New York Jets 2026 NFL Draft Odds: Who Will the Jets Pick at 2 and 16 Tonight?

The New York Jets Draft Strategy Predictions 2026

The wait is almost over. The New York Jets enter the 2026 NFL Draft with two first-round picks — No. 2 and No. 16 overall — and a mandate from first-year head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey to make up ground fast. After back-to-back losing seasons and a total roster overhaul, tonight is the night Gang Green begins to build something real.

The good news: this is the best draft position the Jets have held since selecting Zach Wilson second overall in 2021, and the class sets up in a way that could allow New York to nail both picks. Here's everything you need to know about who the Jets will take when they're on the clock tonight.

Why the Jets Are Drafting in a Position of Strength

The Jets enter this draft in an unusual spot for a franchise that has spent years spinning its wheels — they have genuine leverage.

With the No. 2 pick, the Jets are guaranteed one of the two premier edge rushers in the entire class: either Arvell Reese or David Bailey. Both are blue-chip talents. Neither will be available to anyone else. And with the additional No. 16 pick acquired from Indianapolis in the Sauce Gardner trade, New York has the capital to add an offensive playmaker to go with whichever defender they land at the top.

The context matters. The Jets went 3-14 in 2025, finished 29th in both scoring and total yards, and traded for veteran quarterback Geno Smith to stabilize the position while the organization rebuilt around him. They spent aggressively in free agency on defense, adding Joseph Ossai, T'Vondre Sweat, Demario Davis, and Minkah Fitzpatrick. The front seven still needs a true edge rusher. The receiver room desperately needs another weapon alongside Garrett Wilson.

Tonight, both needs can be addressed in a single round.

Jets Pick No. 2: The Edge Rusher Decision

There is only one real question at No. 2: David Bailey or Arvell Reese?

Arvell Reese, LB/EDGE, Ohio State

Arvell Reese is the most physically gifted defensive prospect in this class and, depending on who you ask, the most gifted linebacker prospect since Micah Parsons. At 6'4" and 243 pounds with a 4.46 40-yard dash — the fastest of any edge prospect at the combine — Reese is a once-in-a-generation blend of size, speed, and instinct.

His 2025 numbers were excellent for a first-year starter: 69 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks across 14 starts while splitting snaps between the edge and off-ball linebacker. He earned consensus All-American honors and Big Ten Linebacker of the Year. But the production numbers undersell the prospect — scouts who have watched his Ohio State tape consistently reach for Parsons comparisons because of the positionless chaos he creates. He can set the edge against the run, chase down backs from the backside, rush the passer, and drop into coverage. NFL teams have never had a clean answer for what to call him.

Aaron Glenn's fingerprints are all over the Reese candidacy. The Jets head coach personally broke down film with Reese during the pre-draft process — Reese said afterward "Aaron Glenn broke it down to me" — and Glenn's scheme is exactly the kind of system that could weaponize Reese's versatility rather than force him into a single role. The upside is All-Pro. The ceiling, in the right system, may be limitless.

The risk is real though: Reese is a one-year starter who spent much of his college career in an off-ball role. His pass-rush repertoire needs refinement, and the transition to full-time edge rusher carries projection risk. Some league sources believe that's why the Jets have quietly warmed to Bailey.

David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech

David Bailey is everything Reese is not: a finished product.

The 6'4", 250-pound edge rusher transferred from Stanford to Texas Tech and immediately became one of the most dominant pass rushers in college football, recording 14.5 sacks and earning unanimous All-American honors in 2025. He has an explosive first step, long arms, and a collection of speed-rushing moves that will translate immediately to the NFL. Bailey is the most accomplished pure pass rusher in this class, and the production across two programs proves it isn't scheme-dependent.

The knock on Bailey is versatility — or the lack of it. He's a pass rusher, full stop. He doesn't create the same coverage or off-ball flexibility that Reese does, which matters in an NFL that increasingly values hybrid front-seven defenders. But as The Ringer noted, Aaron Glenn needs to show his scheme works in Year 1, and that's easier to establish with a player who fits cleanly into one role than a project who needs the scheme built around him.

Bailey reportedly hasn't been in the Jets' facility and made an apparent Freudian slip in a pre-draft interview — calling GM Mougey "Monti," the name of Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort — which generated speculation he may be destined for Arizona at No. 3 if New York passes. That detail, combined with reports that some league sources believe the Jets favor Bailey's pro-readiness, makes the No. 2 pick the most genuinely uncertain decision at the top of tonight's draft.

FanDuel Sportsbook has Arvell Reese as the -115 favorite at No. 2 overall. Check FanDuel Sportsbook for the latest live odds as the draft approaches tip-off tonight.

