D+
New York Jets
The Jets finally solved quarterback, and it carried them to a D+.
by ChefPack34 ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 11 picks
· 3 steals
· 5 reaches
Some picks age like wine; Gary Smith III at the 242nd pick will need to, sitting 108 spots clear of his grade.
Whatever Ty Simpson becomes, the front office has tied its fortunes to the answer. Overpaying at the table undid a lot of the good work elsewhere.
The Trost steal is the beam this whole class leans on. On the needs board they went 8 of 8, with quarterback the one that mattered most.
Bottom line, they will need several of these picks to beat their grades just to break even.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 13 they get a franchise quarterback, though they paid up to get him. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
In pick 27 they get a weapon on the perimeter, reach and all. A clean fit for the roster.
Akheem Mesidor at the 33rd overall pick is right where the board had him, plain and simple. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
A conviction pick on Jacob Rodriguez at slot 44 that the board grades a round light. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
They paid sticker price for Chandler Rivers in the Round 4 slot, and that is fine. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Nice patience on Brenen Thompson, who had no business lasting to pick No. 109. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
A reasonable price with a little left over, Gracen Halton in pick No. 133. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Kaelon Black this early at the Round 4 slot. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Jakobe Thomas in the 179th overall pick is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Keagen Trost at slot 228 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. It fills a real need, too.
Gary Smith III at the 242nd pick is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.