As the New York Jets get primed to enter the 2025 season, it seems like new head coach Aaron Glenn is looking to completely revamp the team’s offense. Reports that the Jets will move on from Davante Adams and Adam Lazard are not surprising, yet their absences will leave a sizeable void in the wide receiver room for New York. Garrett Wilson may no longer be looking for a trade, but that doesn’t mean that he can do it on his own for the foreseeable future. While the Jets may target some players through free agency, the draft offers intriguing prospects for New York to target at wide receiver. Let’s look at some realistic options for the Jets in the 2025 NFL draft.
Before we get started, I want to note two omissions from this list: Jalen Royals and Tai Felton. I’ve gone into detail on both players in two separate articles already. You can read about Felton and other underrated offensive targets in the draft here, while you can look at Royals and other realistic options for the Jets in the second round here.
With that out of the way, let’s get started.
Tre Harris, Ole Miss
In a previous article, I mentioned that there’s a real possibility that the Jets try to pair Ole Miss teammates Jaxson Dart and Tre Harris together. Given the Jets’ position in the NFL draft, it’s completely feasible if that is the option Glenn and company want to take.
Personally, I am not a big fan of Harris. I believe he is limited in his release packages at the line of scrimmage, and receivers that rely on contested catches often have difficulties at the NFL level. Nonetheless, there could be Ole Miss magic to be unlocked if he’s paired with Dart.
On paper, Harris is as elite as they come. The Rebels’ wide receiver finished second in the nation in PFF’s offensive and receiving grade. And despite only being targeted 76 times, Harris hauled in 78.9 percent of his looks (T-5th among WRs), for over 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns (min. 75 targets). His 5.12 yards per route run is absurd, as the second-highest receiver is only at 3.57.
Harris is primarily a deep threat option who doesn’t offer much on the inside - and that puts his 7.7 YAC into question. However, he could be an explosive playmaker for the Jets in a paired option with Wilson. If the Jets take Dart, it would feasibly make sense for them to target his partner on Day 2.
Xavier Restrepo, Miami
Despite being solely a slot receiver at the NFL level, Miami’s Xavier Restrepo could be a very intriguing prospect for the NY Jets.
Restrepo is a beefy 5-foot-9 receiver, coming in at over 200 pounds. The receiver was one of the primary options on an underwhelming Miami passing attack - but proved to be an important safety valve for quarterback Cam Ward.
Restrepo’s 1,127 yards was 10th in the FBS, and he added 11 touchdowns on the season as well. It seemed like when a play broke down Restrepo was always in the right place at the right time. In many ways he was reminiscent of Hunter Renfrow and his connection with Derek Carr only a few years ago.
There has to be an appreciation for just flat out good football players, & give me Miami WR Xavier Restrepo as a guy for the next decade if I’m an OC.
Elite hands, nuanced route-runner, a player that simply understands the little things at the position that provides a high… pic.twitter.com/O7cdJIL06C
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) March 6, 2025
Despite not being a deep threat on the field, Restrepo averaged a solid 16.3 yards per reception. Proving he’s a threat with the ball in his hands, the Miami product averaged 7.3 YAC, which was tied for 12th among wide receivers in 2024.
Restrepo is the type of player whose football IQ really sticks out when watching his film. It’s something that a quarterback can rely on when a play breaks down, yet he still performs well within the framework of an offense - which is important.
Currently, the Hurricane has a third-round grade. Whether or not NFL teams shy away from his size (or get enamored with his playstyle) remains to be seen. However, he’s an interesting prospect for a new-look Jets offense to take a chance on.
Ricky White, UNLV
The Jets currently have just two picks on Day 2 of the draft, so it doesn’t make much sense to pick multiple players in a pool it’s unlikely the Jets will be selecting from. However, there’s plenty of talent on the board in Day 3 - despite some considering it a weaker class. Ricky White is a player who’s currently slated as a Day 3 pick, but may see that change as the pre-draft process continues.
White was a touchdown machine for UNLV this season. He scored 11 receiving touchdowns while compiling over 1,011 receiving yards. At 6-foot-1, White is versatile as a receiver, with the ability to play both inside and outside. White has an elite yards per route run of 3.22 (4th among WRs), with a respectable ADOT of 11.9 yards.
The UNLV product was dominant in the team’s LA Bowl matchup against California this year, and White continued to showcase his talents while at the Shrine Bowl. White has an elite jab-step going into his break on slant routes that allows him to get open with ease. On top of that, the receiver has shown a high IQ on the field, knowing when to come back to the quarterback and creating plays.
Ricky White - UNLV
- Smooth mover
- Attacks leverage consistently
- Tracks the ball well vertically
- He's sweet
He might be light for GB, but if he shows up at the combine in that 195 range and runs well. Watch out. pic.twitter.com/bz5mgWdhNt
— Jacob Morley (@JacobMorley) February 7, 2025
To be honest, White reminds me in a lot of ways of the Jets’ own Garrett Wilson - albeit at a slightly lower talent level. Take that for what it’s worth, but it would be interesting to see two interchangeable pieces on the field at the same time for New York.
KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Auburn
Normally when a player breaks out as a fifth-year senior, it should be taken with a grain of salt. However, KeAndre Lambert-Smith should be given credit for performing at a high level in a poor-performing Auburn offense in 2024.
The Tigers went through multiple quarterbacks this season as Payton Thorne really struggled in his final year of college ball. However, that didn’t stop KLS from being productive in the offense. The Auburn receiver finished with 981 yards and eight touchdowns.
In his college career, KLS has shown he can play both inside and out. At Auburn KeAndre was primarily an outside receiver as the team’s go-to target. Smith’s 19.6 yards per reception ranked fourth among FBS receivers in 2024, while his 7.4 YAC/REC (yards after catch per reception) ranked 12th.
At the Shrine Bowl, KLS was continuously productive. Not only was he consistently open in team drills, but he also didn’t show any hesitance in blocking. Lambert-Smith shows a tremendous ability to win with leverage against defensive backs. It’s a trait that NFL receivers must be good at, and KLS understands exactly what he has to do in order to gain that leverage. On top of that, Lambert-Smith showed he has excellent ball-tracking ability, and isn’t afraid to go up and get it.
At the NFL Combine, KLS surprised many by running a blazing-fast 4.38 40-yard dash. With a current Day 3 grade, a player with KLS’s attitude and ability could be useful in an offense trying to change their culture.
LaJohntay Wester, Colorado
One year after putting up record-breaking numbers at Florida Atlantic, LaJohntay Wester transferred to Colorado prior to the 2024 season This was partly due to problems surrounding the now-fired head coach, Tom Herman. But it also was a way for Wester to showcase that he can still perform despite being in a crowded receiving room. While he didn’t put up the same numbers with Colorado that he produced at FAU, Wester showed that he can hang with the best of them.
Like at FAU, Wester was a touchdown machine with the Buffaloes in 2024. The receiver had 10 receiving touchdowns to go along with 880 receiving yards. Wester wins with a combination of quickness, leverage, and football IQ that gives him an advantage over defenders.
Wester will play solely as a slot receiver at the NFL level. However, that could provide a great complement to Garrett Wilson. In a non-traditional offense, Wester can succeed in a variety of ways.
Colorado WR LaJohntay Wester is a nightmare to cover. Electric acceleration & change of direction ability.
Creative OC is going to have a field day scheming him touches. pic.twitter.com/GZqVKDnPJe
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) January 26, 2025
Currently, Wester slots in as a Day 3 prospect, which means that the Jets will have an opportunity to target him if they have interest. However, his ceiling could be higher - being a productive player in the league for multiple years.