With only one week left in the 2026 NFL preseason, “rankings season” is mostly behind us in the football world, but ESPN’s Mike Clay is throwing a late hat into the ring.

The analytics writer ranked all 32 teams at each position going into the 2026 season. Surprisingly, the New York Jets earned a No. 1 ranking at one of those positions.

Linebacker.

“The 37-year-old Demario Davis is back after ranking 10th in the NFL with 143 tackles last season. He has now cleared 100 in nine consecutive seasons, totaling 36.5 sacks during that span,” wrote Clay. “The future Hall of Famer will team up with Jamien Sherwood, whose 308 tackles over the past two seasons ranked second in the NFL.”

While the Davis-Sherwood duo certainly has the potential to be one of the NFL’s best linebacker units in 2026, this ranking certainly feels a bit optimistic.

Davis is 37 years old. Now three years removed from his last Pro Bowl or All-Pro appearance, his best days are probably behind him, even if he remains one of the better linebackers in the NFL.

Sherwood may have gaudy tackle totals, but his performance in 2025 left a lot to be desired, particularly in coverage. Among 64 qualified linebackers (min. 500 snaps), Sherwood allowed the sixth-highest passer rating (125.1), seventh-most receiving touchdowns (4), and seventh-most receiving yards (578), per Pro Football Focus. He was benched for his poor play at one point.

However, this duo offers a high ceiling. If everything breaks right, they could be the NFL’s best linebacker duo.

Age is but a number to Davis. He was still the league’s fifth-best linebacker in 2025, per PFF’s grading system, earning an 81.7 overall grade. Davis ranked seventh among linebackers with 55 defensive stops and was also solid in coverage, allowing only two touchdowns while ranking 11th-best in PFF’s coverage grade (70.4) and ninth-best in yards per reception allowed (8.1).

As for Sherwood, he was a high-end linebacker in 2024, earning him a three-year, $45 million contract extension. That season, he ranked fourth among linebackers in defensive stops (59) and 10th in PFF’s overall grade (73.8).

In a world where Davis maintains his statistical production from last season and Sherwood returns to his 2024 form, then yes, this might be the NFL’s best linebacker duo. There is reason to believe it might happen, too.

Davis’ arrival means Sherwood will relinquish the green-dot responsibilities he was asked to handle in 2025, which is good news for him, as he struggled in that role. During Sherwood’s breakout 2024 season, C.J. Mosley wore the green dot for New York. Playing next to Davis should allow Sherwood to play freely again.

Behind Davis and Sherwood, the Jets have some depth concerns.

Kiko Mauigoa, a 2025 fifth-round pick, is competing against Marcelino McCrary-Ball and Mykal Walker for the third linebacker spot. All three players have impressed in the preseason (although Walker is sidelined with an injury), but none has proven themselves to be a reliable LB3 just yet. This role could be particularly important under Aaron Glenn, as he has relied heavily on base packages in the past.

It remains to be seen how the depth behind Davis and Sherwood will shake out. Regardless, they complement each other well as a duo and could absolutely be one of the league’s best pairings if things go according to plan.

At this juncture, though, a No. 1 ranking is ambitious. Teams like the 49ers, Eagles, and Lions arguably have better cases for that spot.