New York Jets 2018 Rookie Profile: Parry Nickerson

The New York Jets picked cornerback Parry Nickerson of Tulane in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Here we take a look at his rookie profile.

The New York Jets had three sixth round picks in last month’s NFL Draft. Selections in this late round, in Day Three of the annual extravaganza, are always tricky. There are no guarantees. Some players will make the 53-man roster and some will be totally out of football before you know it.

General manager Mike Maccagnan tabbed cornerback Parry Nickerson with his first selection in round number six (179th overall). This could turn out to be a solid sleeper pick for Gang Green. The Tulane University product is just 5-10, 182 pounds but is blazing fast. Nickerson posted a 40-yard dash time of 4.32 seconds at the NFL Combine, making him one of the speediest corners in this year’s draft.

So why did the Harvey, LA native fall all the way to the sixth round? In a word: injuries. Multiple knee surgeries during his career with the Green Wave caused Nickerson to last until the latter rounds. He posted a fine 2017 senior season though with six interceptions, eight passes defensed and 55 total tackles in 12 games. Nickerson earned first-team All-American Athletic Conference honors last year as well. What is most important is that he appears to be healthy moving forward.

Let’s take a look at some of his highlights:

PROS: One of the oldest sayings in sports is “you can’t teach speed” and Nickerson has plenty of it. He’s known for having outstanding ball-hawking skills and terrific closing speed. He posted 16 career interceptions at Tulane and has a real nose for the football. Despite his small and thin frame, Nickerson is effective in press coverage and has fine recovery quickness. He’s possesses a  live motor and he can stay stride for stride with the fastest opposing receiver. Nickerson is a top-notch athlete with sound balance, lateral movement and premier instincts.

CONS: Nickerson profiles as a slot corner or nickel back in the NFL due to his lack of size and length. Big, physical receivers like Mike Evans of the Tampa Bay Bucs will give him trouble. It also remains to be seen how strong and effective a tackler he’ll be on the pro level. Will he be able to wrap players up effectively? Nickerson has also undergone a pair of surgeries on his knee so he has to prove that he can remain healthy.

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SUMMARY:  I think this will wind up being an excellent pick by Maccagnan. You never know what kind of prospect you’ll be getting in the sixth round but some experts had Nickerson going in Day 2 of the draft so the Jets are hoping they got a steal here. Expect Nickerson to alternate with Buster Skrine and Darryl Roberts as nickel corners. He can also be used in dime packages too. Nickerson needs to prove he can stay on the field. If so, I would be very surprised if he does not make New York’s opening game roster.