Jets Facing Conflicting Rumors on Arvell Reese, David Bailey

If you're a New York Jets fan, you've likely heard a lot about Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese and Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey by this point.

With just about two weeks to go until the 2026 National Football League Draft, Reese and Bailey appear to be the two favorites for the Jets with the No. 2 overall pick in the first round. With the draft just about here, we're at a point where rumors start to intensify — and at points conflict — for various reasons. It's difficult to cut through it all, so let's take a look at the conflicting rumors out there right now around Reese and Bailey specifically for New York.

Arvell Reese

Reese is viewed as the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft class by ESPN. Reese has been the guy most connected to New York throughout the offseason to this point. On April 5, ESPN's Rich Cimini reported that Reese is viewed as the favorite for the No. 2 pick.

"General manager Darren Mougey said they haven't identified that player yet," Cimini wrote. "After listening to Glenn, then gathering a few crumbs at the NFL spring meetings in Phoenix, it feels like Ohio State's Arvell Reese is the best fit. ...

"The analytics-based ESPN draft predictor says Reese is the prohibitive favorite, with better than a 70 percent chance of being picked by the Jets at No. 2. Bailey is second at 10 percent. The Predictor uses data from Scouts, Inc. grades, expert mock drafts and team needs."

David Bailey

Here's where the conflicting reports come into the mix. Reese has been the guy talked about the most, but Bailey isn't far from away. ESPN's Peter Schrager and NFL Draft expert Daniel Jeremiah both shared that they've heard the Jets prefer Bailey.

"We're kind of hearing the same thing as we're coming down the home stretch here," Jeremiah said. "This feels more like Bailey."

Breakdown

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Jets general manager Darren Mougey speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Conflicting rumors shouldn't surprise people right now, but the fanbase should be watching closely. There are various reasons why information gets out. Who does a team want? Where does a player want to go? What about trade interest around the league? The list goes on. Information comes from different places. So, in this scenario we have one prominent team insider in Cimini saying Reese is the favored guy. Then, you have two other insiders in Schrager and Jeremiah saying Bailey could be the guy.

One thing that is important to note about the Jets is that with Darren Mougey and Aaron Glenn leading the way over the last year, the team has held information close to the vest. The vast majority of the moves New York has made have come out of nowhere. Remember the Sauce Gardner trade? Because of that, it's hard to trust anyone right now because there's no guarantee the information is coming straight from the team. Or, if it is from the team, what is the motivation?

Because of that, don't necessarily read into everything just yet. We're just about two weeks away from the draft. Either Reese or Bailey appears to be the favorite. No one has been talked about more than Bailey. Arguably, the sheer volume of noise around Reese should be enough to think he's the guy to watch.