NFL Combine Update: New York Jets have meeting with BoPete Keyes
BoPete Keyes is a name to track heading into the NFL Draft, especially since the New York Jets have met with the cornerback within the past few days.
The Tulane defensive back met with the Jets last week at the NFL Combine, a source tells SportsIllustrated.com. The meeting with Keyes was an informal one, the source said.
The reason for the interest in the cornerback is obvious at first glance. Keyes is the prototype for the new breed of cornerbacks. He is tall (he measured 6-feet-one-inch at the combine) and with a tremendous wingspan (32 5/8 inches), allowing him a radius to compete on nearly every throw. He is also relatively quick with good twitch skills.
Keyes comes to the NFL Combine with a fair amount of experience, having played in 39 games (with 10 starts, all as a junior) at Tulane. In 2019 as a senior, he had a career-high 47 tackles with six passes defended (he had 12 passes defended his junior season) and an interception.
His senior season saw several standout performances. In the second game of the season, Keyes had five tackles against Auburn. Later in the season, he had seven tackles against UCF.
Defensive back, while not as glaring of a need for the Jets as revamping their offensive line or adding a wide receiver, is certainly a unit that needs depth. The secondary was hit hard with injuries last year, in particular at cornerback.
The Jets will need to target one starting cornerback in free agency and will likely need to explore in the middle to later rounds a cornerback to provide depth and competition.
Keyes has the physical makeup and production to warrant consideration. In addition, he figures to contribute on special teams.
