It's that time of the offseason when football outlets love to identify underrated players around the league that the casual NFL fan is probably sleeping on.
These are players that perform better than what their popularity among fans may suggest.
Pro Football Focus recently listed the most underrated player on every NFL roster, and for the New York Jets, they chose guard Alijah Vera-Tucker.
Vera-Tucker is entering his fifth year in the NFL after being the 14th overall pick in the 2021 draft, and after season-ending injuries in both 2022 and 2023, he appeared to have regained his stability on the offensive line last season.
Torn triceps and a torn Achilles are not easy to work your way back from, but Vera-Tucker did just that in 2024. He started 15 games for the Jets, compiling over 900 snaps, and his performance led to his highest-graded season of his career in the eyes of PFF.
Vera-Tucker is now a major part of a rebuilt offensive line. He received praise this offseason from head coach Aaron Glenn, who said that he "needs to be respected."
Here is what PFF said about Vera-Tucker: