After making a flurry of early selections in the 2026 NFL draft, the New York Jets landed multiple premium players and shored up several positions of need.

One sneaky need, though, flew under the radar.

Why taking a running back on Day 3 is wise for most teams

Taking a running back on Day 3 of the draft makes sense for most teams in the league.

As running backs have the shortest career spans in the NFL, selecting one on Day 3 means you get a player throughout their prime years on a cheap deal. Many of them can contribute on special teams as well.

Ultimately, the Jets didn’t go that route.

On Day 3, New York made four selections: Florida State defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr., Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, Miami offensive lineman Anez Cooper, and Kansas State safety VJ Payne.

However, the team made the running back position a priority during undrafted free agency, adding two rushers: Toledo’s Chip Trayanum and Wyoming’s Sam Scott.

Understanding the Jets’ sneaky need at running back

The Jets are currently in a very interesting position at running back.

While the team franchise tagged Breece Hall, his long-term future with the team remains murky. General manager Darren Mougey made it known that one of the organization’s top priorities following the draft would be to work out an extension with Hall and his agent, Nicole Lynn of Klutch Sports.

However, the latest update regarding the situation is not positive for the Jets. According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, it is not expected that Hall gets a deal done with New York.

Beyond Hall, there are question marks.

Braelon Allen is recovering from an MCL injury that ended his 2025 campaign in Week 4. Even when healthy, though, Allen hasn’t proven much. He is a player who draws a lot of attention throughout training camp and offseason workouts due to his physicality and impressive frame, but has yet to translate that to gamedays.

Throughout 21 career NFL games (two starts), the Wisconsin product has collected 410 rushing yards on 110 attempts, three touchdowns, and a fumble. He is averaging only 3.7 yards per carry.

Similar to Allen, fellow 2024 fifth-round pick Isaiah Davis has flashed upside but has struggled with consistency. In 33 games, Davis has rushed for 419 yards across 73 attempts (5.6 yards per attempt) and two touchdowns. In the receiving game, he added 30 receptions for 261 yards and a touchdown.

If Hall were to go down with an injury, it would leave the Jets’ rushing attack in a questionable place for the short-term. Plus, looking to the future, the Jets don’t currently have a player who has proven they can be counted on to replace Hall as a potential long-term RB1.

While it may not seem like it on the surface, running back is a sneaky weak spot for the Jets after choosing not to address it in the draft.