Industry Sources Offer High Praise of Jets’ Draft

The New York Jets may have won the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Jets earned rave reviews for their draft approach and selections after their eight selections this weekend in Pittsburgh.

The Jets wowed those in the industry with their three first-round selections, especially trading back into the first round to choose Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. at No. 30.

Many Believe the Jets Won the 2026 NFL Draft

Some questioned the Jets’ decision to choose Texas Tech EDGE rusher David Bailey over Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese with the No. 2 overall pick — especially since Reese landed with the rival New York Giants at No. 5.

But after examining the Jets’ draft board, many left Pittsburgh impressed.

“I was starting at their board this morning before I cleaned out my office, and I think the Jets kind of crushed it man,” one NFL general manager told SportsBoom. “They made the right call [at No. 2]. I really believe.”

The consensus favored the Jets with their selections of tight end Kenyon Sadiq and Cooper. Sadiq, a 6-3, 245-pound Oregon prospect, ran a sub-4.4 40-yard dash and was ranked as the top tight end in the draft.

Plus, Cooper was the No. 1 receiver for Fernando Mendoza for national-champion Indiana. They capped their skill-laden draft by selecting Cooper’s college teammate D’Angelo Ponds in the second round with the No. 50 pick.

“They landed four starters right there, and not just kids who could start for them,” the GM said. “Those are four NFL starters, I think.”

But it wasn’t just the picks over the first two days. The Jets got value by in their first fourth-round selection, Darrell Jackson Jr. from Florida State, who could share reps with Bailey in his rookie season.

“Like their first five picks, holy (crap), it’s really impressive,” the GM said. “They got a lot better, man. They just did.”

Execs Liked Cabe Klubnik as a Lottery Ticket QB Pick for the Jets

The Jets are still searching for their quarterback of the future and seem likely to go into 2026 with Geno Smith as the starter — their third Week 1 starter in as many years.

Yet, the Jets took a flier on one of the most accomplished draft-eligible quarterbacks in Cade Klubnik. New York traded up into the fourth round with the Cincinnati Bengals to choose the Clemson quarterback at No. 110.

It’s hard to know what the Jets have in Klubnik. But an NFL general manager told Sports Boom he liked the decision.

“I don’t even really mind them taking a shot on Klubnik,” the other GM said. “They got a lot right.”

Klubnik was the third-ranked QB prospect according to NFL.com’s draft analysis this year yet was the fifth QB taken behind Mendoza, Ty Simpson, Carson Beck and Drew Allar. Klubnik, a 6-2, 210-pounder, completed 64% of his passes and finished his collegiate career with a 73-24 touchdown-to-interception rate at Clemson.

But the Jets also have three first-round selections in next year’s draft, theirs, the Indianapolis Colts‘ and either the Dallas Cowboys‘ or Green Bay Packers‘. That could lead New York to land its franchise QB in the more QB-friendly 2027 draft.

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