From “War Eagle” to “J-E-T-S”, Jamien Sherwood’s journey wasn’t just a move from the Plains to the Big Apple, it was a transformation.
Sherwood has faced a ton of adversity during his time in the NFL, and it all paid off Sunday night as he inked a 3-year, $45 million deal with the New York Jets. The deal makes him a top-five highest-paid linebacker in the league.
After three years of playing safety on the Plains, including his outstanding 2020 campaign, during which he earned third-team all-SEC status, Sherwood was selected by the New York Jets in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He was a solid player for Auburn, but few thought he would have a big-time NFL career.
When Sherwood arrived in Florham Park, N.J. during the spring of 2021, his first task as a pro was to make the switch from safety to linebacker. Jets Head Coach Robert Saleh viewed him as a developmental project. He entered a crowded linebacker room that featured 5x Pro Bowler C.J. Mosley and rising star Quincy Williams.
Sherwood was very composed and handled the situation like a true professional. "One of the strong points from my game is getting in the playbook. That transition from safety to linebacker, it hasn't really been much of an issue... When I do step on the field, it's just like second nature," Sherwood said back in May of 2021.
After battling all summer during his rookie season training camp, he earned his spot on the 53-man roster. The linebacker from Jensen Beach, FL impressed Head Coach Saleh so much that he earned the start in Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers.
"He’s a rookie, so maybe what he lacks in experience he makes up for with his smarts, mental quickness, just an understanding of football," Saleh said in October of 2021. "He’s going to have rookie moments, but the more he plays, the better he’s going to get, obviously. He’s one of the guys that I think is going to be a staple here for a while.”
Sherwood's rookie season in New York was cut short by a torn Achilles against the New England Patriots in Week seven.
The ex-Auburn Tiger grinded all offseason to recover from the dreaded Achilles tendon injury. All of the long days in rehab proved to be beneficial as Sherwood appeared in all 17 games for the Jets. However, Sherwood only saw 25 snaps (2%) and was mainly a special teams player.
As continued to receive guidance from veterans Mosley and Williams, his play on the gridiron improved. During the 2023 season with the Super Bowl hopeful Jets, Sherwood played 194 (17%) and recorded 46 tackles.
Heading into the 2024 campaign, the Jets’ had sky-high expectations as a team, creating a “must-win” environment. The converted linebacker was expected to take on the largest role of his career in such a pressure-filled season.
"Every single year he has gotten better and better and better," Head Coach Saleh said before the 2024 season. "He's increased his weight, his IQ, his speed, his strength, his mindset, it is a mindset to get better day in and day out. But this dude, he's a hell of a linebacker."
Sherwood gave all of the credit to Mosley and Williams for his visible improvement as a linebacker.
"You guys all know I used to play safety," Sherwood said. "So just having that chance to sit back behind him for these past few years, I've learned everything. Whether I ask him or don't ask him, just watching him is as good. Just the way he moves, the way he talks, the way he learns. He doesn't say much in the meeting room, but you can just tell from the tape that he should be in the Hall of Fame sooner or later.
"I can just give him all the credit, he's been a great blueprint, same thing with Quincy the past couple of years. Both of them are great blueprints for me."
During the Jets 2024 season opener, starting linebacker C.J. Mosley exited the game with a toe injury. This opened the door for Sherwood to take the field as the Mike linebacker, and he made sure the Jets’ coaching staff had no reason to take him off it. He dominated all season posting 158 tackles, including a league-leading 98 solo tackles.
Sherwood’s breakout performance earned him the 2024 Jets Curtis Martin Team MVP, which is voted for annually by the players.
"That's crazy because you got Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, C.J. (Mosley), Quincy (Williams), Garrett (Wilson), Quinnen (Wiliams)," Sherwood said on winning the team MVP. "To be voted by guys like that means the world to me. I'd say it wasn't just my on-the-field presence, but off the field as well, in the locker room, in the cafeteria, in the meeting rooms.”
If you would have asked any NFL Draft analyst back in 2021 about Sherwood they would have told you, he’s a fringe starter in the NFL. He’s now much more than that as he received an All-Pro vote for the first time in his career.
Sherwood is now the third-highest-paid former Auburn Tiger currently in the NFL, based on average annual salary, trailing Derrick Brown and Braden Smith.
They say if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere. No matter the challenges the NFL threw his way, the kid that played his college ball in Auburn, Alabama did just that.
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Rory is a freshman majoring in journalism sports production. He started with The Plainsman in the spring of 2025.
You can follow him on X (Twitter) at @RorymGarvin
