It wasn’t Revis Island that Jets head coach Aaron Glenn referenced.
It was a different, much less-known island in the Jets archipelago.
“Bamba Island,” Glenn said after the Jets’ 24-16 preseason loss to the Buccaneers on Friday.
Mory Bamba, an undrafted free agent cornerback battling to make the roster, stole the show with four pass breakups and five total tackles, seeing action both on defense and special teams.
Amid a training camp in which he’s mostly gone unnoticed by outsiders, the performance turned heads and brought him into the conversation.
“I think some of the young [defensive backs] actually showed up, and he’s the one that really stands out,” Glenn said. “It’s not just what he did on defense; he did some good plays on special teams too. There were a couple of mistakes he had, too, and I gotta make sure I say that. But for the most part, I thought he showed out tonight.”
In total, Bamba was targeted nine times and allowed just three receptions.
On one of his pass breakups, he prevented what looked destined to be a touchdown, recovering to knock the ball away from Ted Hurst III in the end zone at the last second.
“Every day he comes in, he’s ready to learn,” Brandon Stephens said Saturday. “It’s funny, before the game I told him, ‘You’re gonna have a hell of a game.’ And he went out there and did it. … He definitely played his heart out, and it was encouraging to see. We were all happy for him, hyping him up when he came to the sideline.”
Bamba’s path to the fringe of the Jets roster has been unconventional.
He joined Division III Wisconsin-Oshkosh’s track and field team coming out of high school in 2019.
After one season, he transferred to ASA (Miami) College to start his collegiate football career, playing at the JUCO level.
There was no season in 2020 due to the pandemic, but Bamba subsequently played the 2021 season with the team.
Bamba then enrolled at Tyler Junior College and was on the football team that spring.
But he transferred to BYU for the 2022 season, finally getting his chance at the Division I level.
He spent four years at BYU, but was never a true starter.
As a senior, he recorded 23 total tackles and four pass breakups, starting two games.
Now, he’s trying to climb the Jets depth chart.
“It’s been kind of unpredictable,” Bamba said after Friday’s game. “I just keep my faith in God. Track was something that I really love, but also I knew what I was capable of doing as a football player. I gave that a shot in 2021, and so far I’ve just been trusting the process.
“The potential was always there, for sure. It was just a process, a matter of getting out there and putting it against a pretty good team.”
Listed at 6-foot-2, Bamba’s intriguing combination of size and speed is what put him on the NFL radar despite his modest college production.
He ran an incredible 4.27-second 40-yard dash and recorded an 11-foot-1 broad jump at BYU’s Pro Day.
The 40-yard dash time would’ve been tied for second fastest among all prospects at the NFL Combine, though pro day measurements are known to be a bit inflated.
The broad jump score would have been second best among cornerbacks at the combine.
He still went undrafted, but his track background has given him a chance at his NFL dream.
And the speed should help him on special teams, where he’ll have to excel in order to carve out a role for himself.
“Obviously, when you see a 4.2, it draws attention,” Bamba said. “Also with the broad jump. It was just a good way to showcase my athleticism. I knew it would probably at least get me in the door.”
Bamba is certainly in the door.
Now, the goal is staying inside.
