Experts give the Jets solid 2026 NFL Draft grades

KANSAS CITY, MO - APRIL 29: ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. during the third day of the NFL Draft on April 29, 2023 at Union Station in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images What do the experts have to say about how the Jets did in the 2026 NFL Draft? Let’s check out some immediate Draft grades given out by prominent members of the media.

class="has-text-align-none">Just remember that Draft grades are stupid…unless they praise the Jets.

(Mel Kiper, Jr. ESPN)New York Jets: A- Top needs entering the draft: Quarterback, wide receiver, edge rusher, cornerback, linebacker

class="has-text-align-none">Let’s flash back to 2022, when the Jets had two picks in Round 1 and ended up making three selections — Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson and Jermaine Johnson. Only one of those players is still with the team, and one of them was actually traded for one of the Jets’ first-rounders this year, but we’re running it back. New York added three playmakers on Day 1, starting with David Bailey.

class="has-text-align-none">I made the case that this should have been Arvell Reese because of his high upside. But Bailey brings tangible production to the table, having led the nation in pressure rate (20.4%) en route to 14.5 sacks — which also tied for the most among all FBS players. He’s a bendy 251-pounder with 4.5 speed that allows him to get on top of QBs quickly. Johnson is in Tennessee now, so the Jets needed a real presence opposite Will McDonald IV. They were 31st in sacks last season with 26.

class="has-text-align-none">New York went with offense at Nos. 16 and 30. The Jets used a second-round pick on Mason Taylor last year at tight end (44 catches in Year 1), but that didn’t stop them from jumping on Kenyon Sadiq in the middle of Round 1. It wasn’t the most obvious need, and I had zeroed this one in on receiver Makai Lemon. But Sadiq is going to be used all over the formation and is basically a big receiver when he’s flexed out. He ran a 4.39 in the 40-yard dash and jumped 43½ inches in the vertical jump at 241 pounds. He can box out cornerbacks and safeties and outrun linebackers, so it’s no surprise that he’s terrific after the catch.

class="has-text-align-none">Coming right back with Omar Cooper Jr. after trading back into the first round suddenly turns one of the worst pass-catching groups in the NFL (if not the worst) into a promising unit. Cooper caught 13 touchdowns last season.

class="has-text-align-none">The Jets only made one pick on Day 2, but I love what they did. D’Angelo Ponds isn’t for every defense at 5-9 and 182 pounds, but the Jets didn’t have a single interception last season. Not one. So adding a slot corner with seven picks and 27 pass breakups over his three-year college career is a good move. Recall that Ponds got a lot of attention at the combine when he leapt 43½ inches in the vertical. He’s a tough kid who plays bigger than his size.

class="has-text-align-none">Where’s the QB, though? Well, probably in 2027, when the class is expected to be very, very good, and when New York is again set up with multiple first-rounders. But the Jets did add Cade Klubnik late. He’s competition for Brady Cook for the QB2 role. At one point, he looked like a first-rounder, but 2025 wasn’t kind to his résumé, as he went from 36 passing touchdowns in 2024 to 16 last year.

Pro Football FocusNew York Jets: A-

class="has-text-align-none">Bailey: The Jets opted for the proven commodity off the edge rather than the “what-if” of Arvell Reese developing into a top-flight edge rusher, given his athletic and physical profile. Bailey is coming off consecutive seasons with 90.0-plus PFF grades, and his 79 pressures this past season ranked second among all FBS edge rushers, trailing only Rueben Bain Jr. Bailey adds an immediate speed element off the edge for Aaron Glenn’s defense.

class="has-text-align-none">Sadiq: Most expected the Jets to add a wide receiver to complement Garrett Wilson in this spot, but they added a slightly different type of weapon. Sadiq is a rare athlete — he ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at 240-plus pounds, and he produced 15 receptions of 15 or more yards last season at Oregon. His addition gives new quarterback Geno Smith a big, explosive athlete who can line up in multiple alignments.

class="has-text-align-none">Cooper: Cooper is a well-rounded, NFL-caliber athlete with a dense frame and strong hands, projecting as a WR2-type at the next level.

class="has-text-align-none">Ponds: Ponds plays with clear passion and urgency every snap. While his size, athleticism and strength limitations cap his ceiling, his football IQ and instincts give him starter potential as a zone defender.

