B+
New York Jets
A sensible, unshowy class lands the Jets a B+.
by LARAMS ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 13 picks
· 2 steals
· 3 reaches
The Jets bet big and early on Mason Reiger, 45 picks ahead of the board. Bold does not always mean right.
On value alone, Payton makes the weekend a net positive. The trade work was a quiet net positive.
In sum, a sensible class that nudges the roster the right way.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 11th pick they get a matchup problem out wide. A real need, handled.
In Round 1, Pick 16 they get a green-dot type in the middle at fair value. Need was not the driver here.
In slot 30 they get a lockdown presence outside at fair value. Exactly the need they had to hit.
Good price on Dillon Thieneman in pick 33, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Gabe Jacas at pick No. 44 is a conviction pick that outran the value. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
They jumped the gun on Jadarian Price, taking him earlier than his grade liked. It fills a real need, too.
Ted Hurst at the 92nd pick nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
A big swing on Mason Reiger at No. 103, well ahead of any board in the building. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Hezekiah Masses in Round 4, Pick 40 is fair value, right on his grade. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Ar'maj Reed-Adams in the Round 5 slot is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
A quiet steal in the 215th overall pick: Cole Payton for less than the market said. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
A tidy little value on Bryson Eason in pick 228, a step better than break-even. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
A tidy bit of business in pick No. 242, where Kaden Wetjen graded well above the range. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.