Jets Carving New Role With 4th-Round Speedster

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Jets Carving New Role With 4th-Round Speedster originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
When the New York Jets drafted Arian Smith with the fourth-round selection during the 2025 NFL Draft, some of the fan base recoiled.
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Why?
Despite leading Georgia in receiving categories last year, he also had one of the highest drop rates in college football.
Add in a rough injury history, and many people thought New York reached for Smith.
Through the first month of practices at the team facility, though, Smith has been anything but a reach. He has utilized his speed well, and also has made strong strides in catching the football.
It is clear that the Jets may have something in the fourth-round project. And they are going to do everything they can to get him on the field as often as possible.
Special-teams coordinator Chris Banjo explained exactly how.
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Banjo, himself a former special-teams star, explained that the team was working Smith as a potential punt returner on Thursday.
It is, physically, a fit.
While Smith is not guaranteed a role in that regard, the fact that he has been willing to work in any capacity shows that the Jets drafted a player committed to the task at hand for the team. ...
And someone who may have some hidden gifts that can make him a commodity for New York in 2025.
Our bet? The Jets are going to carve out a role for Smith, almost no matter what. And the fact he has started to work on special teams is evidence of that and also shows that he's willing to do whatever he can to see the field.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.