New York Jets Alternate NFL Draft 2026

Looking back at past drafts is an easy way to play the what if game. It’s where we second guess missed opportunities and imagine how things might’ve unfolded if we’d landed that Pro Bowler instead of the guy who never quite panned out. But it’s one thing to critique from the outside and another to sit in the GM’s chair, weighing imperfect information under real pressure. Drafting isn’t just about identifying talent it’s about navigating uncertainty, managing value, and executing a strategy, especially when trades come into play.

That’s what makes this exercise interesting. For the past eight or nine years, I’ve made my picks before the front office turned in theirs. Chances are, a lot of you have done the same. Over time, it becomes a revealing test tracking how those decisions age, projecting the roster you would’ve built, and seeing where your instincts matched or diverged from the actual decision makers. So how did my picks compare to Glenn and Mougey? Let’s break it down and see how they held up when it counted

ROUND 1 (PICK 2)

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My Pick: EDGE/LB, Arvell Reese, Ohio State

Mouglenn’s Pick: EDGE, David Bailey, Texas Tech

Taking an EDGE he was inevitable. It all came down to which one we would be picking. We had the choice with an elite athlete with unlimited upside, or the well seasoned, best pure pass rusher in the draft. This will be a fun comparison to look at over the next few years. Which one actually proves to be the best is far from certain.

ROUND 1 (PICK 16)

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My Pick: WR, Makai Lemon, USC

Mouglenn’s Pick: TE, Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

Lemon was my #2 WR in the draft. There was no way I was going to let him slide past us. Sadiq the Freak is a fine player and could be a very lucrative pick for us in 2 TE sets, but Lemon has the IT factor that could make him one of the best in the league.

ROUND 1 (PICK 30)

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My Pick: WR, Omar Cooper JR, Indiana

Mouglenn’s Pick: WR, Omar Cooper JR, Indiana

Me and Mouglenn were in lockstep with this pick. As my #3 WR having him available would make our WR group potentially one of if not the best WR room in the league. A Wilson/Lemon/Cooper WR room would be an incredibly hard one to game plan for.

ROUND 2 (PICK 50)

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My Pick: OG, Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon

Mouglenn’s Pick: CB, D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana

I want our offense to be pretty much complete for 2027 when a rookie QB enters our halls. The most proven way to get a rookie off on the right foot is to have a great supporting cast. Pregnon would be a week 1 starter and has the upside to be one of the leagues better ones. Ponds is my 2nd favorite player in the draft next to Jacob Rodriguez who coincidently would have been our pick at 44 if we didn’t get sniped.

ROUND 4 (PICK 103)

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My Pick: S, Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina

Mouglenn’s Pick: IDL, Darrell Jackson, Florida State

Kilgore is a S that really grew on. me. He is just so well rounded. His ability to play everywhere would have been valuable to our question mark of a secondary. I never really get mad at grabbing talent for the trenches, but this feels like a pick that could have gone a different direction.

ROUND 4 (PICK 110)

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My Pick: C, Jager Burton, Kentucky

**Mouglenn’s Pick: **QB, Cade Klubnik****, Clemson

With Pregnon we nailed down that final guard spot. With Burton we get our future center. The most reliable metric for predicting NFL success is the short shuttle time of 4.47 or faster. Burton ran a 4.45. I am willing to bet a lot that Burton does very well as the Packers new center. Green Bay always seems to be the only team that gobbles these short shuttle monsters. I get the appeal of Klubnik. If he can find his 2024 success, he can be dangerous in this league. Unfortunately, a lot of his 2025 issues are his own mental issues.

ROUND 6 (PICK 188)

My Pick: LB, Deontae Lawson, Alabama

Mouglenn’s Pick: IOL, Anez Cooper, Miami

By this point in the draft, you’re not just chasing upside, you’re betting on traits, culture fits, and guys who can carve out roles. Lawson fits what I look for in a late round linebacker who is instinctive, battle tested, and capable of contributing early on special teams while developing into more. There’s real value in finding depth pieces who can actually play snaps when called upon.

Mouglenn goes the other route, continuing to invest in the offensive line with Cooper. It’s hard to argue with that philosophy, especially when you’re trying to build a sustainable offense from the inside out. If he hits, you’re looking at a cheap, controllable piece in the trenches for years.

ROUND 7 (PICK 228)

My Pick: OT, Nolan Rucci, Penn State

Mouglenn’s Pick: S, VJ Payne, Kansas State

This one really came down to priorities, and for me it was all about tackle depth. You can get through a season thin at a lot of positions offensive tackle isn’t one of them. Rucci brings legitimate size, pedigree, and developmental upside as a swing tackle who can step in if injuries hit, which we’ve seen derail seasons far too often. Mouglenn pivots to Payne, adding another piece to the secondary with a player who brings range and physicality.