New York Jets Final 2026 Mock NFL Draft (3.0)

JETS FINAL MOCK DRAFT (3.0)
This is not a predictive mock. Instead, this is what I would do if Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey told me to take the reins.

As an example, the New York Jets are rumored to be debating between David Bailey and Arvell Reese at #2 overall. If those were my only two choices, I would take Reese. Bailey is a better pass rusher, but he was not strong against the run at Texas Tech. The Jets already have a designated pass rusher in Will McDonald. Reese is younger, more athletic, more versatile, and capable of being on the field in all situations.

However, what about Caleb Downs and Sonny Styles? While there are no sure things in the NFL Draft, they are pretty close to it. It’s hard to find a draft analyst who doesn’t think they have an extremely high floor.

Therefore, if you are looking for predictions on what the Jets will do tomorrow, once the Las Vegas Raiders select Fernando Mendoza, you can find those elsewhere.

I’m going to tell you what they should do. Using the PFSN NFL Mock Draft Simulator, I will handle the GM duties for Gang Green, while PFSN does the same for the other 31 teams. All trades must be approved by the simulator.

Ready to buck conventional wisdom? The New York Jets Final 2026 Mock NFL Draft (3.0) is officially open!

FIRST ROUND (#4 OVERALL)
“We have a trade. The New York Jets send the second pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to the Tennessee Titans for picks #2 and #35. With the fourth overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Jets select Caleb Downs, Safety, Ohio State”

Caleb Downs is my choice, with his former teammates Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, a close second and third. I was willing to move down two spots to pick up #35, knowing I would still get one of those players. Strategically, we accepted a discount on the draft value chart to stay ahead of the New York Giants, who are reportedly eyeing the same players.

Other than Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love, Downs is the safest pick in the draft. He has a very high floor with All-Pro potential. His resume is spotless. As a true freshman in 2023 under Nick Saban at Alabama, he was a day-one starter and second team All-American.

When Saban retired, he transferred to Ohio State, where he won the 2024 national championship, the 2025 Jim Thorpe Award, and was unanimously voted an All-American in both seasons. He’s played under a different DC each of his three seasons, including NFL veteran head coach/coordinator Matt Patricia. This experience has led many to call him a coach on the field.

Multiple draft analysts, including ESPN’s Matt Miller, have compared him favorably to Budda Baker, who has made 8 Pro Bowls and 4 All-Pro teams in his 9 seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. 

Plus, who better to mentor Downs at the next level than the 2017 Jim Thorpe Award winner Minkah Fitzpatrick who has made five Pro Bowls and four All-Pro teams in his 9 NFL seasons.


FIRST ROUND (#16 OVERALL)
“With the 16^th selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Jets select Jordyn Tyson, Wide Receiver, Arizona State”

Glenn and Mougey have made 4 trades, 8 free agent acquisitions, and extended contracts to 10 current players. None of those moves involved a WR. That’s why it is essential that the Jets draft a WR in the first round.

Here’s my WR board —

1. Carnell Tate, Ohio State
2. Makai Lemon, USC
3. Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
4. Denzel Boston, Washington
5. Omar Cooper Jr, Indiana

We were not willing to use resources to move up from #16 to get one of the Big 3, which is why we fully expected to take either Boston or Cooper Jr. But to our surprise, ASU’s Tyson fell into our laps.

Earlier in the draft process there was a lot of concern about Tyson’s injury history. However, the draft analysts I most respect, evaluated his medical history, and still ranked him at, or near, the top in their final rankings:

• Mel Kiper ranks him #1 
• Todd McShay ranks him #2 
• Connor Rogers ranks him #1 
• Field Yates ranks him #2 

Garrett Wilson teaming with Tyson will bring back memories for Jets’ fans of all ages — Don Maynard/George Sauer, Al Toon/Wesley Walker, Wayne Chrebet/Keyshawn Johnson, and Eric Decker/Brandon Marshall.


FIRST ROUND (#27 OVERALL)
“We have a trade. The San Francisco 49ers have traded pick #27 to the New York Jets in exchange for picks #33 and #103. With the 27^th selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Jets select Ty Simpson, Quarterback, Alabama”

As a general rule, I like to use premium draft picks on players with low-risk and an opportunity for a high-reward. Downs and Tyson fit that criteria. Simpson does not.

There’s nothing safe about picking a QB on Day 1 unless you get the occasional John Elway, Peyton Manning, or Joe Burrow. Using the 2021 NFL Draft as an example — two first-round QBs (Mac Jones and Trey Lance) are on their third teams while two others (Justin Fields and Zach Wilson) are on their fourth.

QB is the most important position in team sports, and the hardest to evaluate. The general feeling is that the Jets are going to wait until the 2027 draft to take their next swing. But is that really a strategy?

