It has felt like the Jets have been on the clock since the afternoon of Nov. 4.
That is the day general manager Darren Mougey traded stars Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams to the Colts and Cowboys, respectively. In return, the Jets received first- and second-round picks this year as well as two more first-rounders in 2027.
Despite Mougey saying it was not a “teardown” that day, it was clear the Jets were in full rebuild mode. The rest of the 2025 season felt like a meaningless march toward the offseason. Jets fans had their eyes on this draft before the Thanksgiving turkey was carved or Christmas stockings were hung.
After months of mock drafts, it is finally here.
Mougey and the Jets have the Nos. 2 and 16 overall picks in Thursday’s first round as well as Nos. 33 and 44 in Friday’s second round. It is a chance for Mougey to reshape the roster and turn a 3-14 laughingstock into a respectable franchise again.
“I believe we can be competitive and respectable right away, next year,” Mougey said after the 2025 season ended.
That process can either get jump-started over these next two days or hindered if they don’t draft well.
The expectation for months has been that the Raiders will select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 overall. Then, it’s the Jets’ turn.
The decision is believed to be between Ohio State’s Arvell Reese and Texas Tech’s David Bailey. No one seems to know which way the Jets are leaning. The favorite in Vegas has bounced back and forth between the two players and some draft gurus have flip-flopped as well.
Reese is considered to have the higher ceiling while Bailey is viewed as a more known quantity since Reese is expected to move from off-ball linebacker to edge rusher, a position Bailey excelled at last season.
One piece of information that is a possible clue or potentially nothing is that the Jets canceled their “top 30” visit with Bailey. Mougey said this week that people should not read into that. Others around the league view that as a sign the Jets are taking Reese. The argument is that you’d want to spend every second possible with a player you were considering drafting at No. 2.
Bailey talked to an SNY reporter Wednesday in Pittsburgh, the site of the draft.
“They canceled my 30 visit so I wasn’t able to get around the facility and have an in-depth conversation with all the staff,” Bailey said. “I had a great interaction with them at the combine and whatever FaceTime calls we’ve been having.”
Bailey also seemed to confuse Mougey with Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort. That might mean nothing and it might be an indication there has not been much contact between the team and Bailey.
At No. 16, the expectation is the Jets will draft a wide receiver to play opposite Garrett Wilson. The Jets became the first team since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule to not have a receiver with 400 yards in a season last year. They desperately need to give Geno Smith a weapon. The issue is the receivers most consider as the top three — Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson and Makai Lemon — could be gone before the Jets pick. Mougey could consider trading up for one of them, but that likely will cost the No. 44 pick.
If he stays put, he could see who falls there or even trade down. The next group of receivers — Omar Cooper Jr., Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion — could be available in the early 20s if the Jets move back.
Mougey said the Jets have 225 players rated as draftable and 135-140 of those are fits for the Jets.
The 2027 draft will loom large even as the 2026 draft unfolds. It is expected to be a better draft with a number of quality quarterbacks in it. The Jets will have three first-round picks, so Mougey could be influenced by how he views next year.
“It’s our job to know the football landscape as a whole looking forward,” Mougey said. “So, we think we know today, ‘OK, next year these free agents may become, this is what the free agency class may look like. Oh, next year we think this is what the draft class may look like.’ But as we all know, those things change fast. I mean, injuries, performance goes up and down, so what’s most important is we know this draft and we know our team now and we’re focused on adding good players this draft.”
