Jets Sign Five Players

The New York Jets have announced the signing of five players who participated in rookie minicamp as tryout players and announced the release of four players. The announcements were made by Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum.

The five players signed were DB James Ihedigbo, CB Rayshaun Kizer, LB Jared Newberry, WR Jesse Pellot-Rosa and WR Renard Stevens.

The four players released were DB Caleb Hendrix, DE Matt King, WR Dustin Osborn and LB Mark Zalewski.

Ihedigbo (6’1″, 202) was a three-year starter at UMass and served as his team’s captain in 2006. He finished his career with 251 tackles (165 solo), 12.5 sacks, eight interceptions and 19 passes defensed. He was named a Walter Camp All-American, College Sporting News All-Star and Atlantic 10 first-team DB his senior season.

Kizer (5’9″, 185) was a three-year starter at cornerback at NAIA Walsh University in Ohio. He finished his career with 12 interceptions, third-best in school history. The All-Mid-States Football Association Mideast selection picked off five passes his senior season, including two that he returned for touchdowns.

Newberry (6’2″, 235) was selected in the sixth round (183rd overall) by the Redskins in the 2005 draft but was cut during camp. He spent time on the Patriots’ and Titans’ practice squads in 2005 and the 49ers’ practice squad in 2006. Newberry played for the Frankfurt Galaxy in NFL Europa in 2006 and started 10 games in helping the Galaxy to a World Bowl victory. He is a former Stanford University walk-on who became a co-captain his senior season and finished with 112 tackles, six sacks and two interceptions.

Pellot-Rosa (6’4″, 195) is a former high school wide receiver who was recruited for football at Tennessee, Alabama and Virginia before choosing basketball at Virginia Commonwealth. He averaged 13.3 points per game and shot better than 42 percent from three-point range in leading VCU to a Colonial Athletic Association title, and he scored 14 points in the first-round upset of Duke in the 2007 NCAA Tournament.

Stevens (6’4″, 215) began his career at Marshall before transferring to Division II West Liberty State in West Virginia. He finished his collegiate career with 140 catches for 1,751 yards (12.5-yard average) and 19 touchdowns. He also recorded two TD receptions in the sixth annual East Coast Bowl for Division II All-Stars.