For the New York Jets, the draft effectively begins at No. 16 overall, their second first-round pick. At least, that’s how it feels.
With the No. 2 pick, Gang Gren is widely expected to select an edge defender, with Arvell Reese emerging as the frontrunner, and for good reason.
The 16th overall pick is where things get interesting. The Jets have numerous options. They could draft one of several positions, even potentially taking a swing at quarterback, though that is a risk many believe is not worth taking.
With that in mind, here are the Jets’ top three options at No. 16.
3. Makai Lemon, WR, USC
Standing at 5-foot-11 and 192 pounds, Makai Lemon is arguably the best slot wide receiver in this year’s class.
Over three college seasons at USC (33 games), Lemon hauled in 137 receptions for 2,008 yards and 14 touchdowns. He made his name known during the 2025 season, posting 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns on 79 receptions while winning the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver.
When you turn on the tape, Lemon’s reliability stands out, and the numbers back it up. Across the past two seasons, the receiver logged just three drops on 175 targets (1.7%).
#USC WR Makai Lemon’s concentration and body control is impressive on downfield passes, often contested. Just a big-time player who rises to the occasion when his team needs a big play. Had 10 catches, 153 yards and 1 TD against Iowa yesterday. pic.twitter.com/rkQCQVjpRv
— Devin Jackson (@RealD_Jackson) November 16, 2025
Beyond that, he high-points the ball exceptionally well for his size while consistently tracking it well throughout its flight. He is also a willing blocker who gives maximum effort on each rep, earning a solid 66.3 run-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus last season over 284 snaps.
At the next level, Lemon projects as a starting-caliber slot receiver with nuanced route-running ability and strong hands.
While he lacks ideal size and long speed, he has the route-running ability and strong football acumen to make up for it.
This USC product consistently moves the chains, as his 50 first downs from last season were tied for the most among FBS receivers. Many of those came as a result of his elusiveness; he ranked sixth with 21 missed tackles forced.
Makai Lemon was unreal vs Iowa
attacking blind spots. Climbing the ladder. Sideline awareness. Off frame ball tracking.
his feel for reach and defender distance shows up – allows him to always play at his speed pic.twitter.com/W73ABEy8Ib
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) March 23, 2026
As it pertains to his fit with the Jets, the only real nitpick is how he complements Garrett Wilson.
Some may view Lemon as a bit redundant to Wilson, another polished route technician who thrived in the slot. Because of that, there will be those who prefer a different archetype: a true, big-bodied X receiver who can stretch the field vertically, like Washington’s Denzel Boston.
However, the Jets can’t be picky. They simply need weapons.
2. Carnell Tate slips, trade up a few spots
A five-star recruit from IMG Academy in Florida, Carnell Tate was a freshman contributor with the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2023, working his way up to a dominant junior year in 2025.
Despite appearing in only 11 games, he produced at an elite level, finishing the season with 875 yards and nine touchdowns on 51 catches.
One of Tate’s best tools is his ability to consistently win in traffic. In 2025, he secured a whopping 85.7% of his contested grabs (12 of 14), the highest clip among FBS wide receivers with at least 10 contested catch opportunities. This is critical in Tate’s evaluation, as contested-catch rate is a metric that tends to be a strong indicator of future NFL success.
What sticks out most, though, is his ability to stretch the field. On 17 deep targets during the 2025 season (20+ yards), Tate reeled in 11 receptions for 453 yards and six touchdowns. Furthermore, five of his nine touchdowns went for more than 40 yards, showcasing his elite explosiveness.
Carnell Tate (6’3 195) Ohio State
+ Strong and reliable hands with just a 4.0% career drop rate
+ Body control
+ Deep ball tracking
+ 3.03 yards per route ran is among the highest in the draft class
+ 68.8% contested catch rate for his career
+ Willing and capable blocker
— Bengals & Brews (@BengalsBrews) February 14, 2026
Tate is an elite route runner with strong hands. He didn’t drop a pass on 66 targets in 2025.
In the NFL, Tate has the ability to develop into one of the league’s top boundary receivers with his elite ball skills, strong hands, and big-play ability.
I’ve scarcely seen a WR as good as Carnell Tate is at these two things:
– Stemming DBs on the vertical plane
– Converting on under-thrown balls that re-enter DB range
His reliability can be quantified as elite. Such a savvy, sound player.
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) November 1, 2025
Unlike Lemon, Tate fits seamlessly alongside fellow Buckeye and the Jets’ top receiver, Garrett Wilson. With his size and presence on the boundary, he brings the big-play ability that is needed to complement Wilson’s game.
Per Mock Draft Database, Tate’s consensus ranking was as high as No. 4 as recently as Jan. 24. He now sits at No. 9. If he starts to slide out of the top 10 and into striking distance of No. 16, the Jets should explore a move up to land their ideal WR2.
1. Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
Just a few weeks ago, I laid out the possibility of the Jets selecting Kenyon Sadiq at No. 16. The more I watch him, the more all-in I get.
Throughout his three seasons at Oregon, Sadiq worked his way up the ranks before really taking off in 2025. On 51 receptions, he logged 560 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, which led FBS tight ends.
His stock soared following a historic day at the NFL Scouting Combine, where he broke the all-time record for fastest forty-yard dash by a tight end (4.39) while measuring in at 6-foot-3 and 241 pounds.
“Wait, how could the Jets take a tight end at No. 16? They took Mason Taylor in the second round last year!”
Sure, I understand that. However, fans need to be thinking about the best pass-catcher available rather than the best wide receiver available.
Sadiq can be smoothly integrated alongside Taylor. While offensive coordinator Frank Reich has historically not relied heavily on 12 personnel as a play-caller, Sadiq can function as a traditional slot receiver.
2. Defenders better not miss their jams against Sadiq. After motioning into the slot you can easily see the speed he brings on downfield routes. The defender is cooked. I love how Sadiq tracks the ball & goes full extension to reel it in away from his body for a 30-yard score. pic.twitter.com/KR32LCUWOA
— #AskFFT (@daverichard) March 5, 2026
In fact, at Oregon last season, Sadiq lined up in the slot (331 snaps) more often than in-line (314). His profile is eerily similar to that of Bowling Green’s Harold Fannin Jr., a third-round pick of the Cleveland Browns from last year’s draft who finished second among rookie tight ends in receiving yards (731), trailing only Tyler Warren’s 817.
There’s also a realistic possibility that Sadiq could be the highest-rated pass catcher on the Jets’ board at No. 16, which would make the selection even more logical.
While he is undersized, he holds up very well as a blocker. Per PFF, Sadiq posted a 66.3 run-blocking grade in 2025, placing him in the 83rd percentile among tight ends with at least 200 blocking snaps. He handled a significant workload as well, playing 332 run-blocking snaps, tied for the 22nd most at the position, indicating he was trusted by the Ducks’ coaching staff in that role.
Overall, the Jets’ priority at No. 16 must be to add a legitimate playmaker—no exceptions.