Ranking the top 10 cornerbacks in NY Jets history

6. James Hasty, CB, NY Jets

James Hasty played for the Jets from 1988 to 1994 and was a reliable presence in the secondary. His speed, quickness, and coverage skills made him a valuable asset.

Hasty earned two Pro Bowl selections as a Jet and recorded numerous interceptions during his tenure. He was a key component of the Jets' defense during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Hasty spent his first seven seasons with the Jets before eventually moving on to play for Kansas City and Oakland. Hasty played 111 games with the franchise, starting every single one. He was truly a symbol of durability and consistency for the team during his tenure.

In those seven seasons, Hasty intercepted 24 passes, returning one for a touchdown. He also recovered 18 fumbles in those seven seasons, a truly staggering stat for a cornerback who usually gets limited opportunities to recover fumbles. To top off the stats, Hasty finished his Jets career with 502 tackles from the cornerback position.

Hasty had similar success with Kansas City, where he spent the next six years of his career, finishing his time with the Chiefs with 21 interceptions, six fumble recoveries, and 407 tackles. He also made two Pro Bowls with the Chiefs and a second-team All-Pro team in 1997.

5. Ray Mickens, CB, NY Jets

Ray Mickens played for the Jets from 1996 to 2003 and was known for his tenacity and versatility. Despite his smaller stature, Mickens excelled in coverage and was a sure tackler. His ability to defend slot receivers and make crucial plays on third downs made him a valuable asset to the Jets defense.

Mickens was an always-available presence in the Jets' secondary during his career, playing in 146 out of 148 possible games during his eight seasons with the team.

Over those eight years, Mickens established himself as arguably the league's best nickel cornerback, meaning he would often cover slot receivers on obvious passing downs.

In his eight seasons, Mickens tallied 11 interceptions, 40 passes defended (not counted until 1999 or would be higher), and recovered three fumbles, forcing five. He also recorded 347 total tackles for the defense as a part-time player, which is a pretty impressive number.

Mickens would finish his Jets career on a sad note, suffering a torn ACL before the start of the 2004 season. Following that year, Mickens signed with Cleveland in 2005 and then New England in 2006 but never had as much success in other places as he had with the Jets, never intercepting another pass and only making 35 more career tackles across 20 games.