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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — There were not many positives for the Jets to take away from Sunday’s 26-19 loss to the Patriots, but they got another standout performance from one of their rookie first-round picks.
This week, it was Omar Cooper Jr.’s turn. The wide receiver returned from a high-ankle sprain to have a huge day for the Jets. Cooper had six catches for 103 yards and a touchdown in his first game since Week 1.
“It was a great feeling,” Cooper said. “It felt good to finally be back out there.”
Cooper’s debut got cut short in the Week 1 win over the Titans. He had a 30-yard catch on the first drive of the game but sprained his ankle on the play. The injury landed him on IR and he had to watch the past four weeks.
On Sunday, he scored the only touchdown for the Jets, a 48-yard pass from Geno Smith in the third quarter. Cooper was routinely open and led the team in catches and receiving yards.
“I think Omar did a tremendous job of coming back from injury, fought just to get back out there,” Smith said. “What he did is showcase who he is. He’s a playmaker. He’s a guy who finds ways to make catches, and the tough catches, he makes them look easy. Really impressed with the way that he performed and looking forward to building on that.”
Smith is the latest Jets rookie to have a big game. The Jets drafted three players in the first round this year and each has had a big game. Edge David Bailey, the No. 2 overall pick, had three sacks in the win over the Browns last week. Tight end Kenyon Sadiq, the No. 16 pick, had 105 yards and a touchdown in the loss to the Lions. Cooper, the No. 30 pick, said he gained confidence in that Week 1 game even if it was cut short.
“I would definitely say that Titans game, coming up you have to get that confidence,” Cooper said. “I feel like that catch allowed me to get that confidence. You’re supposed to be here and just trusting in my abilities.”
Cooper and Sadiq are the third rookie tandem in Jets history to each record a 100-yard receiving game in a season. Rich Caster and Eddie Bell did it in 1970 and Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall did it in 2022.