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Jets Projected to Draft Consensus Best Player in 2026 NFL Draft
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- Jets Projected to Draft Consensus Best Player in 2026 NFL Draft
With three NFL games remaining in the postseason and nearly every team across the league already in offseason mode, the attention is starting to shift toward April's draft.
The 2026 NFL Draft is set to begin on April 23 in Pittsburgh , with the Las Vegas Raiders holding the top overall pick for the first time since 2007 and the New York Jets in possession of the No. 2 after finishing the season in a four-way tie for the worst record at 3-14.
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On Wednesday, ESPN's Mel Kiper shared his first mock draft of the year, projecting Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders at No. 1.
Mendoza, who won the Heisman and national championship after transferring from Cal, finished the 2025 season with 41 touchdown passes and six interceptions and capped it all with a 27-21 win over the Miami Hurricanes in the CFP national championship game on Monday.
At No. 2, Kiper has the Jets selecting Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese. The pick would reunite Jets head coach Aaron Glenn with a top defensive piece, as New York looks to rebuild a defense that finished 31st in sacks.
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"The (Jets) depth chart could be thinning out on the edge. With coach Aaron Glenn's defensive background, getting that unit right will be an offseason priority," Kiper wrote. "Reese played off the ball before moving into an edge rusher role in 2025, and he has the traits to make an impact there in the NFL. I love his instincts and burst."
Added Kiper: "For the Jets fans screaming that the team needs a quarterback, I'm with you. There just isn't another passer worthy of a top-two selection right now after Dante Moore decided to go back to Oregon for another season. Right now, New York is better off taking the top defensive prospect on the board -- and maybe getting lucky at the QB position when it is back on the board in the middle of Round 1."
Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese (8) tackles Washington Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. (2).Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch
According to The Athletic's consensus Big Board , Reese ranks as the No. 1 overall player in the 2026 draft class. The composite rankings, updated Monday, place Reese above Mendoza and every other draft-eligible prospect.
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For fans hoping for a quarterback, Kiper acknowledged the concern, but he also pointed out the drop in quality after Mendoza goes off the board, supposedly as the first-overall pick in April.
The Jets also hold the No. 16 and No. 33 picks, providing them with options to draft a lower-level quarterback later in the first round or into the second.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 21, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
