B-
New York Jets
A respectable, level-headed haul for the Jets: B-.
by bbg ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 7 picks
· 1 steals
· 1 reaches
Hard to follow the map here. The Jets bypassed cornerback, edge rusher and other spots to take Jacob Rodriguez at the 44th pick, a spot they had covered. Call it a sensible B-, earned the boring way.
They punted on cornerback, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest. The Allar reach is the anchor dragging on the value grade. That is a safety worth more than the slot they spent on him, plainly.
They went 4 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for.
Good work on the whole, with cornerback the one box left unchecked.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 2 they get the heartbeat of the defense. Need was not the driver here.
In the 16th pick they get a building block for the line at fair value. A real need, handled.
Peter Woods at the 33rd overall pick is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the interior defensive lineman. A need, and now a little less of one.
Hard to square with the roster. With positions of obvious need still on the board, Jacob Rodriguez adds a linebacker and leaves cornerback, edge rusher and other spots untouched.
A quiet steal in No. 103: Zakee Wheatley for less than the market said. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
A reach for Drew Allar in Round 4, Pick 40; a little patience would have been rewarded. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
They took Zane Durant at par in slot 179, which is nothing to complain about. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.