The New York Jets have the No. 2 and 16 picks in the first round of the NFL Draft. As the draft gets closer, all of the prominent mock drafters are starting to finalize their selections. Who do the biggest names have the Jets taking in their most recent mock drafts?
The Jets earned the second overall pick due to their dismal season and have the 16th overall pick from the Sauce Gardner trade. Even after a free-agency spending spree, the Jets have a lot of needs to fill in the Draft. Their signing of Geno Smith to play quarterback signals that the 2026 season is not their top priority. Will that change their draft strategy?
David Bailey, Texas Tech Edge
Tim Crean, ClutchPoints, Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports
Tim Crean of ClutchPoints and Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports are buying into the Combine hype around Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey. He ran a 4.5 40-yard dash in Indianapolis and measured as an elite NFL edge rusher. Bailey's 14.5 sacks led the NCAA in his lone season with the Red Raiders, earning an All-American nod.
The Jets need an edge rusher after trading Jermaine Johnson II to the Tennessee Titans at the Combine. They picked up defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat in that deal, improving their run defense. But getting after the quarterback is still the most important, so expect an edge rusher in this spot. But there is no consensus on who they will select.
Arvell Reese, Ohio State edge
Jordan Reid, ESPN, Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com, Mike Renner, CBS Sports, Danny Kelly, The Ringer
Many mock drafts have the Jets taking Arvell Reese with the second overall pick, including four of these selections. Reese was a key part of the elite 2024 Ohio State championship defense and was an All-American in 2025. While his sack numbers do not match Bailey's, his positional versatility makes him a popular pick in this spot.
Considering the Jets' plans for the 2026 season, or lack thereof, there is little risk in taking Reese. He is an incredible athlete who will be just 20 years old on draft night. They will give him plenty of time to grow into his body and get used to the NFL speed before they play games that matter.
Makai Lemon, USC Wide Receiver
Tim Crean, ClutchPoints, Jordan Reid, ESPN, Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports
The two edge rushers are the only players selected by the Jets in the six selected mock drafts. It is one of the significant needs they have going into the NFL Draft, and this class has plenty of them.
Moving on to the 16th overall pick, three of the mock drafts have the Jets taking USC wide receiver Makai Lemon. He jumped up a tier in his junior year with the Trojans, racking up 1,156 yards and an All-American nod. His 11 touchdowns were far and away the most on his team, and he could be a great second option behind Garrett Wilson.
Reid has the Jets trading up with the Dallas Cowboys to take Lemon. The proposed trade sends a fourth-round pick and a seventh-round pick to Dallas to move up four spots, from 16 to 12. New York and Dallas connected on a trade deadline deal involving Quinnen Williams, but none of those picks are heading back to the Cowboys in this move.
Omar Cooper, Indiana Wide Receiver
NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah knows the Jets need a wide receiver, but does not expect Makai Lemon to land in New Jersey. Jeremiah has the Jets taking Omar Cooper out of Indiana as the fourth wide receiver off the board. With Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson, and Lemon already off the board, the Jets take a chance on a National Champion.
Cooper was the receiver who caught the famous touchdown at Penn State to keep Indiana's undefeated season alive. He led the team with 937 yards and picked up a dozen other touchdowns that did not have infamous Gus Johnson calls associated with them. Many mock drafts don't have Cooper going in the first round, but Jeremiah says Cooper's ability to play on the inside and outside could help the Jets.
Jermod McCoy, Tennessee Cornerback
Not only did the Jets trade Sauce Gardner, but they let DJ Reed walk in free agency before the 2025 season. They had zero interceptions last year, so drafting a cornerback might be wise. Mike Renner of CBS Sports has them selecting Jermod McCoy out of Tennessee, who had six picks in two college seasons.
Taking a cornerback with the pick the Jets got for trading away their franchise quarterback may be a touch on the nose. It would put a lot of pressure on McCoy to be a Gardner-level product right away, which may be unfair. Gardner was a first-team All-Pro in his rookie season, in addition to winning Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Peter Woods, Clemson Defensive Tackle
The last mock draft selection for the Jets at 16 comes from The Ringer's Danny Kelly, who has Darren Mougey taking Peter Woods out of Clemson. Woods would be replacing Williams on the defensive line, which should raise the defense's floor after a bad season.
“Woods is a barrel-chested brawler who creates havoc in the trenches with a combination of explosive burst, tremendous upper-body torque, and intensity-raising energy. A three-year impact player for the Tigers, he lines up at multiple spots on the line and rushes the passer with twitchy lateral burst,” Kelly wrote.
