Jets wide receiver and return man Greg Dortch isn’t afraid of anything when he steps onto the football field.
Dortch has a chance to replace Andre Roberts as the team’s kick returner this season, but he’s not the prototypical football player. An undrafted rookie, Dortch stands at 5-foot-7 and only weighs 173 pounds. He’s not letting that stop him, though.
“I’m not 6-3, 250,” Dortch told the Daily News’ Manish Mehta. “I’m the smallest guy every time I step on the field. So, you have to have a different edge to you. This is a crazy game that we play… and I’m crazy enough to play it. So, I got to bring something to the table every time I come out here.”
While he may lack size, Dortch does have speed. He ran between a 4.49- and 4.52-second 40-yard dash at his pro day at Wake Forest. There, he stood out as a receiver, catching 142 receptions for 1,800 yards and 17 touchdowns in two seasons at Wake Forest. Dortch also shined in the return game. As a punt returner, he averaged 9.7 yards per return and had two career touchdowns. On kickoffs, he averaged 21.5 yards per return.
The Jets are loving what they see out of Dortch so far on special teams. In fact, the Jets currently have him slated as the No. 1 returner on the depth chart. Head coach Adam Gase is usually focused on the offense during practice, but he’s had nothing but praise for the UDFA this summer.
Before the Jets can name Dortch their full-time returner, though, they’ll need to see him perform in the preseason. Right now, however, all signs are pointing to Dortch being the No. 1 returner come Week 1.
