Jets bold predictions for 2026 NFL Draft class during rookie season

The New York Jets were one of the biggest winners from draft weekend. New York ended up making three selections in the first round, adding foundational players on both sides of the ball. Not only are the Jets one of the most improved teams from the draft, but they may get the most out of their rookie class too.

Ultimately, the theme of the 2026 offseason for the Jets was building a strong foundation for the future. New York could be competitive in 2026, but their real focus is on 2027 after they draft a franchise quarterback.

Which Jets rookies will have the biggest impact this fall? And will New York finally become a frisky team in the AFC after adding so much talent?

Below are three bold predictions about New York’s rookie class ahead of the 2026 NFL season.

David Bailey will be a pass rush specialist during his rookie season

The Jets seemingly chose between Arvell Reese and David Bailey at the top of the draft. New York went with Bailey, which suggests they may love his upside as a pass rusher.

But Bailey’s poor history in run defense could limit his snaps during his rookie season. One comments from ESPN’s Rich Cimini is especially worrying ahead of Bailey’s rookie campaign.

“Ideally, he should be on the field for at least 60% of the snaps, either as a 4-3 DE or 3-4 OLB. But here’s the thing: Bailey (6-foot-3, 251) isn’t known as a strong run defender,” Cimini wrote. “One NFC personnel executive said: ‘Putting Bailey and [Will McDonald IV] on the edges makes them really light versus the run. But Denver [GM Darren Mougey’s former team] is undersized, so maybe it doesn’t matter to them.'”

New York will not be forced to play Bailey on early downs if they don’t want to. Remember, the Jets also invested in Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare during NFL free agency. Those players could step up on early downs if Bailey struggles against the run during training camp.

Either way, Bailey still figures to have a big role on obvious passing downs starting in Week 1.

It will be fascinating to watch how the Jets deploy Bailey on defense early in the regular season.

Omar Cooper Jr. will have a limited role in 2026

New York made an aggressive move in the first round, trading up for Omar Cooper Jr.

This move makes a ton of sense for the Jets, as Garrett Wilson is their only reliable wide receiver. The Jets are also high on Adonai Mitchell after acquiring him in the Sauce Gardner trade last season.

The Cooper pick is the perfect example of how New York was thinking about the future instead of the present with their draft strategy. Cooper is an excellent receiver with the ball in his hands, but he’ll face a steep learning curve adapting to the NFL game.

Scouts warned that Cooper comes from a college offense that heavily utilized run-pass option plays (RPOs). As such, Cooper’s route tree is still quite underdeveloped.

Jets fans should expect Cooper’s role to expand as he gets more comfortable in New York’s system. But at the beginning of the regular season, he may just be used as a gadget player.

One of New York’s other first-round picks may also play a factor in Cooper’s reduced role.

Jets will go out of their way to feed Kenyon Sadiq

The Jets are clearly very happy that they landed Sadiq in the middle of the first round.

Sadiq is not a traditional in-line tight end. Oregon loved moving him out into the slot to gain a favorable matchup against defensive backs. Sadiq played from the slot most of the time, logging 59% of his snaps from that position in 2025. That could be revealing of how New York will use him, too.

The Jets are still high on second-year tight end Mason Taylor, who logged 44 receptions for 369 yards during his rookie season. Fans should expect Taylor to keep the same role, staying on the line of scrimmage for most of his snaps.

It is easy to imagine New York deploying a lot of formations with two tight ends. That would give the Jets the option to move Sadiq out into the slot for favorable matchups, at least when those opportunities present themselves.

If Sadiq spends a lot of time playing in the slot, he could put up some ridiculous numbers during his rookie season.

He may not put up Brock Bowers numbers, but Sadiq should get plenty of targets in the short passing game in 2026.

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