For now, the New York Jets’ 2026 draft blueprint remains murky. Clarity will be provided over the next week-plus as the team fills certain holes with free agent signings.
As we count down the final days of darkness before free agency sheds some light on the Jets’ draft outlook, it’s time to submit our final Jets mock draft prediction before free agency.
These are the 13 picks we will be using in this seven-round mock (compensatory pick slots are projected and unofficial):
- Round 1, Pick 2
- Round 1, Pick 16
- Round 2, Pick 33
- Round 2, Pick 44
- Round 4, Pick 103
- Round 4, Pick 139 (Comp)
- Round 5, Pick 179 (Comp)
- Round 6, Pick 194
- Round 6, Pick 208
- Round 7, Pick 217
- Round 7, Pick 241
- Round 7, Pick 248 (Comp)
- Round 7, Pick 249 (Comp)
Round 1, Pick 2
I have been an avid supporter of David Bailey in this spot, but it has become apparent that Arvell Reese is the no-brainer pick. His ceiling is limitless, his versatility gives him a high floor, and his fit in the Jets’ scheme is obvious after their recent Jermaine Johnson-for-T’Vondre Sweat trade.
The Pick: Arvell Reese, EDGE, Ohio State
Round 1, Pick 16
Capitalizing on the buzz around Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, the Jets agree to a trade-down with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who need a franchise quarterback. New York slides down five spots to No. 21, receiving the No. 78 pick in exchange. It allows the Jets, who do not have a third-round pick, to get back into the third round for a slight drop in the first round.
On the classic trade value chart, this is a fair trade. The 16th pick is worth 1,000 points, while the 21st pick (800 points) and 76th pick (210 points) are worth a combined 1,010 points.
Trade down with Steelers (NYJ receives No. 21 and No. 76, PIT receives No. 16)
Round 1, Pick 21 (via Pittsburgh)
This pick might not please Jets fans who are looking to fill every hole on the short-term depth chart, but in the long run, New York will benefit from the value of landing Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell at No. 21.
Avieon, the younger brother of A.J., contributed to Clemson’s defense from the beginning of his freshman year, dominating in press-man coverage across three seasons. His abilities as a press-man corner, along with his physicality and willingness as a tackler, make him a great fit in the Jets’ scheme under Aaron Glenn. Just 21 years old going into his rookie year, he is trending up.
The Jets don’t “need” a cornerback right now, but they will in 2027 (or at some point in 2026). Penciled-in starter Brandon Stephens is not a long-term answer after allowing eight touchdowns and no interceptions in his debut season with New York. While Azareye’h Thomas showed great promise, the 2025 third-rounder remains a question mark.
A 3-14 team shouldn’t sacrifice talent in favor of filling a hole that might seem more gaping in the short term. Terrell is a great value in this spot.
The Pick: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
Round 1, Pick 22 (via Los Angeles)
To those of you contemplating closing this article after seeing two defensive picks in the top 16 for the most offensively challenged franchise in football, bear with me.
After the trade-down with Pittsburgh, the Jets are absolutely loaded with picks, boasting 11 of them from Rounds 2 through 7 if we include their projected total of four compensatory picks. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Chargers are pining for picks. They have just five in the entire draft.
That gives New York the ammunition to pull off a trade-up into the slot just one pick behind the one they acquired from Pittsburgh.
The Jets send picks 33 (second round), 76 (third round, via PIT), and 194 (sixth round) to the Chargers in exchange for the 22nd overall pick in the first round. On the trade value chart, New York is sending out 803 points and receiving 780 points, making this an enticing trade-down for the pick-starved Chargers and a fair price for the Jets to pick up a third first-round choice.
The goal, of course, is to add a much-needed offensive building block after going with back-to-back defenders to open the class.
New York nabs a tantalizing weapon in Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston, the consensus No. 21 overall prospect on the consensus big board. The 6-foot-4, 209-pounder brings size that the Jets lack in their wide receiver room, along with contested-catch reliability that only Garrett Wilson provides on the outside.
Boston’s college production in key metrics suggests he has an excellent chance of succeeding in the NFL, perhaps even slightly better than the more highly touted Makai Lemon. Boston and Lemon are significantly ahead of Jordyn Tyson, who is also expected to be taken earlier than Boston.
After two trades from budding trader extraordinaire Darren Mougey, the Jets exit the first round with Arvell Reese, Avieon Terrell, and Denzel Boston.
Trade up with Chargers (NYJ receives No. 22, LAC receives No. 33, No. 76, and No. 194)
The Pick: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
Round 2, Pick 44
Continuing to boost their offense, the Jets turn to their offensive line. Looking to beef up their interior run-blocking in a division where they must be able to run through the New England Patriots’ formidable defensive line, the Jets turn to 6-foot-5, 320-pound guard Emmanuel Pregnon from Oregon.
