Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes are free agents too and Mike Tannenbaum has already made it clear he would like to bring both guys back. Smith would be the odd man out, which would leave a gaping hole at kick returner.
Kerley will be great in that role. He was one of the best punt and kick returners in the country and should excel on Mike Westhoff’s always-proficient return teams.
Westhoff will love this kid. He is very instinctive and has the vision to find holes and the burst to blow through them.
He has great agility and quickness to make sharp cuts without losing speed. Kerley is an excellent athlete. He does not have elite speed but knows how to make people miss.
I see him carving out a role as the Jets’ primary returner and slot receiver. At 5-9, 190, he is too small to play on the outside.
Ran a lot of bubble screens, drag routes and slants so the Jets must ease him in with similar packages but he needs work on his route running. Most of his catches came within 3-5 yards of the line so he will need time to practice the other routes on the route tree.
He held up well at the Senior Bowl practices where he had to run deeper routes on a more consistent basis. Had the agility and burst to get separation from man-to-man coverage, however.
Has very good hands and will make tough catches in traffic. Hands are small but strong. Can pluck the ball on the run without breaking stride. Has good body control and can catch off-target throws.
Secures the ball well after the catch and gets upfield quickly. Has some burst to pull away but is not elite in this area.
Does not have the frame to add bulk. Is strong for his size but will probably never develop the strength to get off press coverage and is therefore better suited to be a slot guy.
Has not had to read a lot of coverages and will need work on this at the next level. Was strictly a return man at first but put in the time to improve as a receiver. Was a very good student and had no off-field issues.
This is another solid pick from Mike Tannenbaum and the Jets’ scouting department. As a 5th rounder, Kerley brings great value. He is already a good returner and has the skills to develop into a slot receiver.
He has excellent hands and is very elusive in the open field. He will create a lot of yards after the catch and brings big play ability to the return game.
With Brad Smith expected to depart in free agency, the Jets are covered with Kerley. He can create big plays on special teams and allows the Jets to remain a top unit even if Smith leaves.
Written by Alan Levin