We are less than a week from the start of the 2026 NFL Draft.
As you might imagine this time of year, the market is flooded with mock drafts. ESPN’s Matt Miller has an interesting concept. He asked scouts he was connected with across the league to make picks for teams in the top ten. With the second overall pick, a scout from an AFC South team made the pick. It wasn’t a surprise
2. New York Jets
AFC South area scout’s pick: Arvell Reese, Edge/LB, Ohio State
With Mendoza off the board, the Jets must decide how to best
build a roster that needs a franchise quarterback without one being on the board. Our AFC South area scout took one look at Aaron Glenn’s defense and selected Reese, a high-upside pass rusher.
“The Jets need a quarterback, but we’ll wait until 2027 for that,” the scout said. “I’m going Reese. In the 3-4 defense the Jets are employing, Reese’s first-step quickness and ability to live in space make him the better prospect. It’s an added bonus that he has experience as an off-ball linebacker since he’ll be asked to drop into space and make plays in coverage in that base defense.”
With 2026 being a rebuilding year for the Jets, the choice of Reese over Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey is likely to be popular, despite Bailey being seen as a more pro-ready prospect. Reese had 6.5 sacks last season in only 97 pass-rush reps and wowed with his violent hand use and his speed to chase down quarterbacks.
Of course this scout isn’t totally familiar with the Jets’ roster or the team’s needs. It’s a stretch to say the Jets will employ a 3-4 defense. Aaron Glenn himself dismissed the idea the Jets were going to a straight 3-4 a few weeks back.
And one scout’s opinion doesn’t necessarily speak for the entire industry.
Still I think it’s interesting to see the mindset behind people who actually work in the industry. If Reese is the pick, this might offer some insight into the team’s mindset.
