A Look at New York Jets’ Camp Standout Jalin Marshall
The New York Jets are going wild for their undrafted free agent, wide receiver Jalin Marshall.
The New York Jets are in full swing at training camp. Todd Bowles and company are busily getting ready for their opening exhibition game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on August 11th. In these early workouts, coaches look for players to step forward and start to make a mark. They know what they are going to get out of their veterans, but what about the new guys? Who is going to excel and start to make a name for themselves?
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The Jets have had great success with undrafted free agents in the past. No fan can say the name Wayne Chrebet without smiling. The young, undersized WR out of Hofstra walked onto the team and became one of the best receivers in franchise history. More recently, the fan base witnessed UDFA turned superstar Damon Harrison. It’s very clear that players don’t have to be drafted in order to achieve NFL success.
So far in 2016, a young WR that went undrafted is turning heads all over Florham Park. Zach Braziller wrote in the NY Post that this player is turning out to be a steal, so we are going to take a look at him today. His name is Jalin Marshall.
Marshall spent his college days at Ohio State. Take a look at his stats, courtesy of Sports Reference:
Receiving & Rushing
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| Receiving | Rushing | Scrimmage | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Plays | Yds | Avg | TD |
| *2014 | Ohio State | Big Ten | FR | WR | 15 | 38 | 499 | 13.1 | 6 | 25 | 145 | 5.8 | 1 | 63 | 644 | 10.2 | 7 |
| 2015 | Ohio State | Big Ten | SO | HB | 12 | 36 | 477 | 13.3 | 5 | 2 | 30 | 15.0 | 0 | 38 | 507 | 13.3 | 5 |
| Career | Ohio State | 74 | 976 | 13.2 | 11 | 27 | 175 | 6.5 | 1 | 101 | 1151 | 11.4 | 12 |
Punt & Kick Returns
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| Punt Ret | Kick Ret | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Ret | Yds | Avg | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | TD |
| *2014 | Ohio State | Big Ten | FR | WR | 15 | 24 | 283 | 11.8 | 1 | 2 | 56 | 28.0 | 0 |
| 2015 | Ohio State | Big Ten | SO | HB | 12 | 28 | 379 | 13.5 | 0 | 1 | 36 | 36.0 | 0 |
| Career | Ohio State | 52 | 662 | 12.7 | 1 | 3 | 92 | 30.7 | 0 |
Marshall’s numbers aren’t exactly gaudy, but 11 touchdown in two seasons shows a player that has a nose for the ball at the goal line despite his 5’11” stature. It’s an indication of a player that is an intense competitor, and that is a trait that will serve him well in the NFL.
His ability to return punts is a desirable skill for the Jets. It’s been a long time since they have seen a weapon as a punt returner. Ask any fan about Jeremy Kerley for all of the evidence you need.
Here are the strengths indicated in his NFL.com draft profile:
"Athletic with smooth hips and plus body control. Has feet to bound around initial tackler in space and can create after the catch. Good size for the slot, but gained experience on outside this season. Former dual-threat high school quarterback who offers versatility on jet sweeps and packaged plays. Should continue to improve at the position with experience and coaching. Subtle and shifty in space. Able to run under the deep balls and is an excellent ball tracker. Excellent punt returner with 34.6 percent of his punts going for 15-plus yards."
The profile indicates that he must show ability to beat press coverage, but it’s difficult to give that a lot of weight because nobody faces press coverage in college.
Now we take a look at some game film from the bowl game against Notre Dame, courtesy of Draft Breakdown:
First thing to note is his punt returning ability. Marshall would be a huge step up for the Jets in that department. He is always moving with his eyes up field, and he is elusive. He’s looking to make a big play on every return and can make people miss.
As a receiver, he catches the ball with his hands each and every time. So many kids come up to the NFL catching the ball with their bodies, and it is a trait that quickly turns a player into a bust. A Jets’ fans remember Stephen Hill, right?
Marshall also never gives up on a play. Watch him running through each and every route. Even when he is not the primary target he commits to the play. Clearly, Urban Meyer taught him well. His hands are consistent. Even when he bobbled a pass on the tape, he stayed with it and caught the football on the rebound.
His route running needs to be a bit better. Some of his cuts are a bit rounded where they need to be sharper. A sharper cut will be harder to defend in the pros.
Marshall also needs to be careful when running a “hitch” or a “comeback”. You will notice on the tape that on some of those routes he stops, allowing the defender to come over the top on him. He needs to come back to his quarterback more, and therefore shield the defender from the football.
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Marshall has an excellent chance to make this team, and could be quite the steal coming after the draft was over.