FlurrySports projects three possible New York Jets draft targets with the second overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, including Ohio State’s Arvell Reese.
It was once again a season to forget for the New York Jets, as Justin Fields was not the answer that they were looking for at the quarterback position. While it was disappointing this past season, the Jets seem to be moving in the right direction as they parted ways with both Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, bringing in a number of draft picks over the next few drafts.
Over the next three drafts, New York possesses six first-round picks and four second-round picks. While that is certainly enough to build a nice young corps, you have to wonder if they are going to use those valuable assets to move around in the coming draft. Either way, it appears that the Raiders will take Fernando Mendoza with the first pick, so the second pick is really where the 2026 NFL Draft starts, and the New York Jets draft options are ample to keep rebuilding the franchise.
New York Jets Draft Targets at No. 2 Include Arvell Reese
Arvell Reese, LB/EDGE, Ohio State
The once great Jets defense of past seasons seems to be going by the wayside, as I stated in the intro, they parted with their two superstars. Now, they have a chance to bring in a game wrecker off the edge. Arvell Reese is projected to be the best defender in the draft. With a defense that lacked getting after the quarterback, finishing 31st in sacks last season, and the inability to bring in any turnovers through the air, it is obvious that the number one need for the Jets is pass rush. It might take a season or two, but no player in this draft has a better chance of becoming a superstar pass rusher than Reese.
Given Aaron Glenn’s penchant for being a defensive guy, Arvell Reese is the perfect player to bring in and rebuild your defense around. While he played both the edge and off-ball linebacker at Ohio State, Reese brings in some versatility, lining up in the defensive backfield. With his athleticism and speed, the Jets will have the liberty to try him out at various positions this season, because in reality, they are not really contending. Reese is a great start to the Jets’ coming six first-round picks.
David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
For whatever my money is worth, the top three prospects in this year’s draft are probably on the defensive side of the ball. That brings up serious questions about who the Jets decide to draft between Arvell Reese and Texas Tech’s David Bailey. If New York passes on Reese in favor of Bailey, it is hard to argue as a bad pick. Bailey comes into the NFL off a season where he led the Big 12 with 19.5 tackles for loss, on top of 14.5 sacks, staking his name as the best defender in college football last season.
Much like Reese, if the New York Jets draft David Bailey, they have an immediate piece to build their defense around. When comparing the two, it seems like Bailey’s is ready to rack up sacks right away, while Arvell Reese provides the higher ceiling. Bringing Bailey in immediately gives a boost to a very poor pass-rushing unit last season, and in a division with Josh Allen, Drake Maye and Malik Willis, getting after the quarterback is going to be key to competing. Not only getting after the quarterback, but bringing in someone of Bailey’s pedigree guarantees that the Jets come away with more than zero interceptions next season.
Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
As you can tell, there is a common theme among the players that the Jets need to consider with the second overall pick: defense. Ohio State’s Caleb Downs is my pick for the best player in the entire 2026 NFL Draft, and any team that he goes to will get an instant playmaker in the secondary. As I have stated a number of times in this article, the New York Jets’ turnover creation on defense was the worst we have ever seen. They helped to remedy that in free agency, bringing in Minkah Fitzpatrick, so I think it does make some sort of sense to immediately go out and get a player to partner with him in Downs.
While Fitzpatrick probably plays the roaming safety, Downs should seamlessly slide into the box, as during his time in college, Downs was great in run defense. His willingness to get to the line of scrimmage and offer run support is invaluable to a team looking to stay competitive. The knock against Downs could be that he is overly aggressive and has the potential to overrun plays. While that is a valid concern, I am not sure how much the Jets should care about that in the short term. Downs plays like a bull in a china shop. With Glenn coaching him, I am not worried about Downs being the next Jon Abram.
2026 New York Jets Draft Picks
- Round 1, Pick 2
- Round 1, Pick 16
- Round 2, Pick 33
- Round 2, Pick 44
- Round 4, Pick 103
- Round 4, Pick 140
- Round 5, Pick 179
- Round 6, Pick 194
- Round 6, Pick 208
- Round 7, Pick 218
- Round 7, Pick 242
