capability to separate when a defensive again will get his fingers on him, so he could certainly be a lot better than marketed at that.
Walthall had 22 touchdowns prior to now two seasons after having had simply two at Hawaii, however the majority of those got here from exterior the crimson zone. Nevertheless, he did nonetheless have a number of scores from near the aim line as properly.
Walthall was extraordinarily productive after the catch at Incarnate Phrase. He was fourth within the FCS when it comes to whole yards after the catch in 2024 with the one FBS receiver to log extra yardage after the catch being one among Walthall’s new teammates with the Jets: Jamaal Pritchett.
He wasn’t used within the display recreation a lot at Hawaii however averaged 10 yards on 27 catches behind the road with two touchdowns in his first season at Incarnate Phrase. He was significantly much less productive on screens final 12 months however did have one other landing on one.
He had three fumbles throughout his school profession.
Walthall didn’t make a lot of an impression as a blocker in school with many scouting reviews itemizing it as a weak spot. His grades on evaluation websites equivalent to Professional Soccer Focus tended to be common. Nevertheless, you possibly can see some flashes of him displaying good effort and getting after it.
Walthall’s report on contested catches isn’t too unhealthy, particularly contemplating he doesn’t have excellent dimension.
As famous some scouts take into account that he may be slowed down by press protection however Walthall disputes that.
Walthall didn’t play a lot on particular groups throughout his school profession, however there could also be some untapped potential right here. He performed 10 snaps as a gunner in 2023 and had two good tackles.
Instincts and Intelligence
Walthall tracks and adjusts to the ball properly whereas it’s within the air and is taken into account to have a strong soccer IQ, usually studying the protection previous to the snap and adjusting accordingly having performed in an option-heavy offense.
One space the place Walthall’s soccer IQ reveals up is in his potential to improvise and get to an open space when his quarterback extends the play, which was one thing IUW’s starter had a knack for. He additionally shows good imaginative and prescient as a ball service.
He had a handful of pre-snap penalties throughout his profession.
Walthall wasn’t a crew captain at IUW however the teaching workers praised him for serving to to foster a centered, team-first tradition. He offers nice effort in follow, the burden room and in movie preparation and consistently does the whole lot at full pace. He’s additionally an advocate for the 24-hour rule when it comes to placing errors or disappointments behind you.
The explanation he determined to depart the Hawaii program in the course of his second season is that he needed to be nearer to residence and get extra enjoying time, in order that’s not essentially troubling.
One potential detrimental is that his on-field self-discipline hasn’t been nice with 14 offensive penalties over the previous two seasons, together with a handful of unsportsmanlike penalties.
To be honest, a type of penalties was for a headstand celebration that went viral and impressed a few NFL gamers to emulate it the subsequent day, in order that one was most likely value it.
Walthall doesn’t have any accidents listed throughout his profession and doesn’t appear to have missed any important time because of harm, however it was reported that he handled nagging accidents in 2025, which is one motive why his manufacturing slipped.
Walthall has performed in a comparatively complicated offense so hopefully the leap from FCS to NFL received’t be too demanding for him. Nevertheless, one query could be whether or not he would stay within the combine on the skin. He’s the same dimension to each Omar Cooper and Garrett Wilson, so that they might be who he backs up – and each shall be anticipated to play extra within the slot than Walthall has prior to now so that may require an adjustment from him.
Throughout his redshirt season at Hawaii, Walthall was a teammate of present Jets offensive lineman Kohl Levao.
Walthall was one of many final gamers introduced in in the course of the offseason program, which could work to his profit if it means the crew needs to see extra.
He’s additionally on the backside finish of the depth chart at a place the place, as soon as once more, this may be helpful as a result of it most likely means you’re going to get some legit enjoying time in preseason.
Walthall could must refine a couple of issues if he’s going to have the ability to produce in opposition to NFL-level expertise but when he’s as aggressive as marketed, he ought to convey an excellent effort to the battle for alternatives and he does flash the form of playmaking potential that would allow him to make a splash in preseason.
He’ll be gunning for a follow squad spot and an opportunity to stay within the system for a 12 months so he can profit from NFL teaching and conditioning.
