On a team that always spoke highly about its defense, the New York Jets in 2024 showed the opposite. Aaron Rodgers could not lead them to the promised land, as the team now hands the ball to Justin Fields. With a few key players drafted on the defensive side of the ball, the Jets are looking to revamp their defense and try to put themselves back in a position to win games consistently.
Top Jets Rookie to Watch in Minicamp: CB Azareye’h Thomas
After drafting Fields some protection and a new weapon on offense, Thomas was selected with the Jets’ No. 73 overall pick in the third round. The Florida State graduate was the lone cornerback selected by the team.
Later in the draft, they chose safety Malachi Moore, linebacker Francisco Mauigoa, and defensive end Tyler Baron.
VIDEO: Former Florida State and current New York Jets cornerback Azareye’h Thomas is showcasing his elite coverage skills. 👀 #GoNoles #NoleFamily #azareyehthomas #newyorkjets #nflfootball pic.twitter.com/a8V4aXiNf7
— Norvell Central (@CentralNorvell) June 3, 2025
Thomas currently finds himself behind Brandon Stephens on the depth chart. Stephens is 27 years old, having spent his four-year rookie contract with the Baltimore Ravens. This offseason, the Jets signed him to a three-year, $36 million contract. That’s quite a difference compared to the $6.59 million Thomas will make over his next four years, but he’ll look to prove that he’s worth more than Thomas in the future.
Thomas is just 20 years old, unlike some other players drafted. He’ll turn 21 on July 6, having spent three years all at FSU. Neither Stephens nor Thomas is a huge threat to intercept the ball, as they both have two interceptions in their last three seasons. Stephens is doing that in the NFL compared to college, so it’s not the best statistic to compare.
Regardless, Thomas has shown consistent improvement throughout his three-year college career. Starting with 14 tackles in 2022, he turned that into 53 tackles last season. His solo tackles increased from eight to 36, with his assisted tackles jumping from six to 17. Stephens is no stranger to solo tackles, finishing his last two seasons with over 50.
If anything, Stephens will have quite a bit to teach Thomas, as he’s in a similar situation to the one the 27-year-old was in during his 2021 rookie season in Baltimore. Sauce Gardner is still on this team, but it’s a Jets defense that lost someone like D.J. Reed to the Detroit Lions. Reed spent the last three seasons in New York, racking up 220 interceptions with the team.
There’s no doubt that the 20-year-old is going to make an immediate impact on this team. He might not be on the field for every snap, but he’ll have the chance to earn more playing time throughout the season as the Jets look to continue to rank in the top five for their pass defense success rate.