NFL insider just gave Jets fans a reason to not want Jordyn Tyson

Barring a stunning change of plans, the New York Jets appear likely to use the No. 2 pick on Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese or Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey.

As for the Jets’ second first-round pick, no one is really sure what the Jets will do at No. 16. Could they take Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson rather than risk him going in the 20s?

Speculation has also mounted about the Jets taking a receiver, such as Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, USC's Makai Lemon, or Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson, if either is still available. 

Although Tyson has frequently been praised throughout the pre-draft process, Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith just gave Jets fans a reason for pause.

Jordyn Tyson’s injury history should scare the Jets off

No one is denying Tyson’s talent, especially after he tallied 136 catches for 1,812 yards and 18 receiving touchdowns over the last two years.

Tyson did not run a 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine or Arizona State’s pro day while recovering from a hamstring injury. However, he’ll work out for teams on April 17.

As Smith pointed out, Tyson will arrive in the NFL with an extensive injury history. As a freshman at Colorado in 2022, Tyson recorded 22 catches for 470 yards and four touchdowns before a severe knee injury.

After transferring to Arizona State in 2023, Tyson suffered a fractured collarbone in late 2024 that required surgery. He missed four games last year with hamstring problems. 

There is no reason, then, for the Jets to take the risk on Tyson. The most optimistic Adonai Mitchell supporters would agree that Gang Green lacks a second proven receiver behind Garrett Wilson. 

In order to find that No. 2 option, the Jets cannot afford to try their chances on a boom-or-bust prospect with a long track record of injuries.

Tyson played in only 33 of a possible 51 games during his four-year college career. Even if he was Randy Moss in terms of raw talent, you’d be asking the Jets to add someone who missed over a third of his team’s games.

If the answer isn’t Tyson, maybe it’s Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr., who has been floated as a late-Day 1 pick. Perhaps the Jets are better off waiting until Day 2.

Although Wilson is under contract through 2030, he’s also a 25-year-old who has never experienced a winning season. 

Suppose the losing continues, and there is no sign that the rebuild is nearing a positive result. At what point does Wilson request a trade?

If or when that happens, the Jets must feel comfortable turning to someone on the roster as their next No. 1 receiver. Tyson might have the skillset to fill that role, but durability is just as important. 

Of course, with the Jets’ luck, Tyson will stay healthy in the NFL and grow into a perennial All-Pro wideout. So it goes.