There are plenty of storylines to watch every year New York Jets training camp rolls around.
However, the one that has received the top billing is new placekicker Harrison Mevis.
Dan Parr of the NFL Media Group was tasked with picking one player to root for from every team in the NFL. For the Jets, he picked Mevis, albeit for shallow reasons.
“For any of you who thought I was above rooting for a player simply because of his nickname, well, sorry to disappoint you. I’m not going to pass on a chance to pull for a guy known as the “Thiccer Kicker.” At 5-foot-11, 243 pounds, Mevis signed with the Jets last month after impressing (20 of 21 on field goals) in his first season with the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions. This is a second NFL chance for Mevis, who was in camp with the Panthers a year ago as an undrafted rookie out of Missouri, where he was a first-team All-American in 2021. He’ll be battling for New York’s kicking job against undrafted rookie Caden Davis, who does not have a well-publicized nickname. That costs him here,” Parr jokingly said.
Easy Guy for Jets Fans to Root for as Well
Jets fans will find no issues rooting for Mevis in training camp.
The green and white just delivered the season from hell from a placekicking perspective in 2024.
Five different kickers appeared in a game for the Jets. Greg Zuerlein, who also has many nicknames like Legatron and Greg the Leg, failed to be the guy last season.
He played in eight games and went 9-of-15 on his field goal attempts. Zuerlein’s 60% conversion rate was the worst of his career and was a league worst last season at the time he was placed on injured reserve.
The other replacement options were better than he was, but it wasn’t enough of an upgrade. Gang Green completely reset the kicker position this offseason ahead of training camp.
It’s now a two-man race to determine who will be the starting placekicker. Mevis versus undrafted free agent rookie Caden Davis. May the best man win.
Mevis Getting a 2nd Chance at NFL Glory
It didn’t work out for the former Missouri product during his first NFL stint.
However, he has a much better opportunity with the Jets in 2025. Mevis, 23, spent four years in college, all with the Tigers.
During that period, Mevis appeared in 50 games. He went 148-of-149 on his extra point attempts, a 99.3% conversion rate. On his field goal attempts, Mevis went 89-of-106, an 84% conversion rate.
Those were solid numbers in college, but Mevis took it to another level after getting rejected by the NFL in 2024.
At the UFL level, Mevis went 20-of-21 on his field goal attempts, a 95.2% conversion rate. On top of his accuracy, the other thing Mevis brings to the table is an elite leg. That is a good quality for any kicker, but that is especially important for kickers who play in the northeast consistently.
“Huge leg. 5-for-6 on kicks from 50+ yards, with his only miss from 63 yards out,” UFL Insider James Larsen told me back when Mevis was signed.
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