With what figures to be the Jets’ last pick of the 2019 NFL draft, they selected a local player in Rutgers CB Blessuan Austin.
Austin fills a need at cornerback and was a player that New York did a lot of homework on, so him being in green and white is not too surprising. Austin has battled injuries, but is a tall cornerback with good length and twitchy burst.
Let’s get to know New York’s newest cornerback.
Injury Concerns
Over the past two seasons, Blessuan Austin has played in only five games.
Austin started the first four games of his junior season and then suffered a torn ACL. This past season, Austin’s season ended prematurely after another knee injury to the same knee.
The talent is there, but durability is the biggest question surrounding Austin.
Local Kid
Blessuan Austin is the first Rutgers Scarlet Knights player to be drafted by the New York Jets or Giants since 1967.
Austin grew up in Queens, N.Y. and was raised as a fan of the Giants. Now that he was drafted by a team from his hometown, he is not going to have to move but just switch his fan allegiance.
Sleeper Pick
Blessuan Austin came into the 2017 season as an up-and-coming prospect. As a sophomore, Austin had 14 pass breakups, i41 tackles, one sack and one interception in 11 starts.
Since then, he played just five games due to injury and flown under the radar because of it. The Jets are aware of him because of his local standing. Austin is former first-team All-Queens offensive star and attended Milford Academy coming out of high school.
New York is hoping its sixth-round pick can stay healthy and get back to the player he was before the knee injuries.
