The New York Jets desperately need a wide receiver, not named Garrett Wilson, to step up for Justin Fields and the offense this year. Wilson is the clear top dog in the wide receiver room, but with Davante Adams gone, the team doesn't have a clear No. 2 option.
The Jets have a few potential choices like Josh Reynolds and Allen Lazard, but their WR2 and WR5 aren't separated by much.
Nick Faria of Jets X-Factor recently suggested rookie wide receiver Arian Smith's stock was trending up because of all of his impressive moments during the Jets' training camp.
"Garrett Wilson is still a star, Josh Reynolds and Tyler Johnson have been inconsistent, and Allen Lazard hasn’t had much impact in the offense," Faria wrote. "It’s not too outlandish to say the best receiver outside of Wilson through camp so far has been fourth-round rookie Arian Smith.
"The Georgia product has been excellent in team drills and even beat Sauce Gardner for a big play. The more he continues to produce in practice, the more likely he’ll have a role in the offense once Week 1 arrives."
The Jets selected Smith in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft and he's performed more like a first round pick than a fourth round pick in training camp.
His speed has never been a question. The 23-year-old speedster has always been able to separate from defenders, but his hands and route running have been called into question.
So far in camp, Smith has aggressively worked to improve his catching ability and his route running ability. To this point, neither of his two biggest weaknesses have looked like glaring holes in his game.
If Smith can continue to make big plays, there's a chance he could emerge from training camp as the No. 3 option, potentially becoming the No. 2 receiver at some point in the year. The sky is the limit for the talented Georgia product.
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