The New York Jets enter Thursday’s draft with two first-round picks for the first time since 2022. That was the strong draft where New York exited the first round with Sauce Gardner (fourth overall), Garrett Wilson (10th overall), and Jermaine Johnson (26th overall).
The Jets also nabbed Breece Hall just a couple of picks into the second round, at 36th overall.
That class never quite lived up to its talent. Wilson has probably had the best career so far, posting 1,000-yard seasons from 2022-24 despite inconsistent quarterback play. But his production hasn’t translated to any kind of high-level success for the team.
Hall found himself locked in more of a timeshare with Braelon Allen in 2024, but scratched out a 1,000-yard season in 2025 after Allen got hurt early.
Johnson and Gardner were both traded over the last six months.
Those trades are most relevant this week, as the Jets began selling off players to rebuild their draft capital for 2026. And with two first-rounders and three total picks in the top 33, it should be another pivotal team-building year for Gang Green.
Below is the modern history of the Jets’ first-round picks. Perhaps it will shed a little light on how the front office will act this year.
New York Jets History of First-Round Picks
YearFirst-Round PickSchoolPick Number2025OT Armand MembouMissouri72024OT Olu FashanuPenn State112023EDGE Will McDonaldIowa State152022EDGE Jermaine JohnsonFlorida State262022WR Garrett WilsonOhio State102022CB Sauce GardnerCincinnati42021OL Alijah Vera-TuckerUSC142021QB Zach WilsonBYU22020OT Mekhi BectonLouisville112019DT Quinnen WilliamsAlabama32018QB Sam DarnoldUSC32017S Jamal AdamsLSU62016OLB Darron LeeOhio State202015DE Leonard WilliamsUSC62014DB Calvin PryorLouisville182013DT Sheldon RichardsonMissouri132013DB Dee MillinerAlabama92012DE Quinton CoplesNorth Carolina162011DT Muhammad WilkersonTemple302010DB Kyle WilsonBoise State292009QB Mark SanchezUSC52008TE Dustin KellerPurdue302008DE Vernon GholstonOhio State62007CB Darrelle RevisPittsburgh142006C Nick MangoldOhio State292006OT D’Brickashaw FergusonVirginia42004LB Jonathan VilmaMiami (FL)122003DT Dewayne RobertsonKentucky42002DE Bryan ThomasUAB222001WR Santana MossMiami (FL)162000TE Anthony Becht West Virginia272000QB Chad PenningtonMarshall182000DE John AbrahamSouth Carolina132000DE Shaun EllisTennessee12
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