Jason Pinnock is joining the team he grew up rooting for.
The Pitt cornerback was taken in the fifth round by the Jets in the 2021 NFL draft this past weekend. Pinnock has been a fan of Gang Green ever since Darrelle Revis, a fellow Pittsburgh alumn and one of the game’s all-time corners, became a star with New York.
Pinnock couldn’t believe he was drafted by his favorite team.
“It’s almost like life comes full circle,” Pinnock said, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “It’s surreal.”
Pinnock, in a Q&A with The Spun’s Chris Rosvoglu from March, said he used to study Revis’ film during his childhood. He admitted that he was a Revis “fanatic.” Pinnock also said that he’s met Revis a few times and that the former All-Pro has helped him out with his game.
Pinnock will need some seasoning before he can come close to further mimicking Revis’ career path, but the rookie is bringing plenty of raw athleticism to New York. Standing at 6-feet, 204 pounds, Pinnock possesses great speed and fantastic hops. He ran a 4.45-second 40-yard dash and has a 39.5-inch vertical leap.
While Pinnock was no Revis during his time at Pittsburgh, he did have a solid career there. Pinnock recorded 54 total tackles, 19 pass breakups, six interceptions, one sack, one fumble recovery and one defensive touchdown in 30 games.
Pinnock will have a chance to compete for one of the backup cornerback spots in training camp. The Jets are young and inexperienced at the position already, so camp and the preseason will go a long way in determining who lands where on the depth chart.
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