How Arian Smith Can Ensure He Doesn't Get Lost in Jets' WR Shuffle

Last year’s fourth-round pick, wide receiver Arian Smith, is looking to turn the page on a disappointing rookie season and become a more integral part of the Jets’ offense in 2026. Smith, lauded for his speed during the draft process, didn’t live up to the expectations Jets fans had for him to stand out in a beleaguered WR unit.

Smith, who appeared in 16 games (five starts) and played 376 offensive snaps, managed only to have seven receptions (16 targets) for 52 yards. He quickly fell behind guys like John Metchie III (29 receptions for 256 yards and two TDs) and Adonai Mitchell (24 receptions for 301 yards and two touchdowns). Both wide receivers joined New York ahead of the league’s trade deadline.

So, that was one obstacle Smith couldn’t conquer. Then, fast forward to this offseason, and the Jets drafted former Indiana Hoosiers WR Omar Cooper Jr. in the first round, who will likely start alongside Wilson and Mitchell. This situation will effectively push Smith down the WR depth chart, which isn’t the worst possible scenario, given that he was a developmental prospect.

However, Jets fans want to see something from the former Georgia WR this upcoming season, as the team could use Smith, especially if someone gets hurt. That being said, what can he do going into Year 2 to improve his standing on the roster? We’ll answer that question below with a couple of action items that Smith can do.

1. Showing more consistency when he’s on the field on offense

Arian Smith during training camp. — Arian Smith can get into the Jets' good books if he demonstrates consistency. | John Jones-Imagn Images

With the Jets already having Mitchell, who fills that void as a deep threat and who can stretch the field, Smith may not see that many opportunities. However, when the second-year wideout does get on the field, he has to make the most of his chances.

Coming out of college, one of Smith’s biggest issues was drops, as he had 10 in his last year at Georgia. Luckily, that didn’t show up in his first year as he had one drop. But Smith also had 16 targets and seven receptions, which is disappointing.

Last season, the 6-foot, 179-pound wideout played 376 offensive snaps. He spent most of his time at the X spot (144 snaps) but also saw time in the slot (131), per StatRankings.com. Looking ahead to this season, Mitchell and Wilson will likely spend a lot of time at the X with Cooper mixed in.

As for the slot, Smith could make some headway in his second year.

Last season, New York’s leaders in the slot snaps were Isaiah Williams (183), Mason Taylor (155), and John Metchie III (132). Williams likely won’t see that many snaps if everyone stays healthy. Metchie isn’t on the team anymore, so that’s 132 snaps freed up, and Taylor has to compete with rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq. The path for him to play more is there.

Smith ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash, and that’s a good weapon to have when utilized correctly. Last season, we saw the Jets use Smith on an end-around, and it paid off with a positive play, thanks to a great block from TE Mason Taylor.

Arian Smith end around

Mason Taylor's does a hell of a job with his block on the frontside

Slow plays it to the 2nd level, hands on #90 enough to let Smith get the edge, then gets hands on the DB pic.twitter.com/l91pctAhbl
— Joe Blewett (@Joerb31) November 25, 2025

If Smith can build that trust with new offensive coordinator Frank Reich and quarterback Geno Smith, it will pay off in more ways than one. Last season, Smith was made a healthy scratch in Week 13 for disciplinary reasons, which head coach Aaron Glenn didn’t disclose. He needs to make sure that doesn’t happen again because the Jets have a couple of undrafted WRs that could push him, or they could sign a veteran, which would complicate his path.

2. Smith must show that he can find other ways to impact the game

Since the second-year receiver won’t be starting often in 2026, he’ll need to make plays to affect the game, such as on special teams. While his offensive performance as a rookie was not much to speak about, Smith showed some promise on special teams.

According to Pro Football Focus, the young wide receiver posted a 78.1 grade and three tackles across 54 special teams snaps. It’s not a huge sample size, but it shows how seriously Smith took his role as a gunner.

Ahead of rookie minicamp, special teams coordinator Chris Banjo took a moment to shine some light on Smith’s performance last season.

Really looking forward to his development. Obviously, he was able to continue to grow throughout the season last year, and our hope is for him to just hit the ground running and continue to pick up on where he left off. And I spoke on all the guys coming in with the juice and energy they’ve been able to bring. He’s definitely been one of those guys that’s really wide-eyed and looking forward to improving on a day-to-day basis.
Chris Banjo, Jets STC

📈📈 @ArianSmith2 pic.twitter.com/8zLZ5C3fhJ
— New York Jets (@nyjets) May 6, 2026

This development is great news to hear for Smith, as he clearly has a fan in Banjo, and his work did not go unnoticed. However, special teams is only one piece of the puzzle. The Jets drafted him to be a playmaker in the fourth round in 2026. If he figures out that piece in offseason workouts, the arrow will start to point upwards.

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