Jets sign 5th-round pick Blake Cashman

The New York Jets have made it official with linebacker Blake Cashman, the team’s fifth-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft.

With rookie minicamp kicking off this week, the Jets have started getting this year’s draft picks under contract. Cashman officially joined the ranks Friday:

https://twitter.com/nyjets/status/1126942907762651136

A former walk-on who became the cornerstone of the Minnesota defense, Cashman followed up an impressive career for the Golden Gophers with one of this year’s best performances of any linebacker at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine.

Cashman is excited to get started with the Jets, a team he feels is a great fit for his skill set:

Yeah, they were a team that had reached out to me a few times between the combine and the draft. met with them at the combine twice and then again at pro day. They were a team that stayed in touch and I know they also spoke with my coaching staff at the University of Minnesota. I felt like it was a great fit and I couldn’t be more pumped up and ready to go.

A productive college defender with an ideal blend of intelligence, instincts and athleticism, Cashman should make an immediate impact for the Jets on special teams, while developing into a quality starter down the road. His blue-collar mentality and tough, hard-nosed playing style should immediately impress coaches and veteran teammates alike.

How do you feel about adding Cashman to the Jets defense? Will he earn playing time on defense this year, or spend most of his time on special teams? Give us your take in the comment section!