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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DECEMBER 21: Head coach Aaron Glenn of the New York Jets looks on in the first quarter of a game against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome on December 21, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
We’re less than three weeks out from the NFL draft, and that means we’re in the heart of smokescreen season. Rumors and tidbits of intel are flying around about which prospects each team are honing in on, and that’s sure to intensify in the coming weeks. Some of it is real, however, and the New York Jets just got a major update on who they are eyeing with the No. 2 overall pick.
With Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza all but already selected by the Raiders at No. 1, the draft’s intrigue starts at No. 2 with the Jets. Given there isn’t a second quarterback worth taking with a top five pick, and the talent at the top of the draft is concentrated on defense for the most part, New York is expected to select a top defensive playmaker with their pick.
Now, a new report indicates the specific prospect the Jets have narrowed in on.
The New York Jets Are Predicted to Draft an Electric Pass Rusher at No. 2
GettyINDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – DECEMBER 06: Arvell Reese #8 of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks on against the Indiana Hoosiers in the 2025 Big Ten Football Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 06, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
According to Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith, the Jets are targeting Ohio State LB/ED Arvell Reese with the No. 2 pick.
“Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese has already met with six teams that have Top 12 draft picks, but most of those teams probably won’t have a chance at him, as the Jets appear poised to take him second overall,” Smith wrote.
The other five teams Reese visited so far are the Cowboys, Chiefs, Cardinals, Titans, and Giants. Three of those teams round out the top five picks, but the Jets are first in line for whoever they want after Mendoza. If that’s Reese, no one will stop them from selecting him.
“Reese has been the betting favorite to be the No. 2 pick in the draft for most of this year, but the odds are growing to the point where he’s now an overwhelming -250 favorite to go second overall,” Smith continued.
“The 2025 season was Reese’s only year as a starter at Ohio State, but he made the most of it, as a first-team All-American and the winner of the Big Ten’s linebacker of the year award. He has the talent to be an elite pass rusher. He won’t wait long to hear his name called on draft night.”
What Else Could the New York Jets Do With the No. 2 Pick?
“If Reese doesn’t go second overall, the next-shortest odds for the No. 2 pick are Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey at +350, Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles at +1100 and Miami defensive end Rueben Bain at +1200,” Smith wrote.
As I said, New York is expected to target a blue-chip defensive player at the top of the draft. Bain is my highest-graded player in the entire class, even ahead of Mendoza. But it sounds like the Jets are enamored with the raw athleticism and talent of Reese, an off-ball linebacker in college who may transition to the edge full-time in the NFL.
Ethan Woodie is an accomplished sports writer specializing in the NFL and college football for Heavy.com. He’s written for Heavy since 2025 and has years of experience writing for NFL Trade Rumors and Pro Football Focus (PFF). Woodie is an expert in draft scouting and his final 2025 Big Board was included in Arif Hasan’s media consensus board for Wide Left. More about Ethan Woodie
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