The long-awaited pre-draft process has come to a halt.
Every year, draft season feels “lengthy,” but this year’s felt way longer, largely because it isn’t a strong quarterback class.
Nevertheless, Gang Green will be on the clock twice within the top 20 at Nos. 2 and 16.
Here are three top prospects the Jets can target that would perfectly complement key players already on their roster.
Geno Smith: Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana
Everyone knows the Jets are in desperate need of pass-catching help. Entering the draft, it is the most glaring need on the team’s depth chart.
Will quarterback Geno Smith be the Jets’ long-term answer at quarterback? Absolutely not, he is entering his age-36 season. However, that doesn’t mean he can’t deliver an impactful season with the organization.
Keep in mind, the Jets haven’t won more than seven games since they went 10-6 in 2015. In recent years, Smith has shown he is capable of leading teams to winning records, with the Seattle Seahawks going 9-8 in 2022 under his command, 8-7 in 2023 throughout his starts, and 10-7 in 2024.
There is no doubt about it: he was atrocious with the Las Vegas Raiders last season. But there were certainly a multitude of outside factors that contributed to the team’s 2-13 season, most notably the coaching staff and the offensive line.
The decision to hire Pete Carroll as the head coach was laughable to begin with. Not only did he go one-and-done, but his offensive coordinator, Chip Kelly, was fired in-season. He was also playing one of the worst offensive lines in football, which is far from ideal for any signal-caller, but especially for a pocket-passer in his mid-30s.
Is it a guarantee that Smith will return to his Seahawks form? No, but there are multiple steps the Jets can take to revive that version of him. One of the top steps is providing him with a strong supporting cast. The Jets have a solid offensive line and continued to make it an emphasis in free agency, signing Dylan Parham. They can also continue to add up front throughout the draft.
Taking Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. at No. 16 would greatly benefit Smith. Throughout three seasons with the Hoosiers, he reeled in 115 receptions for 1,798 yards and 22 touchdowns. In 2025, he made his name known, logging 937 yards on 69 receptions with a whopping 13 touchdowns.
His versatility is also highly intriguing as he can play both the X and Y receiver positions. While he was used mostly in the slot this past season, he flashed his upside as a serious threat in 2024, posting 594 yards on 28 receptions, averaging 21.2 yards per catch, to complement seven touchdowns.
Smith needs pass catchers who are consistently able to get open and make plays, and Cooper Jr., who the Jets hosted for a top-30 visit, is able to do just that. Not only did he earn a highly impressive 145.2 passer rating when targeted last year, but he also forced 27 missed tackles, tied for the fourth most in the FBS.
Garrett Wilson: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
For Garrett Wilson, his perfect stylistic complement is another former Buckeye, Carnell Tate.
Not only did G5 give Tate his vote on who he wants the team to select in the first round, but the fit makes too much sense.
Standing at 6-foot-2 and 192 pounds, Tate was one of the best deep threats in the NCAA last season… while competing for targets with Jeremiah Smith, who is projected to be one of the greatest wide receiver prospects ever.
Across 17 deep targets (20+ yards), Tate hauled in 11 receptions for 453 yards and six touchdowns. Furthermore, five of his nine touchdowns were for more than 40 yards.
Drafting Tate would grant the Jets the perfect complement for Wilson. It would allow the latter to move into a full-time slot role and do what he does best, while Tate would open things up on the outside, take attention away from Wilson, and stretch the field.
Unlike if the team took Cooper Jr., though, the Jets would most likely need to trade up in order to secure Tate. A recent projection from NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah had the Jets trading up to No. 7 with the Washington Commanders to secure the playmaker. Along with the swap, the Jets had to send pick No. 44 to Washington.
At the end of the day, the benefit of having all these assets is the flexibility and ability to get aggressive within reason. At a fair price, trading up for Tate to pair him with Wilson would do wonders for the Jets’ offense.
Minkah Fitzpatrick: Arvell Reese, EDGE, Ohio State
Teams that generate a lot of pressure typically post high interception totals. The top five teams that logged the most pressures last season—the Denver Broncos (377), Seattle Seahawks (371), Houston Texans (351), Philadelphia Eagles (345), and Los Angeles Rams (338) each posted double-digit interceptions, whilst the Jets, who made NFL history by not picking off a pass all season, ranked 30th in total pressures (220).
Minkah Fitzpatrick, whom the Jets acquired for next to nothing in March and signed to a fresh three-year contract, is one of the league’s top safeties. From 2020-22, he was a top ball hawker, logging 12 interceptions over that span, including six in 2022. However, in the past three years, he has posted just two (one in 2024 and one in 2025).
Selecting Arvell Reese would optimize the entirety of the Jets’ defense, especially in the pass-rushing game.
In 2025, Reese posted a whopping 22.7% pressure rate and 6.7% sack rate, contributing to eight sacks on just 119 pass-rush snaps. He is also just 20 years old and received zero coaching on pass rushing last season. His ceiling as a pass rusher is limitless.
By taking Reese, the Jets’ pass-rush would improve immensely at creating pressure, subsequently yielding more interception opportunities, which could help bring Fitzpatrick back to his elite form.
