The New York Jets 2026 NFL Draft needed to be great. Not only because the team is in yet another rebuild, but to give the fanbase some amount of hope. Especially with how the Aaron Rodgers tenure turned into one of the biggest failures in franchise history. Blame the owner for how that saga collapsed with his meddling and incompetence. Without further ado, it is time to dive into the Jets’ class and grade how the franchise did.
Round 1, Pick 2 – DE/EDGE David Bailey (Texas Tech) Grade A
No surprise with this pick, as the Jets had three logical choices here. Either trade this pick, draft Arvell Reese, or take David Bailey. The Jets went the safe route, taking Bailey, as he has more experience than Reese and is less of a project. With this franchise trading Jermaine Johnson to Tennessee, Bailey should be a Day 1 starter. With how dominant he was at Texas Tech, he should provide an immediate impact on this defense, which was horrendous last season.
If this pick doesn’t pan out, Aaron Glenn is going to be mocked forever. That’s what happens when a head coach gets caught sleeping during the combine while David Bailey does drills. Only the Jets can get away with this type of action at the combine.
Round 1 Pick 16 – TE Kenyon Sadiq (Oregon) Grade B+
It’s about time New York took the tight end position seriously. This franchise hasn’t had a consistently great one since Mickey Shuler in the 1980’s. One of the few bright spots of last season was the development of 2nd round rookie Mason Taylor. With how bad the QB play is, putting up a stat line of 44 receptions for 369 receiving yards and a touchdown is respectable for Taylor.
So, why did the Jets draft Kenyon Sadiq? Well, Frank Reich is known for multi-tight-end formations in his offensive schemes. With how bad the receiving core is with the Jets, they need as much talent as they can get. With how athletic Sadiq is, running a 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine, he was way too good for the Jets to pass on here. There is only one big red flag with Sadiq; his production was lackluster in Oregon. He never amounted to over 580 receiving yards in a season throughout his college career. The talent is there, but can he unleash it on the football field is the question.
Round 1, Pick 30 – WR Omar Cooper (Indiana) Grade A+
There was a legit argument that the Jets should have taken Cooper 16th overall. Especially since the Jets receiver room is horrendous, excluding Garrett Wilson and maybe Adonai Mitchell. So, the Jets traded up 3 picks with the 49ers to get Cooper. Ever since the Indiana product made that amazing catch against Penn State, he was a lock to go in the 1st round. It was surprising he wasn’t taken earlier with how crisp his route running and catching ability were. Cooper is a tremendous upgrade to what the Jets currently have, and this was a great move by GM Darren Mougey. Hopefully, he will pan out on the field and become a great receiver duo with Wilson.
Round 2, Pick 50 – CB D’Angelo Ponds (Indiana) Grade B+
Did the Jets only take Ponds because his NFL pro comparison was Aaron Glenn? In the behind-the-scenes footage, the organization and the analysts couldn’t stop talking about it. On a serious note, this is a good pick by the Jets, who desperately needed secondary help. Ever since the Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner trade, the Jets’ secondary has been such a train wreck that they failed to force a turnover last season.
There was a case to be made that Ponds could have been a 1st round draft pick, but his size is a tremendous red flag. Being 5’9” can scare teams away, but he has the tools to succeed in the NFL. The skills are there, including his awareness, speed, coverage ability, aggression, and posture. He just needs a little more coaching and some time to develop.
Round 4, 103rd Overall – DT Darrell Jackson Jr (Florida St) Grade B+
New York needed an interior defensive lineman badly. Ever since the Jets traded Quinnen Williams to the Cowboys, they have had issues stopping the run. Harrison Philips and Jowon Briggs are decent players, but they needed another piece on that defensive line. Darrell Jackson was the top defensive tackle prospect on the board, and the Jets took a chance on him with his run-stopping skills and underrated pass-rushing skills.
Round 4, 110th Overall – QB Cade Klubnik (Clemson) Grade C
The Jets had no choice. They needed to take a QB in this draft class. Justin Fields was a trainwreck last season, and Tyrod Taylor can’t stay healthy. Neither player is with the team anymore, and while the Jets got Geno Smith, they needed to draft a developmental QB behind him. The team can’t enter the season with Brady Cook or Bailey Zappe as the backup QBs. The Jets decided to trade up to take Klubnik. He doesn’t have a rocket arm, but can be accurate and has solid pocket mobility. There were many better options on the board, but it’s hard to blame the direction the franchise went in. The question now is can Klubnik be the franchise QB they have been looking for since Joe Namath, or will the Jets focus on finding one during the 2027 NFL Draft?
Round 6 188th Overall – G Anez Cooper (Miami) Grade B
With the departure of Alijah Vera-Tucker and John Simpson, it wasn’t an if but when the Jets were going to draft a guard in this draft to help open holes for Breece Hall. Cooper has potential as a run blocker and has solid athleticism for a guy his size. A big red flag is his pass protection, as it is a work in progress. For a 6th-rounder, it’s worth a shot, but he’s got to improve as a pass protector if he wants to have a long NFL career.
Round 7 228th Overall – S VJ Payne (Kansas State) Grade A
The Jets going secondary again isn’t a surprise with how terrible the defense was. Along with the departure of Tony Adams, the Jets needed a depth piece at safety. Heck, the Jets could even put him at linebacker, since Payne has experience at that position as well. With his strength and position versatility, the Jets taking him is a good use of a late-round pick.
The New York Jets 2026 Draft Class Grade A
Overall, this was a solid class. The only pick that was questionable is the Klubnik pick. The Jets nailed their first-round picks on paper. There is a lot of potential with their Day 2 and Day 3 picks. Out of all the picks in this draft, the sleeper is D’Angelo Ponds, as he has first-round talent, but his size hurt his draft stock. Hopefully, for the Jets’ sake, this class pans out because Aaron Glenn’s job is on the line this season. If there is no improvement shown, then the Jets will likely look for a new coach. Can they find a new owner while they’re at it? It’s hard to trust the Jets franchise with Woody Johnson as the owner.
