{"id":871948,"date":"2026-04-22T14:33:41","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T14:33:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/871948\/"},"modified":"2026-04-22T14:33:41","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T14:33:41","slug":"final-ny-jets-2026-mock-draft-turning-the-franchise-around","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/871948\/","title":{"rendered":"Final NY Jets 2026 mock draft: Turning the franchise around"},"content":{"rendered":"

With just one day remaining until the 2026 NFL draft<\/a>, it\u2019s time to submit our final predictive mock draft for the New York Jets.<\/p>\n

This mock draft is intended to predict what the Jets will do, not what we think they should do.<\/p>\n

Round 1, Pick 2<\/p>\n

Despite the media\u2019s attempt at making this pick appear in doubt, Arvell Reese has always been the obvious choice for New York. Compared to David Bailey, he is a far better fit for the schematic and philosophical visions displayed by head coach Aaron Glenn.<\/p>\n

The Pick: Arvell Reese, EDGE, Ohio State<\/p>\n

Round 1, Pick 16<\/p>\n

Despite my own calls<\/a> for the Jets to consider trading up for a wide receiver, I don\u2019t think the team is actually desperate enough to do so. After trading Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams for a vast quantity of premium picks, I believe the team would rather use all of those picks than send some away just to move up a few slots in the first round.<\/p>\n

While I do not think the Jets are eager enough for wide receiver help to trade up, I do think they will prioritize the issue enough to select a wide receiver at No. 16 whom the consensus might deem a \u201creach.\u201d<\/p>\n

That player, to me, is Texas A&M\u2019s KC Concepcion. He ranks as the WR5 and No. 23 overall prospect on the consensus big board<\/a>, but after contextualizing<\/a> for the poor quarterback play he received relative to his fellow prospects, Concepcion is certainly worthy of the 16th overall pick.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a selection that many would label as a reach to fill a need, but Concepcion is arguably closer to the 16th-best prospect than many realize. And even if the Jets do reach by seven slots (based on the consensus board) to nab Concepcion over a higher-ranked player at another position, it would be worthwhile given how badly the Jets need help at this premium offensive position.<\/p>\n

The Pick: KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M<\/p>\n

Round 2, Pick 33<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t buy the hype that Ty Simpson will be selected in the first round. If he isn\u2019t considered good enough to be selected early by desperately quarterback-needy teams like the Jets and Cardinals in a draft class that isn\u2019t considered to have elite talent at the top, then I don\u2019t see anyone using a first-round pick on him.<\/p>\n

But if Simpson falls into the second round, it would be difficult for the Jets to pass on the opportunity. For all of his concerns, Simpson is talented enough to the point where he was garnering No. 1 pick consideration<\/a> about halfway through his first season as a college starter. His stock dropped quickly, but his believers could easily chalk that up to injuries and a poor supporting cast<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Lacking any semblance of long-term quarterback upside on their roster, a second-round dice roll on Simpson could greatly intrigue the Jets. This is particularly true because they can fall back on their extra second-round pick to add a player who could contribute right away.<\/p>\n

I wouldn\u2019t have the Jets making this pick without the other second-rounder\u2014retaining that selection is a large part of the motivation not to trade up from No. 16. As things stand, with their surplus collection of premium picks, I expect the Jets to feel inclined to take a shot on Simpson with a post-first-round pick if they have the chance.<\/p>\n

Whatever you may think of Simpson, his chances of becoming a franchise quarterback are somewhere above 0%. As of right now, the chances of the Jets\u2019 franchise quarterback being on their roster are precisely 0%. That is why drafting Simpson is worth it, even if the Jets still plan to target a quarterback in 2027.<\/p>\n

Why not give your team at least some chance of developing a franchise quarterback in 2026? If it doesn\u2019t work out, it was only a second-round pick, so it won\u2019t stop the Jets from taking a first-round passer in 2027.<\/p>\n

Not every fan may agree with that logic, and it\u2019s understandable\u2014the rebuilding Jets would risk wasting the 33rd pick on a player who may never be a long-term starter, which could hurt in the long run. But I do envision the Jets buying in on Simpson if he lasts until No. 33.<\/p>\n

The Pick: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama<\/p>\n

Round 2, Pick 44<\/p>\n

Furthering their emphasis on reinvigorating the offensive core, I think the Jets will go in a somewhat surprising direction here: offensive line.<\/p>\n

Oregon guard Emmanuel Pregnon would be an addition who could take the Jets\u2019 offensive front to brand-new heights.<\/p>\n

The issue that will drop Pregnon to the second round is his age; he will turn 25 in October. However, his athleticism (9.15 Relative Athletic Score) and production (86.7 PFF grade in 2025, 1st among Power Four guards) are undeniable. Those factors, coupled with his experience and physical maturity, could make him an instant-impact player for the Jets.<\/p>\n

The Jets have two penciled-in starting guards with Dylan Parham and Joe Tippmann, but they\u2019re weak at center, where Josh Myers is currently expected to start. Pregnon likely won\u2019t be a candidate at center, but the Jets could have him compete for a starting guard spot thanks to Tippmann\u2019s flexibility to move to center.<\/p>\n

If Pregnon proves himself to be one of the Jets\u2019 three best interior linemen, they can slide Tippmann to center to give themselves an improved starting five. From there, Pregnon projects as an instant-impact type of player.<\/p>\n

