New York Jets 2026 Annual Draft Guide

2026 NFL DRAFT
The New York Jets started their latest rebuild with a very active free agency period. Despite making a number of shrewd trades and signings — chronicled here — I believe they still need 12 more quality players to become a true championship contender.

The good news is they have four of the first 44 picks in next week’s NFL Draft, plus three more first-round picks in 2027.

In our Annual Draft Guide, I’ll review their current starters, lay out their short-and-long-term needs, review their draft position, and provide our custom first-round draft board.


PROJECTED JETS STARTERS

Offense:

• QB Geno Smith
• RB Breece Hall
• WR Garrett Wilson
• WR AD Mitchell
• WR Isaiah Williams (Slot)
• TE Mason Taylor
• LT Olu Fashanu
• LG Dylan Parham
• C Josh Myers
• RG Joe Tippmann
• RT Armand Membou

Defense:

• DE Joseph Ossai
• DT T’Vondre Sweat
• DT Harrison Phillips
• DE Will McDonald IV
• LB Demario Davis
• LB Jamien Sherwood
• LB Kiko Mauigoa
• CB Brandon Stephens
• CB Azareye’h Thomas
• CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr (Nickel)
• FS Minkah Fitzpatrick
• SS Malachi Moore

 Special Teams:

• K Cade York
• P Austin McNamara
• LS Thomas Hennessy

IMMEDIATE NEEDS
Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey need to play competitive games in 2026 for their job security — and their fans sanity. In order for this to happen, we believe the Jets need to come away with at least one starter, three rotational players, and a Nick Folk replacement.

1. WR (starter alongside Garrett Wilson)
2. WR (rotational player to complement AD Mitchell and Isaiah Williams)
3. LG (someone to push veteran Dylan Parham and provide depth)
4. CB (someone to push Azareye’h Thomas and Jarvis Brownlee and provide depth)
5. K (competition for Cade York — whether it’s a late round pick or an undrafted free agent).

LONG-TERM NEEDS
Now, to become a playoff team and a true championship contender, the Jets must also fill the following needs.

1. QB (35-year-old Geno Smith was acquired to be a bridge to the next franchise QB)
2. LB (37-year-old Demario Davis needs a young LB to groom as his replacement)
3. EDGE (need an elite three-down pass rusher)
4. S (need a young ball-hawk to learn from Minkah Fitzpatrick)
5. C (someone to push Josh Myers — who Pro Football Focus ranked 39^th out of 40 eligible centers)
6. TE (a more explosive version of Jeremy Ruckert)
7. DT (an impactful three-down interior lineman)

JETS DRAFT PICKS 

1. Round 1 (2^nd overall)
2. Round 1 (16^th overall) (Sauce Gardner trade)
3. Round 2 (33^rd overall)
4. Round 2 (44^th overall) (Quinnen Williams trade)
5. Round 4 (103^rd overall)
6. Round 4 (140^th overall) (Compensatory)
7. Round 5 (179^th overall) (Compensatory)
8. Round 7 (228^th overall) (Geno Smith trade)
9. Round 7 (242^nd overall) (Jowon Briggs trade)

GANG GREEN DRAFT BOARD
With the Jets scheduled to select #2 and #16 in the first round, I’ve created a Top 15 list of players, that I would select if Glenn and Mougey deferred to me. Obviously, we omitted Fernando Mendoza since he already has one foot in Las Vegas, and ignored offensive tackles due to the presence of Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou.

DRAFT BOARD ANALYSIS
From my perspective — Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Olaivavega Ioane are the four prospects that combine star potential with high floors. They are the safest prospects in the draft. There are no “sure things” but these four are the closest to it.

Unfortunately, none of them play a premium position, nor do they play a position of immediate need for the Jets.  Despite this, I was tempted to put either Sonny Styles or Caleb Downs at the top of the board, and let one of them learn from recently acquired veterans Davis and Fitzpatrick.

Styles has been compared to four-time All Pro Fred Warner of the San Francisco 49ers. Not to be outdone, Downs has been compared to Kyle Hamilton, who’s made All Pro in three of his four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. They each have strong intangibles, solid leadership skills, and solid Big Ten production — while Styles has elite physical traits and Downs has elite instincts.

History tells you that #2 overall picks need to play premium positions like quarterback, offensive tackle, wide receiver, edge rusher or cornerback.

• RB (last #2 overall pick was Saquon Barkley in 2018)
• OG (last #2 overall pick was Leonard Davis in 2001)
• LB (last #2 overall off-ball linebacker was LaVar Arrington in 2000)
• S (no safety has ever been selected that high)

That’s why I want the Jets to trade down, pick up additional assets, and stay within the Top 10 to have a chance to select one of these four blue-chippers. Barring that, after much internal angst, I’m on board with Arvell Reese.

Why Arvell Reese?
He is not a perfect prospect because he was a star off-ball linebacker last year in Columbus, but every NFL team sees his future at edge. Therefore, there are questions about whether he will develop the needed pass-rushing techniques to become a full-time on-ball player.

While that’s a red flag, it’s not as bad as:

• “He doesn’t like football” (Vernon Gholston, New York Jets 2008)
• “He’s a jack of all trades but a master of none” (Isaiah Simmons, Arizona Cardnials, 2020).

Reese had outstanding production last year with Ohio State, splitting his time as an off-ball linebacker, QB spy, and occasional edge. At 20-years-old, he is still developing, which should help him learn a new position. Plus, he is athletic enough to make up for technique mistakes with his speed and quickness.

The betting odds now favor David Bailey over Reese as the Jets pick. But unless Mougey is able to pull off a trade, my money is on Reese being in Florham Park next weekend.

WATCHING THE DRAFT
The NFL Draft runs from April 23 through April 25 in Pittsburgh.

Thursday, April 23 (8p)
Day 1 — Round 1 coverage is on ESPN, ABC, Disney+, and the ESPN App.

Friday, April 24 (7p)
Day 2 — Rounds 2 & 3 on ESPN, ABC, Disney+, and the ESPN App.

Saturday, April 25 (12n)
Day 3 — Rounds 4 thru 7 on ESPN, Disney+, and the ESPN App. 

ICYMI “New York Jets 2026 Mock NFL Draft (2.0)