FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Jamal Adams passed his first test.
Even though it's hard to get an accurate read on players in non-padded practices, the New York Jets' prized rookie provided a snapshot of his potential in the team's three-day minicamp, which concluded Thursday. The former LSU safety displayed his physical skill, making an interception and breaking up a pass. What stood out in particular, though, was his mental game, especially pre-snap.
On a couple of sequences, Adams figured out the offensive play and barked directions to his teammates, alerting them on what he saw. He took charge of the situation, showing no rookie hesitation whatsoever.
"I'm not to the point where I'm seeing a lot of things right, but I'm seeing some things," he said. "I'm always working on that every day, being a student of the game."
The Jets have big expectations for Adams, who worked with the first-team defense throughout the offseason practices. He will be a Week 1 starter at safety, along with fellow rookie Marcus Maye. Adams admitted he was indecisive in the early practices, but he outgrew that phase quickly.
"Now I'm moving around, I'm flying to the ball, calling out plays, just knowing the playbook," he said. "There are still some wrinkles, some mistakes that I've made. I'm trying to get better each and every day. When we come back for training camp, everything has to be perfect."
Here's a look at some of the players who helped their stock in minicamp -- and some who didn't.
RISERS
TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins: He was the top skill-position player, displaying the kind of pass-receiving talent that would fit nicely in a West Coast-style offense. He dropped 25 pounds and quit drinking, earning praise from teammates and coaches. It's a feel-good story. Let's see if he can keep it up when the pads come on in training camp.
CB Juston Burris: He got beat deep once on Thursday (lucky for him it was an overthrow), but Burris has worked his way into the conversation at cornerback. He was used as the No. 3 corner behind Morris Claiborne and Buster Skrine. In nickel, Skrine played the slot, with Burris and Claiborne on the outside. Burris had one of the six interceptions in camp.
OLB Josh Martin: Used last season on special teams, Martin worked with the starters in the base defense, replacing Jordan Jenkins. Martin is a cerebral player and could get a chance to contribute on defense.
FB Julian Howsare: Yes, the Jets have a fullback on the roster, and they're planning to use him. A linebacker in college, Howsare has improved as a pass-catcher. In fact, he scored a couple of touchdowns in a red-zone drill.
DE Muhammad Wilkerson: He passed the eye test, looking quicker and slimmer than a year ago. Coming off a bad year, Wilkerson should be back to his 2015 form now that he's 17 months removed from leg surgery.
FALLERS
TE Jordan Leggett: Because of his athleticism and receiving skills, he should've jumped out in non-contact practices, but it was a quiet camp for the fifth-round pick from Clemson. Eric Tomlinson and Jason Vander Laan, a college quarterback in 2015, outplayed Leggett at tight end.
WRs ArDarius Stewart and Chad Hansen: They didn't do anything wrong, they just got hurt. Stewart (thumb and groin surgery) missed the minicamp and the 10 OTA practices, a big setback for the first-year wideout. Hansen injured his knee on the first day of minicamp and didn't return. The two rookies -- third- and fourth-round picks, respectively -- are being counted on to contribute.
CB Marcus Williams: He could find himself in a battle to retain his spot in the pecking order. Darryl Roberts, who had an interception and a pass break-up, could overtake Williams as the No. 4 corner.
The offensive line: Again, this is injury-related. Brian Winters (rotator-cuff surgery) and Ben Ijalana (knee scope) sat out, and Kelvin Beachum (sore knee) was limited. There's no reason to panic because they should be ready for training camp, but they missed out on a chemistry-building opportunity. The upside was that Brandon Shell, Brent Qvale and Dakota Dozier got extra reps.