Jets' disappointing draft pick Arian Smith gets vote of confidence from Chris Banjo

New York Jets wide receiver Arian Smith was a widely panned draft pick in 2025, considering how massive a reach he was according to the consensus boards.

He unfortunately lived up to those concerns last season, and the fourth-round pick had an underwhelming rookie season to say the least. He caught seven passes for 52 yards and only played about 38% of the offensive snaps.

Down the stretch of the 2025 season, Smith began appearing more on special teams, serving as the Jets' gunner thanks to his blazing speed.

But entering the 2026 season, Smith's roster spot could be in jeopardy if he doesn't show some growth over the summer.

Chris Banjo says Jets WR Arian Smith is 'looking forward to improving'

Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Jets' special teams coordinator Chris Banjo had praise for Smith and said he was looking forward to growing his game this summer.

"Really looking forward to his development. Obviously, he was able to continue to grow throughout the season last year, and our hopes for him is for him to just hit the ground running and continue to pick up on where he left off. I spoke on all the guys coming in with the juice and energy they've been able to bring, he's definitely been one of those guys that's really, really wide-eyed and looking forward to improving on a day-to-day basis."

Chris Banjo

While Banjo's comments should ease Jets fans' concerns about their disappointing young wideout, it's the special teams coach who's praising Smith, and not the offensive coordinator.

Smith couldn't carve out a role for himself last season in one of the worst wide receiver rooms in the NFL. After Garrett Wilson went down with an injury in Week 6, the Jets' leading pass catchers were veterans like Josh Reynolds, Tyler Johnson, and Allen Lazard. Smith still couldn't get on the field over those guys.

It likely didn't help that there were clearly some other things going on for Smith during his rookie season. The Georgia product was a healthy scratch in Week 13 last year for disciplinary reasons.

We'll see if Smith can bounce back in 2026, but it may not be primarily as an offensive threat. His special teams contributions may be his bread and butter going forward.

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