Jets Mock Draft Round Up 2.0- Bolstering The Defense

It is NFL Combine time. The Combine might not carry as much weight as many like to think in who gets drafted where, but it does mark the start of draft season. From here, there will start to be Pro-Days, some private workouts, and teams will start to zero in on who they want to target.

NFL Combine Week also means a fresh batch of Mock Drafts. We already did a Mock Draft Roundup 1.0 for the Jets. But a few weeks later, did any of these mock draft writers change their minds already? Here is a look at who the draft experts have going to the Jets at picks 2 and 16 this year.

"The Jets have their pick of the draft’s finest edge rushers here. Bailey’s combination of explosiveness and production is the best of the bunch."

In 1.0, every single Mock Draft had them taking Arvell Reese from Ohio State. So David Bailey is a new name. Bailey is more of a safe bet at EDGE, since he actually played EDGE in college, but most agree that Reese has the highest upside.

"I know quarterback is a huge need for the Jets, but I don’t see a QB worthy of the 16th overall pick this year. So, they can take the best player available here. I view Ioane as the best offensive lineman in the draft. He can fill the void with the injury-plagued Alijah Vera-Tucker and John Simpson, who are headed for free agency."

If you are a team in need of a QB, but there is no QB worth taking, the next best thing you can do is build up your O-Line. It is arguably the second most important position in the sport. Building a great O-Line will make it much easier for your next franchise QB, whenever you can get one.

"With Aaron Glenn taking over the defensive play-calling duties, the Jets could opt for a pass rusher to generate more takeaway opportunities in 2026 and beyond. Bailey is a spectacular sack specialist with the explosiveness to wreak havoc on quarterbacks."

Another vote for David Bailey. Bailey had 14.5 sacks last season. Tied for the most in the league. Great teams build in the trenches, and getting an elite D-Lineman can transform your defense.

"If the Jets find a quarterback via trade or free agency, they could add another perimeter weapon to the mix to alleviate some of the pressure on WR1 Garrett Wilson. Tyson's injury history is a concern, but the Arizona State star is a polished route runner with outstanding hands and ball skills."

Adding another high-end WR would be another great way to set up the eventual QB for success. If no good QB is available, get as much talent as possible so they have a better chance of playing well when you get them.

"This would be the highest draft slot for a safety since Eric Turner went No. 2 in 1991. Downs is worthy, though. He reads the offense so well, and then he has quickness, physicality, and ball skills to make plays against both the run and the pass. He can truly impact a defense's ceiling from the back end, with six interceptions, 18 tackles for loss and 22 run stops over his three college seasons."

The Jets did not have a single interception in 2025. Their defense under Aaron Glen was a mess. They need talent there, period. Drafting a Safety second overall is rare. But Safeties can be game changers for a team. If the Jets see him as a guy who can be that game changer, then you take him.

"Three Jets defensive tackles are hitting free agency, and they've lacked a real impact player in the middle of the D-line since trading Williams at the deadline. Woods didn't have elite production in 2025, but the tape was still really good. He has the power to be a force at 3-technique for New York."

Again, you can never go wrong with building through the trenches.

"Scouts are worried about his short arms and less-than-ideal build for an edge rusher, but Bain was a force against top competition all season and did not slow down at all in the College Football Playoff. Bain was one of the nation’s top freshmen in 2023 before his sophomore season was undercut by injuries, so it’s not as if he just popped in his final season. A higher sack total (9.5 in 16 games) would be nice to see, but five of those came during the Hurricanes’ four-game CFP run. Miami coaches rave about Bain’s professionalism."

It is interesting to see so many different names at Pick 2. It feels like the first few picks are usually more set in stone. But after Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders, there is very little agreement. Which is strange after they all picked Arvell Reese in the last batch of mock drafts, now no one is mocking him to the Jets.

"This might be dooming Tyson to a Garrett Wilson-esque career, stuck in a dysfunctional organization that can’t develop a quarterback. New York figures to be bad again next season and has a lot of draft capital stored up, so it can address QB with another likely top-five-ish pick in 2027. For now, here’s another receiver to go with Wilson (who is under contract through 2030) or a potential WR1 if the Jets decide to move on from Wilson in the next year or so."

The point about the 2027 draft is interesting. The Jets will have 3 picks, and their own will likely be very high. It is supposed to be a good Qb draft, but oftentimes that does not always carry over. People thought this class would be much better, but with NIL, more and more players are staying in College longer.

But the point is, the Jets might be setting themselves up to get a QB next year. So instead of trying to force a pick at QB, maybe they should focus on getting as much talent as possible this year.