Jeremy Ruckert

Ruckert barely saw the field as a rookie, and the Jets’ 2022 third-round draft pick out of Ohio State wasn’t much of a factor in his sophomore season, catching 16 of 22 targets for 151 yards while spending most of the season as the third-string tight end behind Tyler Conklin and C.J. Uzomah. Conklin’s still around atop the depth chart, but Uzomah was released in March, so Ruckert’s poised to play a larger role in his third NFL campaign on a Jets offensive that’s expected to take a collective step forward with Aaron Rodgers returning under center after missing all but four snaps in 2023. The Lindenhurst, Long Island native grew up a Jets fan, but after scoring 12 touchdowns over his last three years at Ohio State, Ruckert has yet to experience what it’s like to find the end zone as a member of his favorite NFL team.

Ruckert played sparingly as a rookie after the Jets selected him in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Ohio State. He finished with just one catch for eight yards and played more than six offensive snaps only twice. New York's tight end depth chart remains the same heading into Ruckert's second season, with veterans Tyler Conklin and C.J. Uzomah both in front of him, but perhaps an extra year of development will help Ruckert carve out a larger role in 2023.

Growing up a lifelong Jets fan, Ruckert was thrilled to be selected by his hometown team in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The rookie out of Ohio State will likely begin his career third on the Jets' tight end depth chart behind free-agent additions C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin. Ruckert had just 309 yards and three touchdowns as a senior at Ohio State, but there's believed to be some untapped receiving potential in Ruckert, who was far from a focal point in an offense that had two 2022 first-round picks at wide receiver (Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave) plus another likely first-rounder next year (Jaxon Smith-Njigba) also in the mix.