The New York Jets have three first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, mirroring their 2022 draft strategy. The team aims to build a stronger roster after only one of their 2022 first-round selections remains on the team.
Key points
Jets have three first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft
Only one of the 2022 first-round picks remains on the roster
General manager Darren Mougey traded back up for a third pick
The New York Jets know they are going to need more than one or two players to build a contender. How about three? General manager Darren Mougey not only used both of his first-round picks on Thursday night, but he traded back up into the first round to make a third pick near the end of the night. Three first-round picks are nothing new for the Jets: one regime ago, they made three selections in the first round of the 2022 draft, only one of whom is still on the roster.
The Jets also have three first-round picks in 2027 thanks to the trades of Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, so they are tentatively slated to make three picks in the first round three times in a six-year span.
How does New York’s haul compare to its memorable 2022 class? Here’s a look.
How many first-round picks do the Jets have in the 2026 NFL Draft?
The Jets have three first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Who were the Jets' first-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft?
The Jets selected Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson among their first-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft.
What is the significance of the Jets having three first-round picks in 2027?
The Jets' three first-round picks in 2027 are a result of trades involving Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, allowing them to potentially strengthen their roster further.
How does the Jets' 2026 draft strategy compare to their 2022 strategy?
The Jets' 2026 draft strategy involves using three first-round picks, similar to their 2022 approach, but with a focus on improving their current roster.
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New York entered the night with the No. 2 and No. 16 picks and stayed at both spots without trading up or down, but they re-entered the first round through a deal with the 49ers to get Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr., a player they reportedly considered at No. 16.
The Jets addressed two major needs, adding a pass rusher in Texas Tech’s David Bailey at No. 2 over Ohio State’s Arvell Reese and adding a wide receiver who can play next to Garrett Wilson in Cooper. Sadiq joins a Jets tight end room that already has Mason Taylor, a second-round pick last year, but his off-the-charts physical tools give him a higher ceiling than Taylor.
Here’s a closer look at the Jets’ 2026 crop of first-round picks.
New York was coming off a dismal 4-13 season at the time, but the team believed it had its quarterback of the future in Zach Wilson. The Jets had three picks and no need for a quarterback, so they focused on upgrading both sides of the ball with Gardner, Wilson and Jermaine Johnson II.
The Jets are likewise coming off a brutal season, but this time they know their quarterback of the future isn't on the roster. With such a thin quarterback class, New York is punting the decision to 2027 and trying to build in reverse this time by arming the roster with talent before taking a QB.
Just as Gardner was the prize for the Jets in 2022, Bailey is the prize for New York in 2026. The trade of Johnson left the Jets with even more of a pass-rushing need, though Bailey's run defense concerns are similar to new teammate Will McDonald IV's concerns.
Wilson was the only offensive pick of the three in 2022. The Jets instead went with two offensive players on Thursday, putting Sadiq and Cooper in Geno Smith's arsenal in an attempt to build a viable supporting cast both for Smith and for their long-term quarterback.
Cooper won't be expected to step in and be a No. 1 receiver like Wilson was. The reason for that, of course, is Wilson himself, as Cooper is being brought in to take some of the attention off the highly-paid pass-catcher. The Jets already have that No. 1 receiver in place, which should reduce the pressure for both Sadiq and Cooper.
Sadiq is unique compared to the Jets' 2022 first-round picks. Gardner, Wilson and Johnson were all proven contributors in their final collegiate seasons. Sadiq produced decently for Oregon, but for a player with his ridiculous athleticism and physical tools, it was a bit surprising he wasn't more dominant at the college level. The Jets are betting on Sadiq's tools turning him into a star, as they aren't taking him to be an ordinary tight end when they already have Taylor on the roster.
The Jets' 2022 haul, which included Breece Hall in the second round, ultimately turned out to be a strong one. None of those four players were a miss; two remain on the roster, one was traded for two first-round picks and the other was a Pro-Bowler in year two before an Achilles injury derailed his tenure.
The wins didn't follow. Much of that has to do with the quarterback position, and there isn't yet a solution there for the Jets. Strong seasons from Bailey, Sadiq, Cooper and potentially the No. 44 pick would be a great sign for New York in 2026, but the quarterback question still looms over the franchise.
