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The Jets used their second-round draft pick on D’Angelo Ponds, a national champion who drew instant comparisons to Aaron Glenn, when he was a player in the late 1990s.
They signed free agent Nahshon Wright, who led the NFL with eight individual takeaways last season and earned a Pro Bowl nod.
But the cornerback they were looking for was already in the building.
While Ponds has seen limited snaps after suffering a calf strain, and Wright has been inactive for the past three games, second-year cornerback Azareye’h Thomas has been a key component for a defense that ranks fourth in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game (175), third in yards per attempt (6.1) and fifth in passing first downs per game (9.6).
“He’s able to go up and play man coverage and play press man coverage, but also he has the intelligence to be able to go out there and play zone,” said Glenn, now the Jets coach. “He understands what the landmarks are. He understands where his help is. And man, the more reps that he gets, the better and better he’s getting. I like exactly where he’s at. He’s a big man that can run. And again, he’s intelligent enough to be able to play man and zone.”
Thomas, 22, broke up two passes in Sunday’s win over Cleveland — giving him five through five games — while allowing just one reception for 8 yards. The former third-round pick ranks seventh in yards allowed per snap and sixth in yards per target among outside corners with at least 100 coverage snaps this season, according to the team.
The 6-foot-1 cornerback has also produced Pro Football Focus’ sixth-best coverage grade and is tied for 11th in passes defended, while preventing any completions longer than 20 yards.
“Year 1, you got all these thoughts going through your brain and you try to do too much and you play a little slower,” Thomas said Thursday. “Last year I was hesitating, not really trusting my film study, making the game bigger than what it is. This year I’m just trusting my convictions on the field. It’s something you gotta cultivate. When you’re a rookie, you don’t want to make mistakes. Year 2, I’m getting a lot more comfortable.
“It’s football. Trust what you see and live with the outcome. Trust what I see and hit it.”
Thomas appeared in 12 games last season, making five starts following the trade of Sauce Gardner. In his final six games as a rookie, Thomas recorded six pass breakups and 21 tackles before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury, which forced him to undergo surgery for the first time.
After the season, Thomas ditched the No. 23 in favor of No. 1, which was most recently held by the one-time Jets franchise cornerback.
“Sauce left, and I didn’t want to hop on it [right] away,” Thomas said. “I wanted some time to think on it. I talked to my family and they said, ‘Don’t be afraid to do it. If you feel like you want the number, get it.’ ”
No regrets. No fear. No mercy.
“We ain’t out there being nice,” Thomas said. “We out there playing grimy and gritty, how [Glenn] wants us to play. … You’re gonna always face someone who is better than you or faster than you, but the difference is who wants it more.”