Breakout Jets rookie already making serious push for starting role

New York Jets rookie Arian Smith has been one of the team’s breakout stars in training camp, and with each passing rep, he’s making it harder for Aaron Glenn and Tanner Engstrand to keep him off the field. And he doesn’t have a ton of competition outside of Garrett Wilson.

The former Georgia Bulldogs standout arrived in Florham Park best known for his game-breaking speed, but has wasted no time proving that he has more to offer than his 4.36 40 time. He averaged nearly 20 yards per catch in 2024, while catching passes from Carson Beck, mind you. 

In Wednesday’s joint practice with the Giants, Smith made one of the most impressive plays of the day, though it did come while playing with the backups. Smith tracked a deep ball from Adrian Martinez perfectly, allowing him to leap over Giants’ rookie safety Makari Paige to make the grab in a play that drew plenty of reaction from both sidelines.

Arian Smith could start for the Jets sooner rather than later

Smith continued to display potential despite a lackluster stat line in Green Bay. Smith tallied two receptions for 18 yards in the preseason opener, but Martinez overthrew him on what would have been a 46-yard touchdown.

The 23-year-old amassed 817 yards and five scores in his final season in Athens, flashing his upside as a vertical threat that the Jets coveted. However, Smith also totaled 10 drops in 2024 — the most in college football — and has been looking to rectify the largest glaring issue with his game.

Smith has been seen working with the jugs machine after practice on multiple occasions this summer.

He might be entrenched near the bottom of the receiver depth chart right now,  but it's not unrealistic to expect the fourth-round pick to leapfrog the likes of Tyler Johnson and Josh Reynolds in the pecking order. The speed, separation, and big-play upside are already NFL-ready.

Even Jets X Factor's Nick Faria believes that the Florida native could be WR2 on the depth chart as early as Week 1.

In the NFL, the more playmakers you have, the better, and aside from Wilson, Breece Hall, and fellow rookie Mason Taylor, Justin Fields doesn’t have the most exciting weapons to work with. The Jets' wide receiver room is arguably the league’s weakest, opening the door for the two-time national champion to make his move.

After the team whiffed on Malachi Corley in the 2024 NFL Draft, Smith looks to be rewriting the narrative in the receiver room and is primed to see the field early and often in New York. Whether it be Week 1 or closer to midseason, it shouldn't be long before Smith is an offensive spark plug on Sundays.

For more NY Jets news and analysis: