NFL Draft rumors: New York Jets are ‘pushing’ for Brandin Cooks in first round
By Jack Crosby
The New York Jets have made it no secret that they’re definitely targeting some more wide receiver help in the NFL Draft this week on the heels of the offseason signing of free-agent Eric Decker. One name that has come up constantly that the team could take at no. 18 overall to fill this void is Oregon State’s Brandon Cooks, who recently told the New York Post that he feels the team is now “pushing” for him.
“It’s been big time,” Cooks told The Post. “We’ve been talking a lot on and off. I took a visit. I think the visit went great. It’s one of those things. I feel like they’re pushing for me, but who knows?”
Cooks has spent a significant amount of time with Jets brass throughout this entire pre-draft process, especially with head coach Rex Ryan, leading him to believe that a move to New York would be a perfect fit if that’s the direction the team wants to go on Thursday.
“It’s an amazing fit,” Cooks said of the Jets. “I feel like they’re on the rise. They’re doing great things. I just feel like they need to add one more thing to their package. I feel like if they had a speed receiver they’d be complete. We’ll see.”
While Decker was a good get for the team in the offseason as a pass-catching threat, Cooks brings dynamic versatility to the table that few can match. He was the most prolific wide receiver in the Pac-12 the past few seasons, and he also is a great contributor to the special teams as well.