The Jets’ pure disaster at quarterback last season took far too much attention away from a defense that was trying to hold the entire foundation up by itself, and nearly got away with it.
Chief among Gang Green’s secondary, of course, are cornerbacks Sauce Gardner, D.J. Reed, and Michael Carter. But one guy who really stepped up in coverage was safety Ashtyn Davis, the 2020 third-round pick out of Cal who showed a lot of deep-third attributes in college, and has taken them all the way to the NFL.
In 2023, covering everywhere from the slot to the back third of the defense, Davis allowed 13 catches on 22 targets for 107 yards, 86 yards after the catch, no touchdowns, three interceptions, eight pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 32.0 — which is about as much as you can ask from any defensive back. Davis’ tape shows some issues against the run, but he’s clearly all in when it’s time to prevent quarterbacks and receivers from getting what they want.
Ashtyn Davis of the @nyjets probably wouldn't be my first choice in run support, but I would definitely want him out there to cover in slot press to the deep third. Natural speed and quickness to the ball, and he's improved his tracking abilities. 2023 was a bit of a revelation. pic.twitter.com/DpvlaLNXCI
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) May 23, 2024
