NFL Mock Draft: Jets Pass on QB, Land Star Prospect to Bolster Offense

The Jets might not want to take an aggressive approach in the 2026 NFL Draft this offseason...

Mar 1, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Penn State offensive lineman Vega Ioane (OL30) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The New York Jets are in the middle of a rebuild right now and they're going to need to make all the right moves to get the team back into a playoff fight.

But the good news is they have the draft capital to make big moves. They Jets have two first round picks this season and three first round picks next year. They also have two second round picks this season. But they need to hit big on most, if not all, of these picks.

Jets insider Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic recently put together a mock draft for the entire 2026 NFL Draft. With the No. 16 pick, Rosenblatt projected the Jets would select star offensive lineman Vega Ioane from Penn State to bolster their offensive line.

Vega Ioane would be the boring, but safe, pick at No. 16

Penn State offensive lineman Vega Ioane (71) celebrates with running back Quinton Martin after the freshman scored a touchdown during the Blue-White game at Beaver Stadium on Saturday, April 13, 2024, in State College. The White team defeated the Blue team, 27-0. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

"This ties to the Simpson/Vera-Tucker question. It seems the Jets will let them hit free agency, though that doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t try to re-sign one of them," Rosenblatt wrote. "Vera-Tucker is the better player who has dealt with a lot of injuries; it will be interesting to see what his market looks like. If the Jets opt to let both veterans leave, then it makes sense to consider targeting this class’ best interior offensive-line prospect if the Jets don’t opt to sign someone else ahead of time.

"Ioane, of course, would be much cheaper than any notable free agent signing, with the added bonus that he appears ready to be a starter right away with room to grow. This is the kind of prospect the Jets need in the first round. Brugler compared him to Rams offensive lineman Steve Avila. Per PFF, Ioane didn’t allow a sack across 808 pass blocking snaps the last two seasons and only permitted one QB hit (in 2024)."

This mock draft likely goes hand in hand with the fact that the Jets are seemingly bound to lose John Simpson and Alijah Vera-Tucker in free agency. Losing one or both of these stout linemen would put the Jets in a tough spot where they need to add a Day 1 starter. Vega is the perfect option.

Vegas looked very good in pass protection over his time with the Penn State Nittany Lions. He's also a very good run blocker, which makes him the perfect fit for the Jets offense.

It might not be the most popular pick, but it's the kind of selection that will pay off over time rather than with a big rookie year.