Pregnon had the second-best run-blocking grade among Power Four guards in the 2025 season (85.8), per Pro Football Focus. He coupled his mean streak on the field with a dazzling display at the combine, registering a 9.42 Relative Athletic Score.
The Jets currently have two holes in their interior offensive line. Starting left guard John Simpson is set to be a free agent, and center Josh Myers is one of the league’s weakest starters at the position.
We will see how the Jets handle this unit in free agency, but the expectation is that they will stay on the cheaper end, which opens the door for a rookie of Pregnon’s caliber to push for a Week 1 starting job.
The Pick: Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon
Round 4, Pick 103
This is arguably the ideal sweet spot for New York to roll the dice on a quarterback.
Throwing the quarterback dart any earlier would be too rich for the talent of the prospects in this class. It would cost the Jets a likely starter at a non-quarterback position in exchange for a signal-caller with a low chance of panning out as a starter.
If the Jets take a quarterback any later than the fourth round, it may as well be a wasted pick, as most quarterbacks who fall that far in the draft have little to no franchise quarterback upside (yeah, yeah, Tom Brady and Brock Purdy…).
Here in the early fourth round, the Jets can still land a quarterback prospect who has a non-zero chance of becoming a star, without spending premium capital to do it.
The Jets take their dart throw at the quarterback position with Miami’s Carson Beck.
The Pick: Carson Beck, QB, Miami
Round 4, Pick 139
It’s always smart to take at least one running back on Day 3 of the draft.
Running backs tend to peak the earliest of any position in football, and they also have some of the highest hit rates in the later rounds. By taking one on Day 3, there’s a good chance you will get a useful player on an incredibly cheap rookie contract throughout the best years of his career.
The Jets strike early on Day 3 with Penn State’s Kaytron Allen, who racked up 1,303 rushing yards, 6.2 yards per carry, and 15 rushing touchdowns in his 2025 senior season.
Allen had 867 rushing yards, 5.2 yards per carry, and 10 touchdowns as a true freshman in 2022, and his rushing production only trended up from there, so he’s an ascending player coming into the NFL, even at 23 years old.
The Pick: Kaytron Allen, RB, Penn State
Round 5, Pick 179
Moving back to the defense, the Jets address their weak safety room with Texas’ Michael Taaffe.
A four-year player for the Longhorns, Taaffe showed the versatility that Aaron Glenn covets in his defenders. Over the last two seasons, Taafe was productive as both a box defender (6.5 tackles for loss, three sacks) and coverage defender (11 passes defended, four interceptions).
The Pick: Michael Taaffe, S, Texas
Remaining picks
- Round 6, Pick 208: Drew Shelton, OT, Penn State
- Round 7, Pick 217: Tanner Kozial, TE, Utah
- Round 7, Pick 241: Josh Cameron, WR, Baylor
- Round 7, Pick 248: James Thompson Jr., DT, Illinois
- Round 7, Pick 249: Xavien Sorey Jr., LB, Arkansas
The Jets’ five picks outside the top 200 are mostly focused on physical upside and the potential to contribute on special teams (which go hand-in-hand).
Shelton and Sorey posted Relative Athletic Scores above 8.00.
Cameron is a big-bodied wideout (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) who scored 19 touchdowns for Baylor over the last two seasons.
Kozial was a productive receiver at the college level but has poor blocking skills and a small frame for the tight end position, making him an interesting project as a potential matchup weapon.
Cameron is a six-year college player who has the tweener frame (6-foot-5, 290 pounds) that Aaron Glenn covets in his defensive ends. He offers little pass-rush upside (7.0 sacks in 54 college games), but was a quality run defender for Illinois last season.
Complete mock draft
- Round 1, Pick 2: Arvell Reese, EDGE, Ohio State
- Round 1, Pick 21: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
- Round 1, Pick 22: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
- Round 2, Pick 44: Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon
- Round 4, Pick 103: Carson Beck, QB, Miami
- Round 4, Pick 139: Kaytron Allen, RB, Penn State
- Round 5, Pick 179: Michael Taaffe, S, Texas
- Round 6, Pick 208: Drew Shelton, OT, Penn State
- Round 7, Pick 217: Tanner Kozial, TE, Utah
- Round 7, Pick 241: Josh Cameron, WR, Baylor
- Round 7, Pick 248: James Thompson Jr., DT, Illinois
- Round 7, Pick 249: Xavien Sorey Jr., LB, Arkansas
