Quincy Enunwa: A Rising Star

Note from John: Welcome Fade-Away to the team. He did a short writing tryout submitting a couple of samples as FanPosts on the site, and your response was overwhelming so we are giving the people what they want.

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Hello Jet Fans, I know things are pretty doom-and-gloom around here, and with good reason. Starting 1-3 isn't the best way to ensure a successful season, but I think we should remember that there are still positives to be found. One such positive is the emergence of Quincy Enunwa.

Homegrown stars in today's NFL are hard to come by. (Yes I know, Sheldon Richardson, Leonard Williams and, Muhammad Wilkerson are all homegrown). With free agency, the salary cap, and the media, players are often a part of numerous organizations before the end of their playing career. Many players drafted by one team may end their career playing for another. That's just how things go. But it looks like we may have found an offensive, homegrown stud, in Quincy Enunwa.

Enunwa was drafted by the Jets in the 6th Round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Be honest. You weren't excited about the pick, and neither was I. Sixth Round picks are usually camp fodder to determine who the real starters will be. Sure enough, Enunwa was waived and put on the practice squad that year. For most players, this alone would be the start of a career that just fell short, but that wasn't the case with Enunwa. Quincy used that offseason to work hard, and it paid off when he made the 53 man roster last year. Quincy eventually would start 8 of 16 games last year, and start to really find his niche in the second half of the season, and that trend has continued into this season as well. The numbers support this, and when looking at them, I was honestly shocked how much Quincy has improved in 2 years. So, let's take a look at some numbers.

2015 Season - 46 Targets, 22 Receptions, 315 yards, 47.8 catch %, 521 Snaps Played (46.94%)

2016 Season - 32 Targets, 23 Receptions, 243 yards,  71.9 catch %, 232 Snaps Played (81.40%)

Do you notice now? Quincy now has an extended role with the Jets, clocking in nearly double the % of snaps played (Decker out doesn't change this), as well as having an astonishing 71.9 catch %. That number ranks 10th out of 81 receivers this season with a minimum of 16 passes caught. That's better than the likes of Julio Jones, Antonio Brown, and other elite receivers. Quincy is also 21st in DVOA (value, per play, over an average WR in same game situations) and 18th in DYAR (Defense-adjusted Yards above replacement - aka WR with more TOTAL value). These numbers are pretty amazing considering Quincy is primarily used as an H-Back and slot receiver, and is only in his second real season.

However if you ask some people, the jump in production was no fluke. To them, this was destined to happen by a man with a frame that many elite WR's hold, and the work ethic to achieve it. Quincy has a rare combination of both speed, power, and agility to give defenders fits, and the applaud of his offensive counterparts. I'm not just being a homer, there's some interesting stats (Great, MUST READ) to help support this.  The Jets might have found their future replacement for Brandon Marshall, and have the chance to groom an excellent homegrown player to help fill the seats. His name is Quincy Enunwa. If this 2016 season has nothing but darkness and despair, we have found at least one player who refuses to give up.