UDFA Jets Receiver Could Steal the Spotlight From Omar Cooper at Rookie Minicamp

New York Jets’ rookie minicamp is set to begin later this week, giving fans and media alike their first look at this year’s draft and undrafted free-agent classes. The Jets had an awesome draft class by all accounts, including three first-round picks in David Bailey, Kenyon Sadiq, and Omar Cooper Jr.

All three rookies have a chance to be playmakers in their first season, especially Cooper, as some thought the Jets would take him at No. 16. However, New York traded back into the first round for the former Indiana Hoosier, who was also reportedly being eyed by the Buffalo Bills.

Cooper should step in right away as New York’s WR2 this season and hopefully turn heads at minicamp later this week. But he isn’t the only rookie receiver that Jets fans should be keeping an eye on.

Caullin Lacy, who was signed as an undrafted free agent following the draft, is a guy who could warrant some attention with a strong start at rookie minicamp. Lacy was reportedly given a three-year, $3.1 million UDFA deal, which includes a hefty $262,500 guarantee, per Spotrac.

Caullin Lacy Could Shake Up WR Depth Chart at Rookie Minicamp 

When looking at the Jets’ WR depth chart following the draft, they’re pretty much set with their first four slots:

However, once you get past Smith, there could be jobs up for grabs if the Jets decide to keep a couple of more wide receivers. New York opened Week 1 last season with five wide receivers on the active roster, so Lacy will have an uphill climb to make the 53-man roster.

But it's not impossible to think that he couldn’t unseat Isaiah Williams or Irvin Charles for the last spot because of what he can do not only on offense, but also on special teams. Last season, the Jets were ranked sixth in punt return yards per game (13.4) and led the NFL in kick return yards per game (29.9).

Those are great numbers, and credit goes to Williams and Kene Nwangwu for their performances. But there's nothing with seeing if you can add more talent to that unit, and that's where Lacy could make his mark.

Last season at Louisville, the 5-foot-9 receiver averaged 18.2 yards per return (the fourth-best mark in FBS) and scored two punt-return touchdowns. Lacy also found success handling kick returns, averaging 20.9 yards per return. He had a chance to make plays on special teams at South Alabama as well, where he spent the first four years of his college career.

Lacy has the quickness and elusiveness you like in a player with his skillset, which can help him thrive on special teams. We’ve seen how having a good returner in the NFL with the new kickoff rules can be a game-changer for field position.

However, Jets fans shouldn’t sleep on Lacy’s offensive skills. Before getting to Louisville, he had a dynamic final season at South Alabama, racking up 91 receptions for 1,316 yards and seven TDs.

He also has the speed (4.55 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine) to stretch the field and create explosive plays in the passing game, which he did as a slot wideout this past season at Louisville. He can also be used in the running game on jet sweeps, giving the Jets another way to use his quickness and elusiveness.

There’s a lot to love about Lacy’s game, and he’ll get his first shot to show what he can do at minicamp later this week. If he passes that first test, the buzz will start to build, and who knows, by the time the veterans come into town, there could be a potential competition for that WR5 and returner spot next to Nwangwu.