class="has-text-align-none">Jackson: Jackson is a massive, powerful defensive tackle with imposing physical traits. When his hand usage is right, he can be dominant, but inconsistency in technique and processing limits his impact. He remains a high-upside prospect.

class="has-text-align-none">Klubnik: Klubnik brings high football character and a pretty passing style as a touch passer, but there’s a good chance he lacks the physical traits or arm talent to be a long-term starter in the pro game. He’ll have to be an assassin in his pre-snap reads and post-snap recognition to be a starter — but at worst, he is a preferred long-term backup.

class="has-text-align-none">Cooper: Cooper, the No. 206 player on the PFF Big Board, brings a high-volume profile after logging 1,022 snaps in 2025 — the fifth-most among 537 qualifying interior offensive linemen. He held up well in pass protection with a 78.9 pass-blocking grade (T-82) and a 2.3% pressure rate (T-113), though his 68.7 overall grade (124th) and 67.4 run-blocking grade (T-109) point to inconsistent efficiency in the run game.

class="has-text-align-none">Payne: Payne has NFL-caliber size and speed, giving him versatility to play safety or cornerback at the next level.

Chad Reuter (NFL.com)New York Jets: B+

class="has-text-align-none">The Jets ended the Bailey vs. Arvell Reese pre-draft debate by selecting Bailey, a Stanford grad who terrorized quarterbacks for Texas Tech last season with a quick first step and consistent effort. “Sadiq the Freak” was a solid mid-first round pick who could be a major mismatch for defenses if he becomes a consistent pass-catcher. Cooper was an excellent pick-up late in the first; giving a fifth-round pick to San Francisco to acquire his speed and strength after the catch was a bargain. Because the Jets moved up from Round 2 for Cooper and made an ill-fated trade of their third-round pick for Haason Reddick two years ago, their only Day 2 pick was Ponds, a small but feisty defender who could be an excellent fit in the slot or outside corner in the mold of his new head coach, Aaron Glenn.

class="has-text-align-none"> Jackson will pair with the newly-acquired T’Vondre Sweat to present two huge bodies in the middle of the Jets’ defensive line. The team needed a young quarterback, and while Klubnik lacked consistency at Clemson, he presents the arm, experience and mobility to be a solid backup, if not a starter. The Jets received safety Minkah Fitzpatrick from the Dolphins for just a seventh-round pick in March, then used another seventh-rounder on a younger safety with starting potential when Payne somehow lasted long enough.

Nate Davis (USA Today)New York Jets: A+

class="has-text-align-none"> It felt like Part 1 of a summer blockbuster, the highly anticipated draft sequel – generally and specifically to the NYJ – still a year away. But if things unfold as nicely in 2027 as well as Gang Green’s haul seemed to go this year, then New York should actually be a legitimate playoff contender by 2028 … or so. But OLB David Bailey, the second overall pick, TE Kenyon Sadiq, WR Omar Cooper and CB D’Angelo Ponds all project as immediate starters – Ponds and Sadiq both arriving courtesy of trades GM Darren Mougey made at last year’s November deadline. Even fourth-round QB Cade Klubnik could get an extended audition at some point this season – think Davis Mills in Houston. A team that also needs to progress with a significant cultural shift, was also probably wise to bring in Cooper and Ponds fresh off their championship run at Indiana. Admittedly, the Jets have “won” offseasons before, but it’s time to find out if potential starts translating to a much better product on the field.

Rob Rang (Fox Sports)New York Jets

class="has-text-align-none">Trading back into the first round to have three cracks at the top 32, the Jets are ready to ascend. It is easy to gush about top pick David Bailey, whose burst and bend off the edge make him a strong candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year. I don’t believe Kenyon Sadiq is going to make a splashy statistical contribution as a rookie, but I love the threat of his speed down the seam and his explosiveness as a blocker. I do love the addition of two champions from Indiana in wideout Omar Cooper Jr. and cornerback D’Angelo Ponds. Cooper might just become Geno Smith’s favorite target as a rookie and Ponds might remind head coach Aaron Glenn of himself as an undersized but playmaking corner. I also like the fourth-round gamble on quarterback Cade Klubnik, who has a chance to make a case for himself as the long-term future quarterback without the pressure to perform immediately. With three first-round picks next year, as well, the Jets are well-positioned to address the QB position again should Smith and Klubnik not help the Jets take flight in 2026.

class="has-text-align-none">Grade: B

What grade would you give the Jets?