ESPN is in the process of revealing the NFL’s top 10 players at every position entering the 2026 season, based on a poll of over 70 league executives, coaches and scouts.

Four positions have been unveiled so far: running back, cornerback, defensive tackle, and edge rusher.

The Jets were represented on the running backs list by Breece Hall, who ranked 10th. However, we have yet to see one of Hall’s teammates show up on these lists. Not a single Jet even received an honorable mention vote at cornerback, defensive tackle, or edge rusher.

Two former Jets did, though. The Dallas Cowboys’ Quinnen Williams placed sixth among defensive tackles, while the Indianapolis Colts’ Sauce Gardner placed ninth among cornerbacks.

New York turned these two top-10 players into three first-round picks, one second-round pick, wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, and defensive tackle Mazi Smith. One of those first-round picks was used on tight end Kenyon Sadiq, while the second-rounder was used on cornerback D’Angelo Ponds. The Jets still have two first-rounders to use in 2027.

The question, though, is whether the Jets can field any top-10 players at any of those three crucial defensive positions after dumping two of them at last year’s trade deadline. While the returns for both players were tremendous, it won’t mean anything in the long run if the Jets fail to match or exceed the collective talent they lost.

Ponds hopes to one day become one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. He was one of the best in college, after all; in the 2025 season, he allowed zero touchdowns into his coverage and earned Pro Football Focus’ fifth-best overall grade among FBS cornerbacks (89.9).

The Indiana product did this while playing full-time on the outside, despite his small frame (5-foot-8). Ponds will attempt to prove he can remain successful as an outside corner in the NFL, but his small frame may prompt the Jets to start him out in the slot.

At defensive tackle, the Jets hope to have a player close to Williams’ caliber in Jowon Briggs, who ascended to star status after the Williams trade paved the way for him to play a bigger role.

From Weeks 10-18, these were Briggs’ rankings among defensive tackles, per Pro Football Focus:

  • 7th in total pressures (29)
  • 2nd in PFF pass-rush grade (89.4)
  • 3rd in pass-rush win rate (19.4%)
  • 6th in pressure rate (14.4%)

Briggs was similar to Williams in most of those categories. To boot, Briggs was already known as a quality run stuffer before this surprising pass-rush explosion.

As for edge rusher, the Jets have plenty of potential there, too. They just used the second overall pick on Texas Tech’s David Bailey, while former first-round pick Will McDonald is hoping to build on his 18.5 sacks over the past two seasons.

At all three of these premium defensive positions, the Jets have fascinating young prospects with the potential to leap toward top-10 status. The only question now is whether that potential will be fulfilled, or if it will stay just that: potential.