New York Jets: 2026 NFL Draft Preview
How They Got Here
The Jets' 2025 season was a complete disaster. After Robert Saleh was fired mid-season in 2024 (Jeff Ulbrich finished as interim), the Jets hired Aaron Glenn from Detroit as their new head coach. GM Joe Douglas was let go, replaced by Darren Mougey — a 13-year Broncos executive who rose from scouting intern to assistant GM in Denver. The 2025 season was Glenn's first, and it was brutal: a 3-14 record, the franchise's worst since 2020. Aaron Rodgers had left for Pittsburgh after a strong 2024 campaign (3,897 yards, 28 TDs, 11 INTs), leaving the Jets to cycle through Justin Fields, Brady Cook, and Tyrod Taylor at quarterback. None provided an answer. The defense struggled without a true anchor. Glenn's defensive background gives hope, but this is a full rebuild.
Team Needs
The Jets hold two first-round picks (#2, #16 via Indianapolis) after their worst season since 2020 — a 3-14 disaster that ended any illusions about quick fixes. New GM Darren Mougey and first-year head coach Aaron Glenn inherit a roster with genuine offensive talent (Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall) but a quarterback carousel (Justin Fields, Brady Cook, Tyrod Taylor) and a defense that needs an anchor. With Fernando Mendoza locked in at #1 to the Raiders, the Jets will take Arvell Reese at #2 and can address quarterback at #16 with Ty Simpson or Garrett Nussmeier.
Draft Outlook
With Mendoza going #1, the Jets face a choice: reach for the second-best quarterback (Ty Simpson, who most evaluators see as a late first-rounder, not a #2 pick), or take the best non-QB player in the draft. They've wisely chosen the latter. Arvell Reese's hybrid LB/EDGE skill set — 69 tackles, 10 TFLs, 6.5 sacks, and the Big Ten Linebacker of the Year award — is exactly what a rebuilding defense needs. He's been compared to Micah Parsons and Fred Warner, and Jets beat reporters confirm the team is 'locked in' on Reese if Mendoza goes #1. The Jets also hold picks #34 and #66, giving them ammunition to trade back into the late first round for a quarterback like Simpson if they fall in love. But at #2, it's Reese unless something shocking happens.
Top Prospect Fits
1. Arvell Reese
The consensus #2 pick and the best defensive player in the draft. At 6-4, 241 lbs with a 4.46 forty and 43.5-inch vertical, Reese is the exact hybrid linebacker/edge rusher that modern NFL defenses covet. His 2025 season at Ohio State — 69 tackles, 10 TFLs, 6.5 sacks, 18 total pressures, Big Ten Linebacker of the Year — showed he can do it all. The Micah Parsons comparison is real: Reese rushed the passer on 35% of snaps and was equally effective dropping into coverage. His length and closing speed create nightmares for offensive coordinators. Evaluators say he's the safest non-QB pick in the draft with All-Pro upside.
2. David Bailey
The Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year with 14.5 sacks and a 23.4% pressure rate. If the Jets want a pure pass rusher instead of a hybrid, Bailey is the choice. His speed, bend, and burst off the edge are elite. At 6-3, 247 lbs, the concern is take-on strength against NFL tackles, but his motor and pass-rush moves would immediately upgrade the Jets defense. Bailey would pair with Jermaine Johnson to give the Jets a dangerous edge duo.
3. Francis Mauigoa
The OT1 in the class — a three-year starter who allowed only 6 pressures last season. If Reese and Bailey are somehow both off the board (extremely unlikely), Mauigoa would protect whoever the Jets eventually find at quarterback. His 6-5, 329 lb frame and Day 1 starter ability make him the safest offensive lineman in the class. More realistic as a trade-down target if the Jets move back and still get an elite player.
4. Ty Simpson
Not at #2 — that's a massive reach based on current evaluations. But the Jets could target Simpson somewhere in the first two rounds, with #34 being the logical spot. Simpson's calm pocket presence, athletic ability, and 15 career starts give him upside, but he's not polished enough to justify the #2 pick. The smart play is Reese at #2, then circle back for Simpson at #34 or trade into the late first round.
Draft Strategy
Darren Mougey's first draft is about establishing a foundation, not swinging for a home run at a position of desperation. The Jets have been burned by quarterback reaches before (see: Zach Wilson at #2 in 2021). This time, they're taking the best player available — and that's Arvell Reese. With Reese anchoring the defense, the Jets can address quarterback through the 2026 draft's Day 2 (Simpson at #34), free agency (Kirk Cousins types), or the 2027 draft class, which is projected to be stronger at QB. Garrett Wilson is locked in through 2025 on his rookie deal with a fifth-year option, and Breece Hall is under contract through 2026. The offensive weapons will still be there when the Jets find their quarterback. For now, it's about building a defense that can keep games close.
Betting Analysis
This is one of the most locked-in picks in the top 5. Arvell Reese is a heavy favorite to go #2 overall. The only real alternative is David Bailey (EDGE, Texas Tech) if the Jets prefer a pure pass rusher over Reese's hybrid role. The trade-down is a live long shot if a team like New Orleans or Cleveland gets desperate for a higher pick. The real Jets-adjacent value is in their Day 2 targets: Simpson at #34 would give them the upside passer they need without reaching at #2.
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