The New York Jets have the second and 16th picks in the 2026 NFL Draft when Round 1 begins April 23 in Pittsburgh. Heading into this year’s draft, the Jets have nine picks.
Jets’ draft picks
RoundPickOverallNotes
1
2
2
2
16
16
From Colts
2
1
33
2
12
44
From Cowboys
4
3
103
4
40
140
Compensatory pick
5
39
179
Compensatory pick
7
12
228
From Cowboys via Bills and Raiders
7
26
242
From Bills via Browns
“The Beast”: Dane Brugler’s NFL Draft guide scouts 402 prospects
Full draft order
Every pick in the seven-round NFL Draft.
NFL Draft details
• Round 1: April 23, 8 p.m. ET
• Rounds 2-3: April 24, 7 p.m. ET
• Rounds 4-7: April 25, noon ET
All rounds will be televised on ESPN/ABC and NFL Network and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes.
About the Jets
• General manager: Darren Mougey (second season with team)
• Head coach: Aaron Glenn (second season with team)
• Last year’s record: 3-14
Glenn came in as a first-time head coach with an abnormal amount of power — he had final say on roster decisions — and was confident that the Jets would take a leap forward under a new coaching staff. He and Mougey pegged Justin Fields as their quarterback. That (among many other things) didn’t work out. The Jets started 0-7, with Fields benched multiple times (and publicly criticized by owner Woody Johnson). The Jets finished 2025 on a historically bad five-game losing streak. They also became the first team to ever go a full season with zero interceptions.
Glenn, suffice to say, lost a lot of the local support. This offseason, he completely overturned his coaching staff, replacing his previous offensive and defensive coordinators as well as a host of other assistants, while also choosing to take over as the primary defensive play-caller. If Glenn is on the hot seat, he’s going down swinging — and he’ll do it with 2013 Jets second-round pick Geno Smith as his quarterback, 10 years after Smith unceremoniously left the franchise.
Scouting the decision-makers
Mougey and Glenn are mostly on equal footing, though Glenn still carries a big stick in all decisions. As the two have spent more time together, their chemistry has improved, and they have a better understanding of the kind of team Glenn is trying to build. It’s too early to evaluate last year’s draft class, though first-round tackle Armand Membou looks like a keeper. The Jets are flush with draft capital (they own the No. 2, 16, 33 and 44 picks), so Mougey and Glenn will be under pressure to infuse one of the NFL’s worst rosters with ready-made talent.
• The Jets’ 2025 NFL Draft class
Jets’ key free-agent signings
• EDGE Joseph Ossai: Three years, $34.5 million
• LB Demario Davis: Two years, $22 million
• DT David Onyemata: One year, $10.5 million
• EDGE Kingsley Enagbare: One year, $9.5 million
• G Dylan Parham: One year, $8 million
Jets’ key positions of need
Wide Receiver: The Jets didn’t take any big swings in free agency or on the trade market, mostly filling out their roster with capable veterans at positions of need. The one position they didn’t address at all is wide receiver. Both Glenn and Mougey praised Adonai Mitchell at the owners’ meetings, and Mitchell flashed some real potential after coming over in the Sauce Gardner trade last fall, but it’s difficult to envision them going into next season with Mitchell as the No. 2 receiver alongside Garrett Wilson. Isaiah Williams also showed flashes as a slot receiver, but the expectation should be that the Jets draft at least one pass-catcher in their first four picks, if not two of them.
Quarterback: The Jets were excited to get Smith back into the fold, feeling like he can bring a level of competence to the quarterback position they were missing in 2025 — even if he’s coming off a down season with the Las Vegas Raiders. Regardless, Smith is only under contract for 2026, and the long-term solution at the position isn’t currently on the roster. Whether that quarterback is in the 2026 draft class depends on the Jets’ mileage on prospects like Ty Simpson and Garrett Nussmeier. It also should be noted that the Jets haven’t really addressed the backup quarterback position either, outside of adding Bailey Zappe in January.
Edge Rusher: The Jets signed two edge rushers in free agency (Ossai and Enagbare) and added them to a group that includes Will McDonald. That’s a solid rotation of players, though none of them are going to scare opposing offensive coordinators. McDonald is purely a pass rusher at this point, Enagbare thrives against the run and Ossai brings a mix of both. But the Jets need to add some more dynamism to the position — and this is a strong draft for pass rushers. Ohio State’s Arvell Reese and Texas Tech’s David Bailey are the early favorites to go No. 2.
Jets draft analysis
Pass on Arvell Reese? Trade Breece Hall? Ty Simpson Round 1? Examining 5 Jets draft rumors
Mailbag: What is the New York Jets’ plan at backup QB? Is Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq a draft target?
Quietly, methodically, Darren Mougey is having a moment
Projecting the Jets’ depth chart after free agency — and what roster holes remain
The Athletic’s latest mock drafts
April 6: Nick Baumgardner mock draft
Baumgardner projected the draft’s top 100 picks — including four in the top-50 for the Jets.
April 1: Bruce Feldman mock draft
Based on his conversations with college coaches, agents and scouting sources, Feldman has the Jets going defense and offense with their two first-rounders.
March 25: Vic Tafur mock draft
Vic’s pick with the second pick isn’t a shocker, but the Jets land a popular second-tier receiver with the 16th pick.
March 19: NFL beat writer mock draft
Zack Rosenblatt turned in the card — twice — for the Jets.
March 4: Dane Brugler’s mock draft
While working on “The Beast,” Dane took some time to project the first two rounds.