NY Jets work out intriguing CFL standout WR/TE Jevon Cottoy

The NY Jets have worked out Canadian standout wide receiver/tight end Jevon Cottoy. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound receiver has made a name for himself up north through the college ranks and recently in the CFL with the BC Lions. Cottoy is expected to have more workouts with NFL teams in the coming days.

Cottoy's unique skill set has caught the attention of many NFL personnel departments. Back in the summer of last year, before heading back to play for BC in the Canadian Football League, Cottoy worked out for the 49ers, Texans, Patriots, and the Saints.

Cottoy in 2021, for the Lions, had 39 catches for 519 yards and three touchdowns last season. His receiving yard total was good for third on the squad behind Bryan Burnham and Lucky Whitehead.

Most Jets and NFL fans are very familiar with Cottoy's running mate in Canada, Lucky Whitehead. The dynamic returner has become one of the CFL's most explosive players.

Cottoy is a different type of player than the speedy Whitehead. Cottoy is a hulking receiver who is very physical. There's a reason why NFL teams like the Jets see him as an intriguing hybrid developmental prospect.

In the wide-open style of the CFL, the tight end position is non-existent. CFL teams start five receivers in their 12-on-12 game, and their roles and positions are all different.

Teams in Canada deploy 'slotbacks,' who tend to work on the interior and do a lot of the dirty work. The BC Lions utilized Cottoy in their run game and even in pass protection, and Cottoy excelled in both areas last season.

The NY Jets are exploring their options and Jevon Cottoy is proof of that

Much of the focus on the upcoming offseason for the Jets will be on their impressive draft assets and their significant amount of cap space, which puts the franchise in a position to upgrade their team in free agency and through the trade market.

But these are not the only avenues that teams like the Jets are exploring in the search for talent.

One of the great things about the NFL offseason is that it allows teams to expand their rosters to 90, thereby creating opportunities for hundreds of players to make an impression and latch on to NFL teams. On the flip side, it gives teams a chance to expand their player pool with intriguing developmental prospects.

That's precisely what Jevon Cottoy is. The 25-year old, Caribbean-born receiver has taken an unconventional route to playing football. A native of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Cottoy played cricket and soccer before transitioning to football in Canada when he was a teenager.

Cottoy has had his fair share of adversity since transitioning to football. He was offered a scholarship to play for the Calgary Dinos football team for the 2016 season, but he tore his ACL and MCL just before the season and could not play. The injury put him on the shelf for two years while he entertained a life away from the sport.

Cottoy came back to football with a vengeance and lit up the junior ranks with the Langley Rams of the BCFC in 2018, tallying 39 receptions for 657 yards and eight touchdowns over an eight-game span.

He saved his best performances for the postseason when he piled up another 645 yards and eight scores on 25 catches in four playoff games. The lofty numbers earned him a BCFC All-Star selection.

The fact that Cottoy has made it to this point is an accomplishment, in and of itself. The Jets obviously see that and they also have a need in their offense, of adding physical players in their pass and run game.

Gang Green recently brought back jumbo-sized pass-catcher Lawrence Cager, and the former college wide receiver is expected to give the tight end position a go this offseason.

Players like Cager and Cottoy, if the Jets sign him, could be battling for the same spot — likely an opening on the team's practice squad when the 2022 season begins.

The odds and the numbers game are heavily against Cottoy making it in the NFL, but overcoming challenging situations is nothing new for him.

The recent trend and success around the league with converted tight ends like Darren Waller and Logan Thomas has opened the door for players like Jevon Cottoy to find a new path and life in pro football.

The Jets may be the team that provides him that opening.