FanDuel Research Pick at No. 2: We lean Arvell Reese. Aaron Glenn's direct engagement, the schematic fit for a versatile front-seven defender, and the higher ceiling argument all point to Ohio State. The Parsons comp is thrown around loosely in NFL circles, but in this case, the tape genuinely supports it.

Jets Pick No. 16: The Receiver the Offense Desperately Needs

Whoever goes at No. 2, the Jets' second first-round pick has a clear directive: add a weapon for Geno Smith. No Jets player exceeded 400 receiving yards in 2025. Garrett Wilson is a clear WR1. The rest of the receiving corps is a problem.

The challenge at No. 16 is availability. All three consensus first-round receivers — Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson, and Makai Lemon — could realistically be gone by the time the Jets pick again. If one slips through, it becomes an easy call. If all three are gone, New York will need to make a decision between trades, second-tier receivers, or a pivot to another position entirely.

Makai Lemon, WR, USC — The Most Likely Fit

Makai Lemon is the receiver the Jets should most want — and the one most likely to still be available at pick 16.

The 2025 Biletnikoff Award winner led a high-octane USC offense with 1,156 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns on 79 receptions, finishing his college career with 2,008 receiving yards. He is the most polished route runner in this class, a technically refined slot weapon with elite body control, sharp separation, and the toughness to win in traffic. Dane Brugler of The Athletic projected him to New York at 16, writing: "Lemon doesn't have elite size or speed, but he is extremely quarterback-friendly with his route manipulation and toughness."

That last part is exactly what the Jets need. Geno Smith needs a reliable, high-volume target who can operate from the slot and get open on intermediate routes. Lemon would pair with Garrett Wilson to give New York two starting-caliber pass catchers for the first time in years — the kind of 1-2 combination that could actually allow Smith to function in a Year 1 rebuild.

The concern is size. At 5'11" without elite athleticism, Lemon isn't a vertical threat and won't win contested catches down the field. But in a Jets offense that will need to lean on the short-to-intermediate passing game, that profile fits perfectly.

Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana — The Value Option

If the Jets believe Lemon's size limitations are a dealbreaker, Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. is the consolation prize that isn't really a consolation. He was one of the most reliable receivers in the Big Ten last season, posting a 145.2 passer rating when targeted and forcing 27 missed tackles after the catch. He's a legitimate X/Y receiver who can play inside or out, and on a national-champion Indiana team, he produced in a real offense.

Multiple mock drafts have Cooper going to New York at 16, and ESPN's Rich Cimini noted the Jets could also explore trading back slightly — picking up an extra third-round pick — and still landing Cooper or another tier-two receiver.

The Wild Card: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

Here's the scenario nobody wants to talk about: all three top receivers are gone by pick 16, and the Jets turn to Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq instead.

Sadiq ran a 4.39-second 40 at the combine — faster than some of the wide receivers in this class — and at 6'3" and 241 pounds represents a matchup nightmare that Geno Smith could deploy in any formation. ESPN's Rich Cimini raised this possibility directly, noting the Jets could pivot to Sadiq if they're not comfortable with the available receiver options at 16. John Harbaugh's use of hybrid tight ends in Baltimore proves the template; a Glenn-coached Jets team with the same philosophy could find tremendous value in Sadiq at a spot where he would represent a fall from his projected range.

FanDuel Research Pick at No. 16: Makai Lemon — if available. He's the most likely to slip, he fits the offense best, and he immediately solves the target problem alongside Garrett Wilson. If Lemon is gone, watch for a Cooper selection or a trade-down scenario.

The Big Picture: What Jets Fans Should Expect Tonight

The ideal outcome for New York looks like this: Reese at No. 2 (building the franchise defensive anchor Aaron Glenn has always wanted), followed by Lemon at No. 16 (giving Geno Smith the receiver the offense has lacked for two years). That pairing — a generational hybrid defender and a polished, high-volume slot receiver — would represent the best two-pick first round the Jets have had since 2022.

The nightmare scenario: Bailey goes elsewhere, Reese doesn't pan out at edge, and all three top receivers are gone by 16, forcing a reach or a trade-down. It's a real possibility in a top-heavy class where the Jets' second pick could leave them at the mercy of the board.

But for a franchise that has been drafting from a position of weakness for most of the last decade, holding picks 2 and 16 in a class with this kind of talent depth is a gift. GM Darren Mougey needs to capitalize. Tonight, the Jets have a real chance to become relevant again.

Stay locked in to FanDuel Research's live 2026 NFL Draft tracker for real-time pick analysis, odds movement, and fantasy football takeaways after every selection. Check FanDuel Sportsbook for the latest odds on Jets picks, player props, and all Round 1 markets.

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