Jets Create Core Four in Perfect Two-Round Draft Scenario

A new roundup lays out the Jets' ideal first two rounds of the 2026 NFL draft.

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Carnell Tate (17) celebrates a touchdown catch during the NCAA football game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich. on Nov. 29, 2025. Ohio State won 27-9. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New York Jets set the stage for a full-scale rebuild after moving Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams at last year’s trade deadline. The draft capital those deals returned could provide the foundation for a turnaround in New York. But Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey may not be around to make all those picks if the team doesn't show signs of growth in 2026.

The Jets now have five first-round selections and three second rounders over the next two years. And New York holds four of the first 44 picks in the upcoming draft. With upgrades needed throughout the roster, the pressure is on Mougey and Glenn to identify players who will create a young core and help establish the team’s identity. 

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The 2026 draft will likely be a defining moment for New York’s braintrust. And as the debate over the team’s direction in those crucial first two rounds rages on, PFF’s Bradley Locker weighed in on the Jets’ ideal haul for their first four picks. The new draft roundup lists Arvell Reese, Carnell Tate, Ty Simpson and Emmanuel Pregnon as the best possible selections for New York.

Jets bolster offense in ‘best case’ draft scenario 

Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) passes against the Indiana Hoosiers in the first half of the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Reese has been a frontrunner for the Jets’ No. 2 pick for a while now. And the Jermaine Johnson-T’Vondre Sweat trade appears to have strengthened the case for the Ohio State product. Sweat’s addition beefs up the interior defensive line but leaves New York thin on the edge. That could signal the team will target one of the draft’s premier DEs or OLBs. While David Bailey and Rueben Bain have their supporters, Locker sees Reese as the team’s best fit at second overall. 

The Jets have plenty of roster holes, giving them a number of options with the No. 16 pick. But PFF has New York turning to offense and landing another former Ohio State player in Tate. The coveted wideout would give the team a strong receiving option opposite Garrett Wilson, providing a big boost to whoever ends up under center for the Jets in 2026. Of course, Tate could easily be off the board by the middle of the first round. 

New York is best off doubling down on offense with Alabama QB Ty Simpson at the top of the second round (33rd overall), according to PFF. While the Jets will still likely need to add a veteran bridge QB for next season, Simpson could eventually develop into a franchise quarterback. And he might be New York’s best bet in a relatively weak QB class. Plus, the franchise had good luck with an Alabama quarterback in the past. However, like Tate, Simpson could be long gone when the Jets pick. 

Finally, with the No. 44 selection in the 2026 draft, PFF believes the Jets should target Oregon guard Emmanuel Pregnon. Alijah Vera-Tucker and John Simpson could both leave in free agency this offseason. And even if New York decides to bring AVT back, it would be wise to add insurance at guard given his injury history. Pregnon is the No. 2 guard prospect on Mel Kiper’s Big Board, behind only Olaivavega Ioane. 

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