B-
New York Jets
Larceny in No. 228 lands the Jets a B-, Caldwell and all.
by 0987 ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 1 steals
· 1 reaches
Somebody in pick No. 228 was going to get robbed, and it turned out to be the rest of the league. The Jets sat still while Jeff Caldwell, the No. 193 name on the board, slid all the way to them, then sprinted to the podium. No fireworks, but a solid B-.
The quarterback hole is the one line item this class does not answer. The Hill Jr. pick is fine in a vacuum, less so with quarterback, edge rusher and other spots still on the board. Huskey has a lot of ground to make up just to look fairly priced.
A workmanlike haul that should hold up just fine.
Pick-by-Pick
In the Round 1 slot they get the heartbeat of the defense. More want than need.
In pick No. 16 they get a long-term starter on the line at fair value. A clean fit for the roster.
Omar Cooper Jr. in the 33rd overall pick is fair value, right on his grade. It fills a real need, too.
A want over a need in the 44th pick: Anthony Hill Jr. adds a linebacker while quarterback, edge rusher and other spots keeps waiting.
By-the-book stuff, Malik Muhammad at slot 103 squarely in line with his ranking. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
A tidy little value on Oscar Delp in No. 140, a step better than break-even. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.
Ar'maj Reed-Adams at pick 179 is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the offensive lineman. The roster fit checks out.
Taking Jeff Caldwell in Round 7, Pick 12 is close to grand larceny; a wide receiver that good had no business lasting this long. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Jalen Huskey at the 242nd pick is a conviction pick that outran the value. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.