The Jets are loading up on local players who went to Pittsburgh on Day 3 of the draft.
They selected Pittsburgh running back Israel Abanikanda in the fifth round on Saturday with the No. 143 overall pick.
Abanikanda is from Brooklyn and played at Abraham Lincoln High School.
The Abanikanda pick came after the Jets took Pittsburgh offensive tackle Carter Warren in the fourth round.
Warren is from Paterson, N.J.
Abanikanda, a 5-foot-10, 216-pound back, put up big numbers for the Panthers last season.
He rushed for 1,431 yards and 20 touchdowns.
The Jets currently have Breece Hall, who is recovering from ACL surgery as their top back.
They also have Michael Carter and Zonovan Knight in their running back room.
Here is what The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had to say about Abanikanda:
“A two-year starter at Pittsburgh, Abanikanda was the featured weapon in offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr.’s balanced run attack. After a pass-heavy offense with quarterback Kenny Pickett and former coordinator Mark Whipple, Pitt dedicated the offense to the run game in 2022, and Abanikanda responded with a career-year, finishing No. 2 in the FBS in all-purpose yards (164.1 per game).
“Abanikanda has eyes that are able to keep up with his lower body athleticism, which allows him to use a variety of rush paths and run with rhythm. His body tends to weaken once defenders make contact (only 45.2 percent of his 2022 yardage came after contact), and his workload will need to be monitored at the next level.
“Overall, Abanikanda doesn’t have the contact balance desired for a featured NFL back, but he is an instinctive runner with outstanding vision, burst and run-away gear to be a productive part of a committee backfield. His development as a blocker and receiver will also determine his NFL ceiling.”