With their first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Jets selected what could be their future defensive cornerstone.
At No. 2 overall, the Jets select Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey.
He became the highest-drafted defensive player in Jets history.
“I had a great interaction with them at the combine,” Bailey said on Thursday after he was drafted. “Obviously, they canceled the 30 visit, but other than that, I had great Facetimes.
With their second selection in the first round and at No. 16 overall, the Jets added an offensive playmaker in Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq. They also traded their No. 33 overall pick in the second round to trade back into the first round to select Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr.
“We were still stacking the board with players that we thought can help us,” Jets general manager Darren Mougey said. “Sadiq, as an overall weapon, he was there and there was great value to add to the offense. Omar Cooper was a guy that we had good grades on and we saw him towards the end to give up a comp pick to get back up and get the fifth year option and make sure we got our guy and we feel good about that.”
After selecting a tackle in back-to-back drafts (Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou), Gang Green chose Bailey, 22, who was the most productive pass rusher in the nation and arguably the best one available. He led the FBS in sacks (14.5) while also finishing with 19.5 tackles for loss. After the Jets traded Jermaine Johnson to the Titans for T’Vondre Sweat, adding a pass rusher was a must for a Jets defense that finished with the second-fewest sacks last year (26).
The Jets had dinner with Bailey and also attended his pro day last month. At the NFL Combine in February, he ran a 4.5 40-yard dash, which was the second-fastest among defensive ends and edge rushers behind only Ohio State’s Arvell Reese’s 4.46.
Ultimately, the Jets chose the more productive player, Bailey, over the upside of Reese.
“Arvell is going to have a really good career in this league,” Jets coach Aaron Glenn said. “But when you continue to evaluate those guys, we just felt Bailey fit us better.
“He had a ton of production in college. We looked at all those things and he fits us.”
There was some thought that the Jets might draft Reese instead after they canceled Bailey’s top 30 visit earlier this month. But Jets general manager Darren Mougey downplayed the decision earlier this week and didn’t detail why the visit was canceled.
The Jets desperately need Bailey to produce immediately after having one of the worst defenses in the league last year on their way to finishing 3-14. They finished 25th in yards and 31st in points allowed last year.
Gang Green also became the first team in NFL history to go the entire season without registering an interception. In addition, the team was also the first in league history to lose its final five games by 23 points or more. In the midst of that, the Jets fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks after just 14 games.
Bailey is a 6-3, 250-pound pass rusher who uses his excellent first step and someone who uses his acceleration to win matchups against offensive linemen at the line of scrimmage. He also has an amazing bend that helps him get around blockers, along with a variety of pass-rush moves. At Texas Tech, Bailey played both as a stand-up edge rusher and as a hand-in-the-ground player.
The Jets finished 25th in yards and 31st in points allowed last year. They also became the first team in NFL history to go the entire season without registering an interception. In addition, they were also the first team in league history to lose their final five games by 23 points or more. In the midst of that, the Jets fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks after just 14 games.
After making several staff changes, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn will be the team’s defensive playcaller moving forward. Bailey will join fellow defensive players Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare, who were both signed this offseason. Bailey will also team up with Will McDonald, who led the Jets in sacks last season (eight). One concern about Bailey’s game is his run defense. But he says it’s an area he knows he needs to continue improving.
“I can always improve,” Bailey said. “Even as a pass rusher, I can always improve, but I know I have the ability to play the run.
“There’s obviously clips that you play where you question it, but there’s also clips that show up on tape where you are like ‘Yeah, he can play the run.’ Obviously, that comes down to certain positions I’m in. I feel confident they will put me in the best position to succeed, whether that will be staying on the edge or dropping back. There’s always things to work on.”
The pick of Sadiq was a bit of a surprise because the Jets drafted a tight end last year. They selected Mason Taylor in the second round and he was first on the team in receptions (44) and second in receiving yards (369). Sadiq was the highest the Jets have selected a tight end since they drafted Kyle Brady ninth overall in 1995.
Although it wasn’t an immediate need like at wide receiver, Sadiq, 21, should help a Jets offense that finished dead last in passing yards last season. He isn’t just a tight end — Sadiq is an offensive weapon. At Oregon, Sadiq was one of the most physical and versatile blockers in the nation.
Last year for the Ducks, Sadiq recorded 51 catches for 560 yards and eight touchdowns in his lone season as their starting tight end. The 6-3, 241-pounder ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in February and registered a 43.5-inch vertical. He was named a second-team All-American and the Big Ten Conference Tight End of the Year last season.
One of the most impressive aspects of Sadiq’s game is his ability to create mismatches in the passing game. His speed consistently gives both linebackers and safeties trouble. The Jets desperately needed to add another offensive weapon alongside Garrett Wilson, who led the team in receiving yards last year despite missing 10 games (knee).
Sadiq’s drops are one of the concerns about his play from last season. He had six drops and recorded a 10.5% drop rate, which many have attributed to lapses of concentration. Entering the NFL, Sadiq said that avoiding drop passes is a focus for him.
“It is definitely uncharacteristic,” he said. “If you go watch those drops, they were the easy ones man. It is something that I take it on the chest and it is something I realize it is something I need to improve on.
“Improving hand-eye coordination has been huge for me. If you look at Washington after I had my last drop, I didn’t have another one. I make that a point of emphasis.”
After opting not to draft a receiver with their first two picks, the Jets traded the No. 33 and No. 179 overall picks to the 49ers for the 30th selection to draft Cooper. With the lack of consistent receivers outside of Wilson, the Jets are hoping Cooper will take pressure off quarterback Geno Smith and the rest of the offense.
Last year, Cooper helped the Hoosiers win the national championship after finishing with 69 catches, 937 yards, and 13 touchdowns. His style of play is different than any receiver the Jets currently have on their roster. He also helped save Indiana’s perfect season after bringing down a game-winning touchdown catch against Penn State last November.
Cooper, 22, is a physical receiver who loves to go over the middle and bring down contested passes. He played primarily in the slot at Indiana last season, but he has the ability to play on the outside. Many analysts have compared him to former 49ers and Commanders receiver Deebo Samuel Sr.
“My strengths are yards after the catch,” Cooper said. “I feel like I attack the ball really well and I have really good strong hands.”
