New York Jets cornerback Jason Pinnock could be a late-round starter in the NFL—something this franchise needs at the position badly.
After selecting Duke cornerback-safety hybrid Michael Carter II with the 156th pick (fifth round) in the 2021 NFL draft, the New York Jets doubled down by selecting Pittsburgh cornerback Jason Pinnock at No. 175.
Cornerback is a big need for the Jets, so throwing darts at the board late in the draft was a great idea. After all, offense was honed in on early and often.
As a prospect, Pinnock offers good size at 6-feet and 201 pounds. His athleticism is also noteworthy, as he posted a 4.45-second 40-yard dash and 39.5-inch vertical jump at his pro day. While Pinnock has flaws in his game—something you’ll see below—the Jets are banking on Robert Saleh and company to develop him.
Pinnock fits the correct Day 3 draft philosophy: take players with higher upsides via physical and developmental traits shown on the college tape—which Pinnock offers plenty of.
Pinnock is slated to be competing for both playing time and the starting outside cornerback spot opposite second-year-pro Bryce Hall. It’s a crowded competition, as Blessuan Austin, Lamar Jackson and rookie sixth-round pick Brandon Echols will all be starting from ground zero with a new coaching staff.
Let’s take a look at some plays showcasing Pinnock’s major strengths and weaknesses. Below, you will also find a full list of strengths and weaknesses to go along with a full-length episode of Blewett’s Blitz where I discuss and show everything Jason Pinnock has to offer.
Strengths
Flashes of lock-down press
Pinnock (bottom) is in press-man against the isolated wide receiver who uses a hop-step as he releases (double-step on right) to close ground on Pinnock while working off of the inn-step of the inside foot to get outside.
Pinnock stays decently patient with his feet and hops outside as the WR releases outside. (He has to be careful with hands dropping and feet crossing/big steps.) The WR bows his route out, Pinnock takes the open chest of the WR as he shoots his right hand (good tight elbow), which lands into the chest.
Pinnock also gets the left hand over the top for control, then extends as his right foot goes back to work the inn-step to generate as much power as possible. The WR gets lifted off of his feet, Pinnock stays aggressive and works back to the WR and works him out of bounds.
The full Jet X member-only video is near the bottom of this page and can also be seen on the Blewett's Blitz homepage (if you're a paid member and logged in).
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