Dante Moore has decided to return to school and that puts everything up in the air at number two. Will the Jets go best player available? Will they target a premium position? Could they overdraft on offense? And of course, the big question, will the Jets still draft a quarterback?
As always, this mock draft has been done using the PFF simulator and I am at the will of the random generator.
Round 1, 2nd Overall: Reuben Bain, EDGE, Miami
I have the Jets going the safe route here, taking the highest floor player at a premium position. Bain is an elite
run defender who will likely provide above-average but never elite pass rush ability.
Bain had an 87.5 Run Defense grade this season and 31 run stops in 263 run defense snaps. He paired that with a 15.2% pressure rate and 10 sacks (I’m not counting half sacks. If you get to the quarterback you get a sack).
There are players available here with more upside in Arvell Reese and David Bailey. But the Jets can’t afford to miss here. As they look to rebuild the foundation of this team, it’s perfectly fine to start off with a likely above-average player instead of chasing the ceiling.
Round 1, 16th Overall: Francis Mauigoa, OL, Miami
The Jets double dip in Miami in round one with the brother of current Jets LB Kiko Mauigoa. Francis could go much higher than this; however, his likely move inside to guard may force him down boards.
Mauigoa is in the conversation, along with Spencer Fano of Utah, for the top offensive lineman in the class. The Miami right tackle was excellent this past season, posting an 87.1 Pass Blocking Grade and 79.4 Run Blocking Grade. It was a phenomenal breakout season for the elite offensive lineman.
Mauigoa’s build and athleticism likely mean a move inside to guard. That’s perfect for the Jets, who return four starters from last year’s team, but are currently a guard short. With Mauigoa on board the Jets could boast one of the best OLs in the NFL and do so with four starters under the age of 25.
Round 2, 33rd Overall: Chris Bell, WR, Louisville
With two solid high floor prospects already in toe here, the Jets take a shot on a high ceiling receiver. Chris Bell put up some amazing numbers for Louisville this season: 2.55 yards pre route run, 72 receptions, 917 yards, 6 TDs, a 50% contested catch rate, and most notably, a 9 reception for 136 yards and 2 TDs performance against Miami.
Bell is a big body at 6 foot 2 and 220 pounds, and he pairs that with excellent athleticism. However, Bell does come with the red flag that he tore his ACL late in November. It’s not yet clear if he will be healthy for Week 1 of his rookie season in the NFL. It also means he will without a doubt miss athletic testing in the lead up to the draft.
With a torn ACL potentially sapping athleticism, combined with his age (he was a true senior), makes him a riskier prospect. But the ceiling is very high, which is why the Jets take the risk here instead of taking a worse receiver prospect just because they’re healthy.
Round 2, 44th Overall: D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana
No player in this draft class better represents Aaron Glenn than D’Angelo Ponds. Like Glenn, Ponds is a very small and very aggressive corner with elite production in college.
Ponds stands at 5 foot 10 and 170 pounds, incredibly small for a modern cornerback, but his diminutive size doesn’t limit him at all. Ponds, a true junior, has been a starter all three years in college. In those three years he’s posted coverage grades of 88.6, 85.0, and 89.6. It’s almost impossible to find a cornerback who’s been better in college football over the last three seasons in coverage. Since transferring to Indiana and playing in a Power 4 conference as a sophomore, Ponds has given up 1 TD, intercepted 4 passes, and given up a combined 383 yards on lower than 50% completion.
It doesn’t stop there. Ponds has also been an elite run defender. This past season he missed just 2.4% of tackles. That’s one missed tackle on the entire season. He posted a 78.2 run defense grade.
Ponds is the exact type of elite college producer with a pitbull mindset that Glenn would love. A throwback player who’d remind the Jets head coach of himself. For a team that is desperate for help in their secondary, it’d be hard to pass this guy up.
Round 4, 103rd Overall: Jacob Rodrigez, LB, Texas Tech
The Jets continue to stack up on the best defensive players in college football from this past season. Rodriguez is here in the fourth round because he’s an older prospect who doesn’t have the best athletic profile. However, his production is too good to let fall now that we’re on Day 3.
Rodriguez led the NCAA with 81 tackles, 58 stops and 7 forced fumbles. He also intercepted four passes, had three pass breakups, and a pressure rate of 12.5%. Just ridiculous numbers. But, keep in mind that he struggled mightily in coverage. He allowed 82.1% completion, 455 yards, and 2 TDs.
Rodriguez is an elite run defender, and that’s enough on Day 3.
Round 5, 175th Overall: Diego Pavia, QB, Vanderbilt
Pavia has been elite on the field every year he’s played in college football. This past year he was a Heisman Finalist with 27 passing TDs, 9 rushing TDs, and 8 INTs. He rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and threw for 3,100. He completed 71.2% of his passes.
Pavia’s got the athleticism, the arm, and the profile of improvement that teams would usually look for. However, he’s also barley 6 foot tall and comes with massive off the field baggage. In a lot of ways he’s similar to Baker Mayfield, but he doesn’t have the same elite accuracy that made Mayfield such a great prospect.
If Pavia answers the questions teams have about him in the pre-draft process he could go higher than this. But for now, I say the Jets bring him in and see what he’s got. You’ve got nothing to lose this late in the draft.
Round 5, 178th Overall: Robert Henry Jr., RB, UTSA
The future of Breece Hall is in doubt and the other Jets running backs haven’t proven to be anything special. Isaiah Davis looks like a nice change of pace back, but Braelon Allen hasn’t found success yet. Robert Henry Jr. offers a power back option that could perhaps pair with Davis.
Henry averaged 4.22 yards after contact and forced 33 missed tackles this season. Those are awesome numbers, and his yards after contact was 7th best in the country, minimum 50% of snaps. This is a guy that averaged 6.9 yards per rush this season. Against one of the best defensive lines in the country, Texas A&M, he rushed for 177 yards and 2 TDs on just 16 carries.
There are obviously questions about how long he can keep this up at just 5 foot 9 and 205 pounds. But he wouldn’t be the first bowling ball build running back to find success in the NFL.
Round 6, 207th Overall: Gracen Halton, DT, Oklahoma
Halton has mostly been a rotational piece on the Oklahoma defensive line. This past season, with those limited snaps, Halton has a run defense grade of 86.9, a run stop rate over 10%, a pressure rate over 10%, and five sacks this season.
However, he’s small at 6 foot 2 and 292 pounds. Halton’s also just an average athlete, which limits his ceiling. But the Jets have no depth at defensive tackle, so Halton has a chance to show that his college numbers are no fluke and potentially earn playing time.
Round 7, 218th Overall: Riley Nowakowski, H-Back, Indiana
Riley Nowakowski played an integral role in Indiana’s success this season in every way possible. Play as a fullback or in-line tight end and block for the running game? He posted a 69.7 run block grade. Need a receiving option? Nowakowski had sure hands, never dropping a single pass and catching 57.2% of his contested targets.
The Jets used Andrew Beck in this role last year, and while he was fine you could replace him for cheap here. The upside could be that eventually Nowakowski forces Jeremy Ruckert off the roster, which would be a major win.
Round 7, 242nd Overall: Drew Stevens, K, Iowa
This one is pretty self-explanatory. The Jets don’t have a kicker on their roster for 2026 as things stand. Their kicker last year was over 40 years old and may choose to retire. So, the Jets use their last pick in the draft to take the best kicker in this class.
