By Glenn Naughton
According to Kimberly Martin of Newsday, the Jets are planning to host two projected first round selections in April’s draft sometime this Thursday.
Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper and Stanford offensive tackle Andrus Peat, both considered to be among the top talents at their respective positions will huddle with the Jets who own the 6th overall selection in the upcoming draft later this week.
Cooper’s visit should come as no surprise as his name has been linked to the Jets as a likely target since the regular season. Once the consensus top receiver in the draft, Cooper has reportedly been passed on some draft boards by West Virgina’s Kevin White. White’s emergence is the chief reason for speculation regarding Cooper’s possible availability.
Peat on the other hand is a less obvious target as he would be largely viewed as a reach at number six and is unlikely to be available when the Jets are on the clock in round two.
Of course one never knows how things will unfold on draft day and if the Jets like what they’ve seen from Peat on film, this is a good example of preparing for any eventuality and taking care of due diligence.
Ranked as the number three tackle in the draft by CBSsports.com, Peat has earned praise for his combination of size and agility, and was so impressive in college that he managed to get reps on one of the top offensive lines in the country as a true freshman.
With less than a month to go before draft day, these aren’t the first visits and they won’t be the last. Whether or not the interest is real or simply a smoke screen won’t be known until April 30th.
