Pro Football Focus released their top 101 players for the 2022 season and it’s another example showing how the Jets have a good foundation to build on. Three Jets players made the list, including two in the top 30.
These rankings were made solely on the play of 2022. No past or future play was taken into account.
Here are PFF’s criteria for the rankings:
• This list is based solely on play in 2022. Past or future play is not accounted for. This isn’t about class or talent; it’s about performance throughout the 2022 NFL season.
• This list is created with an “all positions are created equal” mantra. So, you won’t see 32 quarterbacks heading the list, even though that is the game’s most valuable position. Instead, we take a look at how guys played relative to what is expected from their position.
• Unlike PFF’s awards, the 101 factors in the postseason, so some players who won PFF awards may find themselves jumped in the 101 by rivals who had a playoff run worthy of a change in ranking.
Let’s dive into the three players on the list.
No. 18 CB Sauce Gardner
Not only did Gardner land among the top 20 on this list, but he was also the No. 1 cornerback. Another reason he was deserving of being the first First-Team All-Pro cornerback as a rookie since 1981.
Gardner had one of the best rookie seasons the league has seen in years, as he was the game’s best cornerback in his first year. He allowed just 45.9% of passes thrown into his coverage to be caught and recorded 14 pass breakups on just 74 targets.
No. 27 DT Quinnen Williams
Williams was one of only two interior defensive linemen to reach 12 sacks in 2022 — Kansas City’s Chris Jones was the other — and made a strong case for Defensive Player of the Year. The question now becomes how much money will Williams be paid.
Williams’ mid-season injury slowed down what was potentially a Defensive Player of the Year kind of season, but he still ended the year with 52 total pressures, 32 defensive stops and a 90.1 overall PFF grade — the best of his career by almost 10 grading points.
No. 76 WR Garrett Wilson
The Jets did pretty well drafting in the top ten in 2022. Both picks turned out to be the Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year. Wilson had over 1,100 yards receiving and was by far the leading receiver for the Jets this past season despite the quarterback carousel.
The work that Wilson was able to do despite the Jets’ quarterback situation was remarkable for a rookie. He racked up more than 1,100 yards, and his 22 broken tackles with the ball in his hands were more than any receiver outside of Deebo Samuel.
