Jamien Sherwood has taken one of those roads less traveled to land as one of the Jets' important players at linebacker entering his fourth season in the NFL.
"Every single year he has gotten better and better and better," HC Robert Saleh said. "He's increased his weight, his IQ, his speed, his strength, his mindset, just like Jermaine [Johnson], it is a mindset to get better day in and day out. But this dude, he's a hell of a linebacker."
That was not always the case since Sherwood was selected by the Jets in the fifth round (No. 146 overall) in the 2021 NFL Draft. He had played three seasons as an imposing safety in college for Auburn. That went out the window when the Jets quickly anointed Sherwood (6-2, 216) as a linebacker on draft day.
In practice on Monday, he put an exclamation point on the start of the second week of training camp when he managed to snatch an Aaron Rodgers pass that had been deflected.
"It was fun, you know what I'm saying?" he said after the steamy session at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. "Aaron Rodgers, great quarterback, Hall of Fame quarterback. So when I get my opportunity to do something like that, it's special to me. Obviously, it's special to my teammates and coaches, just to see me going out there and playing hard against someone of that caIiber. So again, it feels great."
Sherwood's professional progression and his current place in the conversation with veteran C.J. Mosley and the emerging Quincy Williams was short-circuited in Week 7 of his rookie season when he sustained a torn Achilles tendon. He bounced back in 2020 to play in all 17 games, but saw only 25 snaps (2%) on defense while being a key player on special teams with 309 snaps (67%). Last season, he upped his time at linebacker to 194 snaps (17%) with 46 tackles while playing 420 (87%) on special teams.
He came to OTAs and now training camp determined to carve out a more significant role on the Jets' elite defense.
"Just like every man, it's a grind," he said. "It's about consistency. And for me, it's about feeding my family. So it's about whatever chance, whatever opportunity I get, I just have to go in with the mindset that I'm taking care of my family. It's not just about me. It's about my love and regard for the man next to me. And you know, it's tiring, it gets hard, but you know, it's about the man next to me, and my mom. So that's why I got no choice but to go out there and do my best every day."
So far in camp, Sherwood has been notable for covering a lot of ground, making plays against the run and using the talent he developed playing safety in college to be a factor defending in the passing game.
"Throughout camp and OTA's, in chaotic moments, he's still finding a way to get everybody lined up along with getting his feet in the ground, and make the play, which is a really cool step in his development as a football player. He's off to a really good start," Saleh said.
As he has slowly settled in at linebacker, Sherwood (along with Williams, Chazz Surratt, Zaire Barnes and Sam Eguavoen) have benefitted from the wily veteran in their midst -- Mosley.
"You guys all know I used to play safety," Sherwood said. "So just having that chance to sit back behind him for these past few years, I've learned everything. Whether I ask him or don't ask him, just watching him is as good. Just the way he moves, the way he talks, the way he learns. He doesn't say much in the meeting room, but you can just tell from the tape that he should be in the Hall of Fame sooner or later.
"I can just give him all the credit, he's been a great blueprint, same thing with Quincy the past couple of years. Both of them are great blueprints for me."
