New York Jets NFL Mock Draft Roundup 4.0

In the past four months, the Jets have traded both tackle Quinnen Williams and edge Jermaine Johnson II. So Bailey, arguably the best pure pass rusher in this draft, would give New York a new foundational piece on the defensive line.

The Jets desperately need a WR2 to pair with Garrett Wilson. The 2025 Biletnikoff Award winner, Lemon ranked eighth in the FBS with 1,156 receiving yards and tied for ninth with 11 receiving TDs last season.

A busy free agency period has the Jets' defense in an improved place compared with the end of last season, with the team adding linebacker Demario Davis and two edge rushers (Kingsley Enagbare and Joseph Ossai). But New York should still draft for value at this spot.

Bailey happens to thread the needle of taking a player with a grade commensurate with the No. 2 pick and at an area the team must continue to invest in. His 14.5 sacks in 2025 was tied for the most in the FBS, as he plays with a lightning-quick first step and an aggressive approach to pass rushing. No Jets player had over eight sacks last season.

Despite his moderate size at 5-11, 192 pounds, Lemon's breakout season in 2025 launched him into conversation with Jordyn Tyson and Carnell Tate for the best receiver in this class. His hallmarks are his toughness, run-after-catch skills and strong hands. His catch radius is better than you'd expect for a player who is built more like a slot receiver, leading to 20 contested catches over the past two seasons.

For the Jets, Lemon's firepower is necessary to take some attention away from Garrett Wilson. Outside of Wilson, no Jets receiver had over 30 receptions or 350 receiving yards in 2025.

The Jets traded away Sauce Gardner to the Colts last season, a move that was impossible to turn down given the two first-round picks in return. Hood is an explosive corner who shows up against the run and brings good ball skills along with his 4.44 speed. He helped Tennessee withstand the absence of Jermod McCoy in 2025, finishing with 10 pass breakups.

Miller would help fill the void created when the team traded away Quinnen Williams. (This pick is from Dallas in that trade.) Miller is a brick wall at 6-4, 321 pounds, using his length to get his arms up in passing lanes and his strength to help collapse the interior of the pocket.

I think they will consider David Bailey here as well, but in the end Reese plays the run better and will give them more position versatility.

The Jets need to get receiver help to go with Garrett Wilson. Tyson might be the most talented in this class, but he has missed a lot of time with injuries.

The Jets' goal in free agency was to raise their floor by bringing in capable, veteran players — and they accomplished that. They filled a lot of needs, and their roster is undoubtedly better. The goal for the NFL Draft, especially for the first round, should be to raise their ceiling — to find prospects with star potential. Reese feels like a no-brainer. He's arguably the highest-ceiling prospect of any in this entire class. Maybe it's partially a projection because he didn't have many sacks in college — but if there's a chance Reese becomes the next Micah Parsons, the Jets obviously will take that. They need blue-chip players on defense in the worst way. — Zack Rosenblatt

The only position the Jets didn't address in free agency was a glaring weakness heading into the offseason and remains so now — and, just their luck, one of the draft's best prospects at that position made it here. Tyson has some durability concerns, but his talent is undeniable, and he'd slot in perfectly opposite Garrett Wilson. His presence would also give Adonai Mitchell, who showed promise after coming over in the Sauce Gardner trade, more room to develop as the No. 3 receiver. A room with Wilson, Tyson and Mitchell is a lot more promising than how the group looked at the start of last season. — Rosenblatt

The Jets were active in bringing in vet after vet to shore up their defense. They now drop in an explosive weapon in Reese to continue to reinvent this side of the ball. Reese's best spot will likely be on the line of scrimmage, where he flashes as a high-end pass rusher and already shows the ability to hold the edge in the run game. His versatility to play off-ball is a bonus if the Jets want to get creative in getting all of their pass rushers on the field.

After losing John Simpson and former first-rounder Alijah Vera-Tucker in free agency, the Jets look to reinforce their offensive line with another first-round selection. Ioane has good size and is comfortable in space. He showed off good awareness as a player this past season, which is encouraging for him to hit the field early in the pros. The Jets could go in a few directions with this pick, but I think they defer to the trenches (again) here.

Aside from acquiring Smith, Gang Green spent a fair amount of money in free agency — including on edge players Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare. But neither is going to strike the fear of God into opposing quarterbacks. Bailey, a Stanford grad, came into his own with the Big 12 champion Red Raiders in 2025, tying for first in the FBS with 14½ sacks while leading the field with a 20.2% pressure rate and mixing in 19½ tackles for losses. Bailey is scheme diverse, which could also be a boon for a team switching to a three-man front and one that also recently offloaded DE Jermaine Johnson II, who was optimal for Tennessee's 4-3 defense.

With the pick obtained in last year's trade of CB Sauce Gardner, New York must continue to build an infrastructure and talent base with which to surround its next potential franchise quarterback — who probably won't arrive before 2027. Fano might optimally fill the bill. He played both tackle spots for the Utes but almost exclusively on the right side the past two years. Yet his arm length (32⅛ inches) might necessitate a move inside — something Fano seemed open to at the combine, where he even worked out at center. Regardless, he'd be an immediate starter with the position flexibility of ex-Jet Alijah Vera-Tucker, who just left for New England. Adding Fano would also give the Jets three first-round blockers on rookie contracts, a nice welcoming gift to the presumed QB the team drafts in 2027.

I go back and forth between Reese and Texas Tech's David Bailey here. Reese, with experience playing on the line and off the ball, gives the Jets more scheme flexibility in their 3-4 defense.

Cooper would be an awesome complement to veteran receiver Garrett Wilson. The former Hoosier is a tough pass catcher who can play inside and outside.

In my January mock draft, I had Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese here. In February, I went with Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. Now, it's Bailey. These are all good options for a defense that could use a lot of help, but the Jets really need an instant impact edge rusher. They were 31st in sacks last season (26) and traded Jermaine Johnson, further thinning out the unit. They have to find foundational players off the edge. And Bailey is explosive and productive, posting 14.5 sacks (tied for first in the FBS), 71 pressures (second) and a 20.2% pressure rate (first) last season.

The Jets don't have to draft a quarterback here. They traded for Geno Smith as a bridge option and have three first-round picks in 2027, when the QB class should be a lot better. But this is a good range for Simpson, who has only 15 career starts but throws with accuracy, processes quickly and moves well in the pocket. He threw 28 touchdown passes in 2025 and is a first-round QB in my book.

Simply put, New York has to take some swings to figure out the long-term solution under center. I could see the Jets drafting Simpson and letting him learn and develop a little behind Smith before he moves into the starter role.

This is where the draft starts. Reese has reminded me of star edge rusher Micah Parsons since the fall. He's a sensational player, and I know he's just scratching the surface. This is a guy who played as a starter for just one season and was just learning how to play the edge. He's an excellent pass rusher, whether he's rushing from the interior or edge. He's got bend, athleticism and explosiveness. He's got tremendous upside, and I believe he could be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate early in his career.

The Jets got Geno Smith in a trade with the Raiders this past week. Let's be real, though, New York shouldn't be saying, "We're all set" at quarterback after that move. I can't get Simpson out of my head, either. My knock on Simpson isn't his size, because he can make throws outside the hashes and down the field, but that he only started for one season in college. However, with Smith in tow, Simpson doesn't need to start right away. He also played well in some big moments, like at Georgia and at Oklahoma this past season.