NY Jets have reportedly met with Buffalo RB Jaret Patterson

Justin Fried

NY Jets Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports

The NY Jets will look to address the running back position this offseason. And one player that could be an ideal mid-round target in the 2021 NFL Draft is Buffalo running back Jaret Patterson.

Patterson is considered to be one of the better running back prospects in this year’s draft class. And the Jets seem to be one of the many teams interested.

Per Justin Melo of The Draft Network, the Jets are one of five teams that have virtually met with Patterson ahead of April’s draft. Given their need at the running back position, this hardly comes as a surprise.

Along with the Jets, Melo notes that the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Chargers, and New England Patriots have all met with Patterson. The Jets have now virtually met with five prospects, at least as far as those that have been reported.

The NY Jets could target Jaret Patterson in the 2021 NFL Draft

Patterson shattered numerous school records at Buffalo putting together an illustrious career that will likely never be repeated. The numbers he put up are almost unbelievable.

The 21-year-old set a new single-season school record for rushing yards in 2019 when he ran for 1,799 yards and 19 touchdowns in 13 games. It was an incredible campaign that put him on the radar of NFL teams.

But what he did in just six games in 2020 may never be matched again.

Patterson rushed for an unreal 1,072 yards and 19 touchdowns in just six games. That’s right — he averaged nearly 180 yards and over three touchdowns per game. 19 touchdowns in six games.

This was, of course, helped by a record-tying performance when he rushed for 409 yards and eight touchdowns in a 70-41 victory over Kent State. The eight touchdowns tied an FBS record while the 409 yards fell 18 yards short of the FBS record.

What Patterson accomplished at Buffalo may never be topped, and there are reasons to believe his success could carry over into the NFL.

While just 5-foot-9, 195 pounds, Patterson is a powerful runner who displays excellent vision and powerful legs. Without a true weakness as a runner, Patterson projects as a player who could become a future lead back in the right system.

That said, his lack of true breakaway speed could hold him back.

While he had no issues rattling off chunk yardage in college, he doesn’t have the burst to break away in open space. He’s a build-up runner — not a 0-to-100 accelerator.

The Draft Network currently lists Patterson as their 14th best running back and No. 191 overall prospect while CBS Sports is a lot more favorable ranking him as their RB6 and 86th overall prospect.

Expect him to be either a Day 2 or 3 pick come April’s draft. And the Jets are one of the teams that should be very interested.

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.