WATCH: Why newcomer Nate Hairston can contend for starting spot in Jets' secondary

With the secondary in dire straits, Joe Douglas acquired a reinforcement, in what's expected to be the first of several moves this week.

Joe Douglas moves fast. 

The Jets GM got a head start on his roster tinkering on Wednesday, sending a 2020 sixth-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts for cornerback Nate Hairston. Though not exactly the headline-grabbing defensive back addition that Jets fans were hoping for, the value is simply too good to ignore. 

A Temple University alum, Hairston spent the first two years of his collegiate career as a wide receiver. It wasn't until his junior campaign that he transitioned to the defensive side of the ball, racking up 38 tackles, three passes defended, three tackles for loss, and two interceptions from his cornerback spot.

Impressing scouts and analysts after a strong week of practice at the 2017 East-West Shrine Game, Hairston continued to climb draft boards following a standout performance at the NFL Scouting Combine. 

The Colts selected the raw talent in the fifth-round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The 6-foot, 185-pound cornerback appeared in 14 games as a rookie (four starts), playing 537 snaps -- which accounted for nearly 50 percent of the defensive total. He totaled 35 tackles, two sacks, a safety, five passes defended and one interception in his first season. 

Hairston continued stellar play in 2018. Despite dealing with a nagging hamstring injury, he played in 13 games (seven starts), playing 413 snaps (40 percent). He amassed 30 tackles and one pass defended in his second season, while proving to be a prominent special teams contributor. 

With the Jets' secondary in dire straits, Hairston will immediately challenge for playing time. The third-year pro adds some much-needed size on the perimeter and offers the versatility to play in the slot. 

Hairston is a fluid mover in and out of breaks, which enables him to stay in his receiver's pocket all the way through the route. A former wide receiver, he's well-versed in how to disrupt timing at the line of scrimmage, and his astute football intelligence allows him to have an innate understanding of what receivers are looking to do pre-snap. 

On paper, Hairston instantly provides depth on the outside and in the slot behind projected starter Brian Poole, but he'll have every opportunity to contend for a starting spot on the outside. In what's expected to be the first of several Joe Douglas transactions this week, this move could have some staying power.