With a young core in place and a new trio of general manager, head coach and quarterback at the helm, the New York Jets are building for the future. That doesn’t mean they can’t vie for competitiveness in the meantime, though.
As Aaron Glenn leads the franchise, that’s exactly what everyone is going for. Getting plus contributions from this year’s rookie class would be a major step in the right direction. If one analyst’s called shot turns out to be true, it’ll be a huge development for the Jets.
In a story for Bleacher Report, Kristopher Knox named nine rookies who already look like draft steals. New York wide receiver Arian Smith managed to make the cut.
Analyst Says Arian Smith Is ‘In the Spotlight’ During First Preseason
Knox believes Smith, a fourth-rounder, is making a name for himself as the summer rolls on.
“Fourth-round pick Arian Smith was more of an afterthought in the spring, though he’s certainly in the spotlight now,” Knox wrote. “Smith’s combination of length (6’0″, 179 lbs) and speed (4.36-second 40-yard dash) drew attention during the predraft process, but so did his history of drops. In camp, though, drops haven’t been much of an issue.”
Indeed, those pesky drops were an issue during Smith’s time at Georgia. In fact, he logged a double-digit amount to lead the nation last season. It was a glaring red flag in his prospect profile, leading to plenty of offseason work to mitigate those concerns. According to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic, Smith is using resources such as the Jugs machine, strobe goggles and more to make his processing more reliable.
Should Smith become more consistent at hauling in the ball, it could unlock his potential. Finding ways to get open doesn’t seem to be a problem.
In the Jets’ preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers, Smith’s 2 catches for 18 yards doesn’t do his performance justice. The play above would’ve made him a clear winner from the weekend. New York clearly wanted him to succeed, giving him 36 snaps that accounted for just over half of those available. That figure led the wide receiver room (Brandon Smith finished second with 23 reps).
Smith’s athletic profile speaks for itself. Coming off an 817-yard, 4-touchdown conclusion to his collegiate career, the 23-year-old must now prove himself in the NFL.
Jets’ Wide Receiver Room Desperately Needs Someone to Step Up
With quarterback Justin Fields under center, he’ll need some viable weapons to throw to. Simply put, the Jets’ receiver room isn’t anything to write home about. Garrett Wilson is a Pro Bowl-level player, as evidenced by his lucrative contract extension, but the cupboard is bare aside from him. Can running back Breece Hall and rookie tight end Mason Taylor be standouts to help offset that? Possibly, although it doesn’t solve the core problem.
Many believe the receiver room is so underwhelming that acquiring another veteran via trade makes sense. There’s no shortage of clamoring for a Terry McLaurin pickup should the Washington Commanders move him. Perhaps that helps raise the floor and ceiling of what’s been an inconsistent passing game. Fields and Wilson can’t do it all themselves. That’s where Smith could come in, though, as a first-year player.
As the preseason continues, Smith is in direct competition with some others. Josh Reynolds seems to have a hold on the No. 2 wideout job. Veterans Allen Lazard and Tyler Johnson are behind him, with Smith somewhere in that group as well. Considering no one truly broke out in Green Bay (Johnson and Lazard each matched Smith’s pair of receptions), there are reps up for grabs.
One deciding factor for Smith could be whether he maintains the same outside ability he had during college. At Georgia, he spent 78% of his time on the boundary, per Pro Football Focus. Due to his lighter frame, could that alter his slot percentages at the next level?
Either way, he’s one statement game away from making folks like Knox look even more correct.
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