Jets Rookie Falling Behind in New Wide Receiver Room

Jets Rookie Falling Behind in New Wide Receiver Room

In the offseason, the arrival of new head coach Aaron Glenn had fans curious about what the new offense would look like. Along with offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand, the former Detroit Lions coaches borrowed a page from Dan Campbell’s book to establish the run-first approach. Led by a running back room with Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, and Isaiah Davis, fans were optimistic. However, the passing game would take a while to crack. Recognizing they needed more youth behind star Garrett Wilson, the Jets needed to land on a solid rookie wide receiver. Alas, their gamble on Arian Smith has yet to pay off.

Arian Smith is struggling for playing time

In April, the final day of the NFL Draft can lead to some hidden gems for general managers. Just ask the San Francisco 49ers , who found their quarterback of the future in Brock Purdy with the last pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. In need of some speed to spread the field, Darren Mougey shocked analysts by picking Georgia wide receiver Arian Smith in the fourth round. A two-sport athlete in Athens, Smith competed in the 100-meter dash for the Bulldogs track and field team. Once making a full commitment to football in 2023, Smith was able to get significant playing time after the Bulldogs wide receiver room became more open.

In 2024, Smith led Georgia in receiving yards with 817 yards along with four touchdowns on 48 catches. Unfortunately, Smith also led the NCAA in drops with ten dropped passes. While no one can deny Smith’s speed, his limited route tree and concerning drops made scouts hesitant on his appeal. One could assume, despite the concerns, that Mougey, who was a former wide receiver himself, believed these problems could be coached away. Alas, it’s proven better in theory than in execution.

Adonai Mitchell and John Metchie are taking his snaps

Through 12 games, it has had a limited impact on the field from Arian Smith. While the inconsistency from Justin Fields hasn’t helped matters, Smith has only six catches for 47 yards this season. He has only two catches for over ten yards in the entire season, a 14-yard reception vs. the Dallas Cowboys, along with a 23-yard catch vs. the Cincinnati Bengals. They’ve experimented with getting him the ball more on jetsweeps. Unfortunately, this has only led to 11 total rushing yards on three carries.

To make matters worse, the Jets added reinforcements at the trade deadline who have already cut into Smith’s opportunities. Thus far, John Metchie is looking like a steal for his impact within the last three games. The former Philadelphia Eagle has 113 yards on ten catches with two touchdowns. Although he’s needed more time to adjust, Adonai Mitchell has been more relied upon since arriving from the Indianapolis Colts. Thus far, Mitchell has three catches on 13 targets for 52 yards. Unable to keep up with the new arrivals, things are looking bleak for Smith.

More competition coming in 2026?

After going 0-7 to begin the season, experts have theorized the Jets will target a rookie quarterback early in the draft next year. With prospects like Fernando Mendoza out of Indiana, Alabama’s Ty Simpson, or Oregon’s Dante Moore, either would be a massive upgrade over Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor. With that, New York will likely add more wide receivers as well. This makes Arian Smith’s future with the Jets all the more murky. There’s a chance he can revamp his approach this offseason, but barring a massive breakout, the odds aren’t in his favor.