Night one of the 2026 NFL Draft is in the books. The Jets were the most active team of the first round, adding three players.
We won’t be able to properly grade the results for at least two years. That doesn’t stop experts from weighing in immediately, though. Let’s take a look at instant Draft grades for the first round.
As always, remember that Draft grades are stupid…unless they praise the Jets.
Mark Schofield (SB Nation)
New York Jets – David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
This is a solid pick
Others are much lower on David Bailey
than we are, because you see flashes where it clicks for him. While the majority of his 14 sacks this season came from a wide alignment where he was just able to win on pure athleticism and explosiveness, which will get tougher in the NFL, there were moments where you saw a true pass-rushing plan, where he won on a spin to the inside or used a counter move to get home.
The upside with Arvell Reese is hard to ignore, and might have been a better fit for a team that needs more than a year to truly turn things around, but this is a solid pick for a team that truly needed help on the EDGE
Grade: B
New York Jets — Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregono
This is a fascinating pick.Many believed the Jets would go wide receiver with their second pick here in the first round, with Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. a popular selection for them in mock drafts. Instead they go with the athletic tight end in Sadiq, who has the potential to be a mismatch nightmare for NFL defenses. Adjusting to life in the NFL is often tough for young tight ends, but his athleticism will serve him well, and you can find moments where he handles the in-line blocking responsibilities fairly well.
Watch him on the right side here against Indiana in the run game:
While the Jets added Mason Taylor last year, you can start thinking of a 12 personnel package with him and Sadiq on the field. This could work nicely for New York.
Grade: A
New York Jets — Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana
And we have another trade, with the 49ers moving out of No. 30 — which they acquired in an earlier trade with the Miami Dolphins — and sliding back to No. 33 while the Jets come up.Now, before I dive into the analysis, scroll up to No. 16 when the Jets drafted tight end Kenyon Sadiq and see what name was mentioned there.
Omar Cooper Jr.
The Jets work their board, come back into the first round when they need to, and draft a receiver many thought they would take at 16. He will be a perfect compliment to Garrett Wilson, and between Wilson, Sadiq, and now Cooper, suddenly this Jets passing game looks much better.
And again, I love how New York worked their board here.
Grade: A
Chad Reuter (NFL.com)
New York Jets: A-
Draft picks:
- Round 1 (No. 2): Edge David Bailey, Texas Tech
- Round 1 (No. 16): TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
- Round 1 (No. 30): WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
Analysis:
- The March trade of edge rusher Jermaine Johnson II to Tennessee for defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat portended an edge rusher being selected No. 2 overall. Bailey’s first step and closing speed will be a thorn in the sides of offensive tackles and quarterbacks around the league.
- The Jets received the 16th overall pick in this year’s draft, along with a 2027 first-rounder, from the Colts for Sauce Gardner. The Jets took Sadiq at that spot because of his explosive athleticism and toughness after the catch. If he limits his drops and continues to give effort as a blocker, the Gardner trade could be a franchise-changing deal.
- Trading a fifth-round pick to move back into the first round for Cooper was a smart move. He could very well end up a Pro Bowl-caliber receiver due to his strength, agility and footwork on the sideline. Finding him at 30 is excellent value.
Mel Kiper, Jr. (ESPN)
Picks I Liked:
The Jets made three picks Thursday, starting with edge rusher David Bailey at No. 2. I personally would have preferred Arvell Reese there, but I can’t argue with Bailey’s bend, burst and production. Tight end Kenyon Sadiq was an interesting selection in the middle of the round — he’s an after-the-catch maverick with explosive traits — and landing receiver Omar Cooper Jr. back at No. 30 after trading back into the first will absolutely boost this lackluster receivers room behind Garrett Wilson. Three good players for New York.
Nick Baumgardner and Scott Dochterman (The Athletic)
New York Jets: David Bailey, edge, Texas Tech
The best pure pass rusher in the draft, Bailey (6-3, 251, with 34-inch arms) has a deep array of pass-rush moves that is better than any other edge in this class. Long, lean and explosive, Bailey got better during every season of his college career and should be an immediate force rushing the QB.
I do wonder if New York might’ve gotten more value here from Ohio State edge/LB Arvell Reese — I had Reese higher on my board and believe he has a better long-term ceiling. But it’s very hard to argue with Bailey, as he’ll be a big-time factor quickly.
Grade: A-minus
New York Jets (from IND): Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
I love this pick. The Jets needed a pass catcher, and Sadiq was the best one left on the board. So what if he’s a tight end? He can also line up as a gigantic X receiver, or maybe even as a Z. An outstanding blocker at the line of scrimmage and out in space, Sadiq runs a 4.39 at 250 pounds.
He is a freakish athlete — arguably the best in this class — and the type of weapon who can always keep the math in the offense’s favor. Sadiq is built for the modern game. I like this better than the Jets’ selection of Bailey at No. 2, if I’m honest.
Grade: A
Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana
The Jets clearly had guys they wanted in Round 1 — and it looks like they’ve got them all. After adding a pass rusher (Bailey) and a unicorn playmaker (Sadiq), the Jets selected one of the draft’s most QB-friendly receivers. Cooper was Fernando Mendoza’s favorite target at Indiana and should make life easier on whoever winds up being the Jets’ QB of the future.
New York also holds so many picks over the next two years that I don’t mind the aggressiveness here at all. Cooper is a first-round player in this class, and New York didn’t want to wait until Round 2 to grab him. This franchise added three foundational pieces Thursday night.
Grade: A
Carter Bahns (CBS Sports)
New York Jets: B
Jets fans ought to have mixed feelings about how the first round unfolded. It started with a couple of iffy picks and closed with a bang.
Renner noted the Jets already have an edge defender with inconsistent run-stopping skills in Will McDonald IV, so adding another in David Bailey might not raise the defense’s ceiling as much as some think. Kenyon Sadiq is also the second tight end the Jets have selected in as many years after taking Mason Taylor in the second round in 2025.
Trading up for a third first-round pick arguably saved the day. That Omar Cooper Jr. was still available at No. 30 was a blessing for the Jets in their search to stack offensive playmakers. Cooper was widely mocked in the upper half of the first round but instead found a home just before the end of Day 1 in New York, where he will be an immediate starter opposite Garrett Wilson.
What is your grade?
