Jan. 9, 2026, 1:35 p.m. ET
The 2026 NFL offseason has arrived for the New York Jets and all eyes are on the upcoming draft.
The Jets (3-14) are slated to pick at No. 2 and 15 in Round 1 at the event. There is a lot to come before the draft such as free agency, but ESPN still put out an early 2026 mock draft this week as the 2025 NFL season came to a close.
With the Jets’ selections, ESPN NFL draft analyst Jordan Reid slates Oregon quarterback Dante Moore to head to New York, followed by defensive tackle Kayden McDonald from Ohio State.
Quarterback will be the hot-button position for the Jets throughout the offseason, but the Green and White must revamp their defense before next season too.
ESPN’s breakdowns on Moore and McDonald can be found below:
Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.
Dante Moore, QB, Oregon*
With five first-rounders over the next two drafts, the Jets have a prime opportunity to replenish a roster that lacks talent everywhere. The Justin Fields experiment didn’t go as planned, so the Jets could part ways with him this offseason. Moore could give them a smooth, poised operator who has the potential to be a high-end starter. He has yet to make his intentions known about declaring for the draft, but if Moore does come out, he would be drafted very high — and coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey could get their franchise signal-caller.
Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
After dealing defensive tackle Quinnen Williams at the trade deadline, the Jets need to rebuild their defense from the inside out. McDonald would be a great start. He’s a forceful run defender who constantly creates chaos for opposing offenses. His 7.8% run stop percentage ranked second among FBS defensive linemen this season. McDonald can also be disruptive as a pass rusher (three sacks this season) and can push the interior of the pocket.