Jamaal Pritchett ready to ‘showcase’ his skills for Jets

GREEN BAY — Jamaal Pritchett planned on taking a moment on Saturday night to soak it all in: Lambeau Field; playing in an NFL game, albeit a preseason one; wearing a Jets uniform. 

The 22-year-old wide receiver from a tiny Western Alabama town knew he would take a second to look around before the Jets faced the Packers. 

“It’s what everybody dreams of,” Pritchett said a few days before the game. “I’m ready to compete. I gotta take it in and thank God.” 

Pritchett is one of the Jets who can benefit the most from a strong showing in the preseason. The Jets signed him as an undrafted free agent out of South Alabama. At 5-foot-8, he’s heard he’s undersized his whole life. Now, he’s just hearing it about his NFL prospects. But Pritchett has had a strong showing in OTAs and early in training camp. He is fast and shifty and can break tackles. 

Next, the Jets needed to see him do it against NFL opponents. 

“Just to showcase my talent,” Pritchett said about what he hopes to get out of these preseason games, “and show the coaches I can go out and make plays and they can trust me and just have fun, enjoy the process. I’m playing the game I’ve loved since I was young, so just going out there and having fun and making plays.” 

For Pritchett, a big punt return could be the difference between a spot on the 53-man roster and the practice squad. He returned one punt for a touchdown as a senior last year, and it could be his ticket to making the Jets. 

“Smaller guy that has a lot of fight to him,” Jets coach Aaron Glenn said of Pritchett. “I think you guys might’ve seen him out there; when he’s blocking, he’s not running away from nobody. You watch his ability to catch punts because the speed that he has, his ability to hit it north-and-south has shown up quite a bit. So, I’m looking forward to seeing him not just on the receiving end but catching punts also.” 

Pritchett is a longshot to make the Jets, but defying the odds is what he’s used to. He grew up in Jackson, a town of just under 5,000 people. He had very little interest from college recruiters. 

“They said I was small, undersized, so I wasn’t heavily recruited,” he said. 

Tuskegee University, a Division II school, recruited Pritchett late, and he went there. After one season, he decided he wanted to try to play at a Division I school and walked on at South Alabama. 

“I felt like I could play at a bigger level, so I decided to walk on to South,” Pritchett said. “The rest is history. I went in and proved myself every day and earned a scholarship after my first year. I’ve been going ever since then.” 

Last season, Pritchett had 91 catches for 1,127 yards and nine touchdowns. He was invited to the Senior Bowl, which is held on the campus of South Alabama, but not the NFL scouting combine. 

Pritchett won some teams over at his pro day when he ran a 4.42 40-yard dash. He met with the Jets before his pro day but did not take a top-30 visit there. He visited the Commanders and Titans. 

As the draft ended and he did not hear his name called, he and his agent went over his options, and they opted to sign with the Jets. 

Pritchett is fighting for a roster spot at a position that is tough to call. Garrett Wilson, Josh Reynolds and Arian Smith are locks to make the roster. Then, you have veterans Allen Lazard and Tyler Johnson who are experienced receivers but don’t play special teams. Pritchett is fighting with Xavier Gipson, Brandon Smith, Malachi Corley and Quentin Skinner for one of the final roster spots. 

“I try to put it to the side but in the back of your head that I’ve got to do stuff to make the team,” Pritchett said. “I try to put it aside and enjoy the process and just come out here and be consistent and stack days. Whatever happens, happens. It will take care of itself. I just know that I put my best foot forward each and every day to make the team.”