Polarizing fourth-round rookie wide receiver Arian Smith has worked hard to defy his critics this offseason.
New York Jets offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand has taken notice.
“He’s just done everything that we have asked him to do, he is a smart kid, he has been working his butt off, he has taken to the technique, and he is just developing in all those areas, so we are really excited where he is at,” Engstrand told the media on Wednesday.
Throughout the Jets’ first two preseason matchups, Smith has reeled in four of his nine targets for 57 yards, equating to 14.3 yards per catch. He had a drop in last weekend’s loss to the Giants but bounced back with two catches for 39 yards afterward.
Smith has also displayed his potential as a deep threat in the preseason. The Georgia product created vertical separation on two deep shots that were misfired by the quarterback, including one that arguably should have drawn a pass interference call.
New York’s coaches are not the only ones noticing Smith’s intelligence and hard work. His veteran teammates have also been impressed by his quick progress.
“He takes a lot of stuff in,” ninth-year Jets receiver Josh Reynolds said of Smith earlier in training camp. “He is a good student, and he transfers it to the field. That is good for rookies because for a lot of them, it is hard for them to transfer it to the field from the locker room or the classroom, so he has done a great job doing that.”
If Smith continues to pair his speed with steady development, he could carve out a significant role in a Jets offense searching for consistent big-play production.