The New York Jets' 2026 NFL Draft guide is here to get you ready for the main event later this month. Now that the draft is less than a month away, it is the perfect time to take a look at New York's draft picks, some potential targets, and the team's recent draft history. The first round kicks off on Thursday, April 23rd from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Round 2 and 3 follow on Friday April 24th with the remaining four rounds on Saturday April 25th.
Jets' 2026 NFL Draft picks
New York will enter the 2026 NFL Draft with nine total selections, including two picks each in the first two rounds.
- Round 1, Pick 2
- Round 1, Pick 16 (from Colts)
- Round 2, Pick 33
- Round 2, Pick 44 (from Cowboys)
- Round 4, Pick 103
- Round 4, Pick 140 (compensatory)
- Round 5, Pick 179 (compensatory)
- Round 7, Pick 228 (from Cowboys)
- Round 7, Pick 242 (from Bills)
Jets' 2026 NFL Draft needs and targets
There are few positions on New York's roster that aren't needs ahead of the draft. But with only nine selections, the Jets cannot address every part of their roster. Instead, the Jets will likely take a best player available approach and add talent wherever they can. Here are some of New York's biggest positions of need before the 2026 season.
Wide receiver: Wide receiver is New York's biggest need by a wide margin heading into the draft. New York has Garrett Wilson and precious little else at wide receiver. Head coach Aaron Glenn is also high on Adonai Mitchell, but everyone behind him on the depth chart is a major question mark. New York should be in prime position to scoop up Carnell Tate (Ohio State), Makai Lemon (USC), Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State), or another top wide receiver if they fall to 16th overall.
Edge rusher: This position is a bigger need after trading Jermaine Johnson II to the Titans. It also lines up perfect with the talent in this year's draft class. If the Raiders pick Fernando Mendoza at one, the Jets will have their pick of any defensive player in the draft. The consensus pick is Arvell Reese (Ohio State) who is just 20 years old and can do it all. But New York could surprise everyone by picking a different top edge rusher, such as David Bailey (Texas Tech) or Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami).
Quarterback: New York is in a tough position at quarterback. The 2027 draft class looks totally stacked at quarterback, which could cause New York to kick the can down the road one year. But should they be fine rolling the dice with Geno Smith in 2026? If the Jets decide to take a shot on a quarterback, they'll likely target Ty Simpson (Alabama), Garrett Nussmeier (LSU), Carson Beck (Miami), or Drew Allar (Penn State).
Defensive tackle: The Jets have a pair of solid tackles in T'Vondre Sweat and Harrison Phillips. But they lack star power after trading away Quinnen Williams. Unfortunately, there aren't many defensive tackles worthy of a premium pick in this year's class. Peter Woods (Clemson) is the best of the bunch, but picking him at 16th overall could be a huge reach. Perhaps New York will target someone like Kayden McDonald (Ohio State), Caleb Banks (Florida), or Christen Miller (Georgia) at the turn between the first and second rounds.
Recent draft history — top picks for the last five years
The Jets have a reputation for failing spectacularly during the draft. But when looking at the results, New York does seem to be headed in the right direction over the past few years.
- 2025: T Armand Membou, Missouri (Round 1, Pick 7)
- 2024: T Olu Fashanu, Penn State (Round 1, Pick 11)
- 2023: EDGE Will McDonald IV, Iowa State (Round 1, Pick 15)
- 2022: CB Sauce Gardner, Cincinnati (Round 1, Pick 4)
- 2021: QB Zach Wilson, BYU (Round 1, Pick 2)
Yes, the Wilson pick was an absolute disaster. But the Jets followed have put together four pretty solid draft classes in the years since.
New York's best draft haul of the last five years is arguably the 2022 class. Sauce fell into their lap at fourth overall, but he was not the only impact player the Jets added in the first round. They also picked Wilson at 10th overall and Jermaine Johnson II at 26th overall. Gardner and Johnson are no longer on the team, but New York traded both players for significant returns. All three picks still look like hits four years later.
McDonald was not the most popular pick after the 2023 NFL Draft. But he is coming off back-to-back seasons with eight or more sacks and projects as a huge piece for New York in 2026. The same is true of both Fashanu and Membou, who look poised to become the team's bookend tackles of the future.
The Jets have even more picks coming in 2027, which could usher in a new era of prosperity for the lowly organization. If New York can stack a few more good draft classes, they could easily turn their fortunes around in a hurry.
It will be fascinating to see who New York selects in the draft later this month.
