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Jets 2026 NFL Draft pick-by-pick tracker
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- Jets 2026 NFL Draft pick-by-pick tracker
The New York Jets went into the 2026 NFL Draft with nine picks to make, including two picks in the first 16 selections as they seek to improve off a 3-14 season. After New York traded away cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams during the season, the Jets are now in a full-scale rebuild that will hopefully turn them into a winner soon enough.
Coming into the draft, the Jets had plenty of needs to address, including wide receiver, offensive line, and in the secondary along with just accumulating more talent in general. New York made various moves this offseason, including signing quarterback Geno Smith , as the team looks to create a culture that head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey can take to new heights.
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The Jets are not expected to take their franchise quarterback in this draft given that they were going to miss out on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, but next year's class is headlined by Texas signal-caller Arch Manning . With that being said, here are all of the picks that the Jets made during the 2026 NFL Draft, including their first one that was widely-expected:
David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech (2nd overall)
Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders linebacker David Bailey is introduced before the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Bailey and Ohio State EDGE Arvell Reese were the two players reportedly in contention for the Jets given their need for addressing the defensive line in some way heading into the 2026 season. Bailey possesses a unique blend of size (6-foot-3, 251 pounds) and athleticism (4.5 second 40-yard dash) that should allow him to make a difference for New York from the first day of the season.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Jets 2026 NFL Draft pick-by-pick tracker
