Jets Already Turning Heads With 'Risky Bet'

As the dust has settled on the National Football League Draft, it's been pretty clear that the New York Jets made some very good moves.

New York has gotten plenty of praise for its selections, starting with offensive tackle Armand Membou. While this is the case, there have been some question marks as well for the franchise. Among the team's picks, the one that has raised eyebrows the most was Georgia receiver Arian Smith in the fourth round. He's a talented player with plenty of speed, which New York needs, but injuries and drops had him projected to go much later in the draft than the No. 110 pick the team used on him.

ESPN's Rich Cimini did a deep dive into all of the team's selections and called the selection of Smith a "risky bet" for the Jets.

"Round 4, No. 110: Arian Smith, WR, Georgia," Cimini said. "My take: Smith is a track athlete with big-time speed (4.36 seconds in the 40-yard dash). The Jets' receiving corps needed a jolt of speed. This should send a message to Malachi Corley, their disappointing 2024 third-round pick. The concern with Smith, who led the Bulldogs with 817 receiving yards (a lot on screens), is his long injury history. He's had a fractured wrist, a torn meniscus in his knee, a broken fibula and a high-ankle sprain, all of which resulted in three surgeries. He also had some killer drops. This is a risky bet for the Jets."

Cimini is someone who is one of the top insiders when it comes to the Jets. When he speaks, it's absolutely worth listening. It's going to be interesting to see Smith in rookie minicamp and how he transitions to the NFL game as a whole this summer. This has a chance to be a great pick for the Jets, but only time will tell.