Jets choose Pitt cornerback Jason Pinnock in 5th round
Pat Narduzzi called it: Jason Pinnock made some money at Pitt’s Pro Day.
The former Pitt cornerback will get a chance this summer to earn a regular NFL paycheck after he was drafted by the New York Jets in the fifth round (175 overall) on Saturday.
The Pick is IN!!! The Jets just got a dude! Congrats @Jason_Pinnock‼️
Another Pitt Man to the League??? pic.twitter.com/TOEwUgtGWV
— Pat Narduzzi (@CoachDuzzPittFB) May 1, 2021
Although he received less recognition during the season than Pitt safeties Damar Hamlin and Paris Ford, Pinnock was drafted before those two after flashing outstanding athleticism at Pro Day. He was clocked in the 40-yard dash in 4.54 and 4.52 seconds on Pitt’s new spongy, slower turf recently installed at its indoor practice facility.
He also recorded a vertical jump of 39½ inches, which would have tied for third among cornerbacks at last year’s NFL Combine, and a 10-foot, 8-inch broad jump.
“I’ve been testing well since high school,” he said after the workout. “I want to show I can get the ball at its highest point, higher than any corner in this draft.”
More CB talent coming aboard.
Let's get it, @Jason_Pinnock!! ✈️ pic.twitter.com/OOIMqy0v00
— New York Jets (@nyjets) May 1, 2021
Pinnock was a member of Pitt’s 2017 recruiting class and was ranked the No. 1 defensive back in Connecticut during his final season at Windsor High School. He never redshirted at Pitt, playing in 43 games in four seasons and intercepting six passes.
Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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