We’re nearly to the NFL Combine when we’ll get some real information about how teams value some of these prospects. In the meantime, speculation will run wild about how some of these prospects are valued, and especially about what the Jets will do. New York is one of the most important teams in the first round with picks at number 2 and number 16. So let’s take a look at what things could look like.
As always, this mock draft is done using the PFF simulator, and I’ve restricted myself to not being able to make any trades.
First Round, 2nd Overall – Arvell Reese, EDGE, Ohio State
Arvell Reese is the highest upside player in this draft. His college numbers and athletic profile look almost identical to those of Micah Parsons. An off-ball linebacker who found a much better home as an edge rusher in his lone season as a college starter, Reese is often ranked as the top player overall in this class for a reason. He’s an athletic marvel who’s pass rushing numbers are of a ridiculous standard. Reese had a 22.7% pressure rate, had a sack on 6.7% of his pass rush snaps, missed just 6% of tackles, and provided a 26.7% pressure rate against Indiana and Miami including 3 QB hits.
Reese isn’t going to be for everyone. The risk here is sky high as Reese is an incredibly young player who’s spent the majority of his football playing life as an off-ball linebacker. But it’s going to be almost impossible for teams to turn down the upside here, which is a Hall of Fame level.
First Round, 16th overall – Vega Ioane, Guard, Penn State
The Jets have one of the best young offensive lines in the NFL. Olu Fashanu is an above average LT, Armand Membou looks like a potential star at RT, Joe Tippmann has played above average at both guard and center. The Jets could round out the offensive line and hope to cement an elite group for years to come by taking the top interior offensive lineman in the class in Vega Ioane.
The Penn State guard hasn’t allowed a sack since 2023, and allowed just four pressures during the 2025 season. His run block grade of 78.6 may not jump off the page, but there’s an important factor here. He never had a bad game as a run blocker in 2025. The lowest grade he had was 61.2, and that was against the national champions Indiana. Against Ohio State for example, where he played against potential first round pick Kayden McDonald, an elite run defender, he posted a 67.5. Similarly, against Oregon and A’Mauri Washington, another elite run defender and potential first round pick, he posted a 65.3. Not flashy but held his own grades.
There are few players that feel plug and play at the NFL level in every draft class, even among elite prospects. Ioane is one of those guys who you feel could slot in as a starter day one and hold his own.
Second Round, 33rd Overall – KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
Conception is a hard player to get a grasp on. He had a strong season for Texas A&M this past season as a big play receiver and an elite YAC receiver. Nearly half of his total yards came after the catch. But despite his size at just 5 foot 11 and 190 pounds, he played outside and was an excellent contested catch receiver. He caught 66.7% of his contested targets.
Concepcion’s best attributes are his quick-step acceleration and route running ability. He was a nightmare to cover in the short and intermediate areas and in the open field. However, he’s here at 33 for a reason. He dropped over 10% of his passes in 2025, and hands are an issue. Concepcion also has average top-end speed despite his elite quickness and acceleration. So there are questions about his ability to thrive as a vertical threat at the next level.
I always fall in love with elite route runners with YAC ability, so Concepcion is one of my guys. I was surprised to see him at 33, as he’s usually a back end of round one lock. I think Concepcion would be a perfect fit in the slot in the NFL.
Second Round, 44th Overall – D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana
This is the most Aaron Glenn pick humanly possible. Ponds was an elite college cornerback, and without a doubt the best one in the country in 2025. He’s on the board at 44 simply because of his size. At just 5 foot 9, there are obvious questions about his ability to cover at the NFL level. I don’t share those concerns.
Ponds dominated everyone he covered all year. He gave up just one yard in the National Championship game. The one knock on him is that he doesn’t create turnovers, with only two all season, including a pick-6 off of Dante Moore in the Semi-Final.
Ponds is incredibly physical and it shows in the run game, where he had an 86.0 grade. He only missed 3% of tackles this season as well.
If Ponds doesn’t remind Glenn of himself I don’t know that any modern CB could.
Fourth Round, 103rd Overall – Skyler Gill-Howard, DT, Texas Tech
On Day three I’m taking a chance on a defensive tackle that was showing potentially first round ability before an ankle injury cost him his season in Skyler Gill-Howard.
The talk of Texas Tech’s defensive line has mostly focused on the pair of David Baily and Lee Hunter, two elite prospects. But Skyler Gill-Howard was in that conversation early in the season.
Gill-Howard only played in the first 5 games of the season. However, in those five games we saw him put up an 11.5% pressure rate and a 13.1% run stop rate. Compare that to Lee Hunter over the same games, 8.8% pressure rate and an 11.3% run stop rate. Now, Hunter got better as the season went on and exploded in the playoffs, but it was Gill-Howard putting on the show early in the year.
Now, Gill-Howard was playing at Northern Illinois prior to this year, so it’s hard to translate his performance there, but he did put up an 87.9 run defense grade in 2024 and had an 11.6% pressure rate. So the numbers were good.
If the medicals look good, Gill-Howard has the potential to be a day 3 steal.
Fifth Round, 175th Overall – Bishop Fitzgerald , S, USC
Bishop Fitzgerald is a ballhawk who played all over the field for USC. He had five interceptions for the Trojans this year and played snaps at slot corner, linebacker, and free safety.
A potential chess piece, Fitzgerald had an amazing 90.8 coverage grade this season. He allowed more than 20 yards in a game just twice, the same amount of games he had multiple interceptions in.
The Jets are devoid of safety depth. Fitzgerald and his ability to force turnovers would get a chance to compete for a pretty significant role on Day one.
Fifth Round, 178th overall – Red Murdock, LB, Buffalo
Red Murdock isn’t a household name, but the Buffalo graduate had a phenomenal season. His 91.2 run defense grade was second best in the country, minimum 50% of snaps. Only Jacob Rodriguez was better. He wasn’t too shabby in coverage either where he held opponents to under 10 yards in 7 games this year. He also played special teams for the Bulls.
Murdock would have a chance to fill a massive hole at linebacker for the Jets this season, but in the worst case scenario would likely be able to carve a role out for himself on special teams.
Sixth Round, 207th overall – Vincent Anthony Jr, EDGE, Duke
Vincent Anthony Jr had some success as a pass rusher with Duke. He had 7 sacks in 2025 and a 10% pass rush rate. Not elite numbers, but something to play with as a potential developmental rotational piece.
Seventh Round, 218th overall — Trey Smack, K, Florida
Who knows if Nick Folk will be back. He may retire, he may chase a ring, he may simply decide he doesn’t want to be on one of the worst teams in the NFL next year. So the Jets attempt to fill their hole at kicker in the draft.
Trey Smack has a great leg, he’s hit from 56 in college, and he’s nailed 76.9% of his college kicks from over 50 yards. He was erratic from closer, hitting just 4-6 from 30-39 this past season, but that seems easy to iron out with NFL coaching.
Seventh Round, 242nd overall – Haynes King, QB, Georgia Tech
Why not take a shot on a QB at the very end of the draft. This time I’ll go with Haynes King, the gadget QB who nearly got Georgia Tech into the playoffs this year.
King is an accurate quarterback completing over 70% of his passes over the last two seasons. But his true skill is his toughness and athleticism. So much so, that I wouldn’t be shocked if he ultimately moved to TE in the NFL.
But for now we give him a shot at quarterback. Who knows, maybe he becomes a better version of former Jets QB Chris Streveler.