The New York Jets opted to trade Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams at the trade deadline last season in order to land a slew of draft capital over the next two years.
With these trades depleting the Jets roster, they need to hit big with their top draft picks. They hold two selections in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft as well as the top selection in the second round. They also have three first rounders next season. With all this draft capital, the Jets need to find multiple franchise stars to turn the team around.
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Gennaro Filice of NFL.com recently put together a mock draft for the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. With the No. 2 overall pick, Filice predicted the Jets would select David Bailey, but the real intriguing decision came at pick No. 16. With pick No. 16, Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson was on the board, but Filice predicted the Jets would select USC wide receiver Makai Lemon to add to their offense.
Makai Lemon would be a huge addition for the Jets at pick No. 16
Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) catches a 32-yard touchdown pass against UCLA Bruins defensive back Kanye Clark (1) in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
“Lemon has drawn a lot of comparisons to fellow USC product Amon-Ra St. Brown, someone Aaron Glenn is quite familiar with. St. Brown, of course, has served as one of the true culture-setters in Detroit’s inspiring rise from decades of despair,” Filice wrote. “Glenn’s trying to replicate that transformation with the long-suffering Jets, so it tracks that he’d grab a hard-nosed playmaker to complement talented WR1 Garrett Wilson.”
Lemon would be the perfect wide receiver to add alongside Wilson.
The talented USC product was one of the best playmakers in all of college football last season. He recorded 1,156 yards on 79 catches. He also scored 11 touchdowns last year. Lemon added two touchdowns on the ground as well.
He’s the talented playmaker that could take the Jets offense to the next level. They don’t need to reach on Simpson unless they’re in love with him as a prospect. Adding more talent around the quarterback position would make more sense because it would give the Jets the perfect situation to place a young quarterback in during the 2027 NFL Draft.
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