Charles, who is 25 years old and reported as 6’4″ tall and 219 pounds, had a season in which he caught 39 receptions for 792 yards and 12 touchdowns while playing for the Division II team Indiana University of Pennsylvania. His first game action since getting dismissed from the team in 2017 occurred last year. He had previously attended Penn State.
In 2015, Penn State recruited Charles, a four-star prospect from New Jersey, to join the school’s incoming freshman class. Charles, who sat out his first year as a redshirt, broke out with a game-winning 80-yard touchdown catch in 2016.
Despite his importance on special teams, he did not record any receptions in 2017. He was cut at the end of the year and did not play for the team in 2018.
Even though he was recruited by IUP in 2019, he had to sit out the 2019–20 season owing to academic ineligibility, and subsequently, the 2020–21 season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He returned to the field last year and showed great success, tallying 39 receptions for 792 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Although Charles participated in the College Gridiron Showcase and Villanova’s pro day, he was not invited to the scouting combine. The Jets took a chance on him as an undrafted free agent right after the draft and signed him to their team.
How Good Is Irvin Charles?
Charles’s stature and catch radius are both exceptional. According to reports, he once ran a sub-4.5, however, that was quite some time ago. He ran a 4.66 during his pro-day workout.
His statistics in the explosiveness and agility drills, including a 3.97 three-cone drill and a 127-inch vertical, are impressive for a player of his height, and he even managed to complete 19 reps on the bench press.
Usage
While Charles typically lined up on the outside, he occasionally lined up in the slot. While at IUP, he had two carries for a total of seven yards.
Major danger
Charles showed off his skills as a deep threat by averaging over 20 yards per reception last season. Although he is surrounded by two defenders, he still manages to make a deep downfield catch.
He was able to get a pass interference call on an underthrown long ball against future Jets draft pick Jeremy Clark while playing for Penn State.