It took until the sixth round of the 2019 NFL draft, but the Jets finally took a cornerback in Rutgers’ Blessuan Austin.
He was selected by the Jets with the No. 196 overall pick in this year’s draft. It was the Jets’ final pick of the draft, barring another trade.
Austin was expected to be a star at Rutgers, but injuries derailed his college career. He had two season-ending knee injuries during his junior and senior seasons, which caused him to only play in five games over the last two years. When Austin was healthy, he was a difference maker.
Austin is a tall cornerback at 6-foot-1, but his speed is not so great. He looks fast on tape, but he ran pretty slow at his pro day. He works best in man-to-man coverage and has big hands to go along with fantastic ball skills.
The cornerback has an opportunity to find a spot with the Jets given New York’s lack of depth at the position. As it stands right now, Darryl Roberts is slated to be the No. 2 cornerback with Trumaine Johnson at No. 1 and Brian Poole in the slot. Beyond that, there isn’t much proven depth.
The injuries are the biggest concern for Austin. He’s undersized at 198 pounds and it remains to be seen if he can handle the physicality of the NFL. Austin will have to prove that he can stay healthy if he wants to find a spot on the active roster. The Jets can’t afford to have an injury-riddled cornerback with not much talent at the position.
