NFL Draft profile: Ohio State cornerback Damon Arnette
While cornerback isn’t as pressing of need as offensive line or wide receiver, the New York Jets still come into the NFL Draft with depth issues at the position. A solid cornerback pick on Day 2 of the draft could go a long way towards reshaping the secondary.
Damon Arnette is the type of player that the Jets could potentially land at No. 48 in the second round. The former Ohio State cornerback possesses a good skillset and experience as a multi-year starter.
A starting-caliber cornerback could be the final piece of the puzzle for the backend.
The Jets secondary is rounding into shape, especially with the offseason signing of Pierre Desir from the Indianapolis Colts. But as last year showed with multiple injuries across the backend, the Jets need depth at cornerback. They also need a legitimate starter on the outside.
Bless Austin, a late round pick last year out of Rutgers, has potential and loads of room for growth. But getting a top-end cornerback to throw into the mix could help the secondary immensely.
SI Big Board: Arenette checks in at No. 45.
The lowdown on Arnette: At Ohio State, Arnette had great production (35 tackles, eight passes defended and one interception) and saw plenty of the ball playing opposite of Jeff Okudah, who projects to be a top five pick.
Arnette is not necessarily the biggest of cornerbacks at 6-foot or the longest in terms of wingspan. But he has a good knack for the ball and is positionally solid. He can play the press, which fits well with what the Jets like in cornerbacks who jam at the line.
He plays a bit stiff and is a bit of a tweener in terms of where he projects in the slot or outside (though likely outside in the NFL). Arnette is a good open field tackler who is willing to chip in on run support.
Can be a solid second round pick though he has a bit of a limited ceiling in terms of his growth or development.
Where he fits on the Jets: Arnette could be a good, solid cornerback in the NFL and with the Jets find a situation where he can get a lot of reps early if not potentially nail down a starting spot as a rookie.
The value though, in the second round, might not be there for the Jets.
Come the latter part of Day 2 and Day 3, the Jets should be able to find some good quality depth at cornerback that can contribute and potentially has a higher reward (and often a higher risk) than the solid Arnette. Bryce Hall for instance would have been a Top 50 pick were it not for an injury last year at Virginia, making him an intriguing selection come the third round. A player like that might be a better use of draft collateral for the Jets.
In the second round, the Jets could be tempted to go after a wide receiver in what is a deep class at the position. Cornerback and pass rush issues might wait for the third round and Day 3.
Arnette though, has the potential to step in for the Jets and be solid. He might be passed over though with the need at wide receiver and at offensive tackle.