Pregnon\u2019s age is definitely a concern, but after using the 33rd pick on a developmental quarterback, it could be appealing to select an older, higher-floor player with the next second-rounder. Not to mention, with his elite athleticism, Pregnon could still have a higher ceiling than expected for a player his age.<\/p>\n

The Pick: Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon<\/p>\n

Round 4, Pick 103<\/p>\n

Bringing it back to the defensive side of the ball, the Jets start to focus on toolsy prospects whom Aaron Glenn believes he and his staff can develop. They start with Florida cornerback Devin Moore, who has appealing length and size at 6-foot-3 and 198 pounds with 31\u215d-inch arms.<\/p>\n

The Pick: Devin Moore, CB, Florida<\/p>\n

Round 4, Pick 140<\/p>\n

The Jets would be wise to think about their future at linebacker. Demario Davis is in town on a two-year deal, but he\u2019s 37 years old. Jamien Sherwood\u2019s long-term outlook is in doubt after a concerning 2025 season.<\/p>\n

The Jets take another developmental defender in Arizona State linebacker Keyshaun Elliott. Boasting a new-school linebacker build at 6-foot-1 and 231 pounds, Elliott boasts an 8.74 Relative Athletic Score on the strength of his 4.58 speed, 38-inch vertical, and 125-inch broad jump. He could be developed into the sideline-to-sideline weapon that modern defenses covet.<\/p>\n

The Pick: Keyshaun Elliott, LB, Arizona State<\/p>\n

Round 5, Pick 179<\/p>\n

New York stays on defense here, but they take a different approach as they start to creep into the later part of the draft.<\/p>\n

Instead of shooting for upside, the Jets go for a higher-floor contributor in Indiana safety Louis Moore.<\/p>\n

At 25 years old with a 4.46 RAS, Moore has limited potential, but his impressive production for a powerhouse school suggests he has enough skill to offer a high chance of at least being a rosterable backup\/special teamer. Moore had six interceptions for the national champions in 2025, while allowing just one touchdown into his coverage.<\/p>\n

Moore also played 125 snaps on special teams, contributing to four different units, which raises his floor.<\/p>\n

The Pick: Louis Moore, S, Indiana<\/p>\n

Round 7, Pick 228<\/p>\n

Pivoting back to the upside route, the Jets take a shot on Ohio State defensive back Lorenzo Styles Jr.<\/p>\n

Styles offers fascinating potential thanks to his 9.99 RAS, buoyed by his 4.27 forty time. However, he is a major project, as he converted from wide receiver to defensive back after his first two seasons of college and struggled after the switch. He has experience on special teams, though, which helps raise his floor.<\/p>\n

The Pick: Lorenzo Styles Jr., CB, Ohio State<\/p>\n

Round 7, Pick 242<\/p>\n

The Jets get ahead of the undrafted free agency frenzy by selecting the first kicker off the board in Florida\u2019s Trey Smack.<\/p>\n

Smack is the consensus No. 1 kicker, but he is only ranked 307th on the consensus big board, so he is not expected to be drafted at the moment. While the Jets could wait to try and land him as a UDFA, their desperation at kicker after losing Nick Folk makes it worthwhile to just go ahead and use a seventh-round pick to land their prospect of choice.<\/p>\n

Smack has intriguing potential thanks to his performance from 50+ yards. He went 10 of 13 (76.9%) on 50+ yard attempts in his college career, including 5 of 6 in 2025. He needs to clean up his consistency after missing three sub-50-yard kicks this past season, but the upside is there for the 22-year-old.<\/p>\n

New York\u2019s lack of urgency in replacing Folk through the veteran market is what convinces me that they will consider using a late draft pick on a kicker.<\/p>\n

The Pick: Trey Smack, K, Florida<\/p>\n

Complete mock draft<\/p>\n

Round 1, Pick 2: Arvell Reese, EDGE, Ohio State<\/p>\n

Round 1, Pick 16: KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M<\/p>\n

Round 2, Pick 33: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama<\/p>\n

Round 2, Pick 44: Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon<\/p>\n

Round 4, Pick 103: Devin Moore, CB, Florida<\/p>\n

Round 4, Pick 140: Keyshaun Elliott, LB, Arizona State<\/p>\n

Round 5, Pick 179: Louis Moore, S, Indiana<\/p>\n

Round 7, Pick 228: Lorenzo Styles Jr., CB, Ohio State<\/p>\n

Round 7, Pick 242: Trey Smack, K, Florida<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"With just one day remaining until the 2026 NFL draft, it\u2019s time to submit our final predictive mock…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":871949,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2051],"tags":[1585,2222,1469,4155,198,7,3228,226,1917,255,2321,2097,6,15,6531,7823,71998,3234,31834,20708],"class_list":{"0":"post-871948","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york-jets","8":"tag-aaron-glenn","9":"tag-arvell-reese","10":"tag-darren-mougey","11":"tag-david-bailey","12":"tag-featured","13":"tag-football","14":"tag-free-content","15":"tag-jets","16":"tag-new-york","17":"tag-new-york-jets","18":"tag-newyork","19":"tag-newyorkjets","20":"tag-nfl","21":"tag-nfl-draft","22":"tag-ny-jets-column","23":"tag-ny-jets-image","24":"tag-ny-jets-mock-draft","25":"tag-standard","26":"tag-syndication","27":"tag-ty-simpson"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116448854299536293","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/871948","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=871948"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/871948\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/871949"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=871948"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=871948"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=871948"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}