As of April 23, we have no idea how any of the prospective QBs will perform next season. Does Dante Moore take the next step? Does LaNorris Sellers rebound from a poor season? Does Julian Sayin decide to come out early? Everyone is excited about Arch Manning — but only one team is going to have an opportunity to draft him. If it’s the Jets, does that mean there’s a new head coach making the pick?

With all of those variables, I couldn’t pass on the consensus second best QB in the draft. While most draft analysts, sans Dan Orlovsky, believe there is a significant gap between Mendoza and Simpson, most also agree there’s a bigger gap between Simpson and whoever they have ranked #3 (Carson Beck, Garrett Nussmeier, Drew Allar, Cole Payton, Taylen Green).

The biggest knock on Simpson is that he has made only 15 collegiate starts. The fix? Give him time to develop. The Jets have Geno Smith to start, and they are sure to sign a veteran to be his primary back-up in 2026. In my de-facto role of GM, I will publicly announce that Simpson will not be seen outside of a classroom, practice field or sideline until 2027.

Simpson has been linked to offensive-minded head coaches Mike Lafleur (Arizona Cardinals) and Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams) for a reason. Analysts say he has good pre-snap vision, is a quick processor, and has an accurate arm. His scouting reports have a Chad Pennington/Brock Purdy vibe.

The perfect scenario for the Jets is stay put at #33 and have Simpson fall into their laps. However, there is too much smoke around the Cardinals desire to jump from #34 ahead of the Jets.

But sitting back and waiting until #33 or 2027 is not a strategy. It’s a prayer.


SECOND ROUND (#35 OVERALL)
“With the 35^th selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Jets select D’Angelo Ponds, Cornerback, Indiana”

Badlands/NBC/SNY draft analyst Connor Rogers believes Aaron Glenn will see a lot of himself in the 5’8 5/8”, 182-pound Ponds. The Ringer’s Todd McShay goes as far as comparing him to Hall of Fame corner Ronde Barber. 

Since the departure of Sauce Gardner, the Jets have compiled a solid CB room, but there’s not one player with star potential. Ponds has playmaking ability, and the athleticism to move to nickel if his size becomes a factor on the outside.

“He might be the best player I’ve ever coached that was with me throughout his entire career in terms of consistency, production,” National Champion Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti said.


SECOND ROUND (#44 OVERALL)
“With the 44^th selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Jets select Keylan Rutledge, OG, Georgia Tech”

There were multiple directions we could have went —Edge TJ Parker (Clemson), LB Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech), S AJ Haulcy (LSU), or WR Zachariah Branch (Georgia). Knowing that 95 players were going to go off the board before we picked again added to the anxiety.

In the end, we decided to use our final premium pick to replace the departed Alijah Vera-Tucker and John Simpson. Rutledge plays with an unbridled intensity and could replace Simpson as the line’s enforcer.

ICYMI “New York Jets 2026 Annual Draft Guide”


FOURTH ROUND (#140 OVERALL)
“With the 140^th selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Jets select Max Llewellyn, Edge, Iowa”

I tried to sneak back into the third round to draft Michigan’s under-the-radar Edge Jaishawn Barham, because passing on Bailey and Reese will have ramifications in the upcoming season. I settled on Llewellyn at #140 because at this stage in the draft, I would rather bet on production than projection.

The 6’6”, 258-pound edge earned 6.5 sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss, and 6 pass deflections in 2025 — ranking in the Top 15 in the entire 2026 draft class in true pressure rate (according to TruMedia).


FIFTH ROUND (#179 OVERALL)
“With the 179^th selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Jets select Dae‘Quan Wright, Tight End, Ole Miss”

I’ve seen multiple mocks linking Gang Green to Ohio State TE Will Kacmarek. For me, he profiles too similarly to the Jets’ current backup TE, and former OSU Buckeye Jeremy Ruckert. Rather than a block-first TE, I see the Jets rounding out the position group with Wright, who is considered a potential threat in the passing game.


SEVENTH ROUND (#228 OVERALL)
“With the 228^th selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Jets select Trey Smack, Kicker, Florida”

Despite going 8-for-9 on kicks beyond 50 yards, the Jets reportedly felt that Nick Folk had lost too much of the “boom” in his right leg, so they let him leave in free agency.

That is not a problem with Smack, who is considered to have the strongest leg in the draft class. While drafting a kicker is always a risky use of an asset, it does enable you to get the kicker of choice, rather than bidding against other teams in the undrafted free agent pool.


SEVENTH ROUND (#242 OVERALL)
“With the 242^nd selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Jets select Justin Jefferson, LB, Alabama”

Special Teams Coordinator Chris Banjo, the only coordinator to retain his job, will be excited about the Jets’ final selection. Jefferson is a sure tackler with sideline-to-sideline speed. He’s projected to be an immediate asset on special teams.


Final 2026 Mock NFL Draft (3.0) First Round

Final 2026 Mock NFL Draft (3.0) Second Round

ICYMI “New York Jets: Grading Every Offseason Move”