The New York Jets could upgrade the offensive line.
Some mock drafts have predicted that they will take an interior offensive lineman in the first round. Others have explained that they can wait until day two to address that need.
If ESPN’s Jordan Reid heard correctly from his sources, there might not be much left if the Jets wait until the second round.
“Olaivavega Ioane (Penn State) is the clear top interior offensive lineman, but many sources believe as many as three interior blockers could go in the first round. Texas A&M’s Chase Bisontis, Oregon’s Emmanuel Pregnon, and Georgia Tech’s Keylan Rutledge were mentioned as the top candidates to sneak in. The Chargers and Seahawks were two teams repeatedly suggested as ones to watch here,” Reid wrote.
That Would Be a Change Based on the Data
The Jets are set at offensive tackle. ESPN’s Rich Cimini admitted on the “Jets Collective” podcast that he’d be “surprised” if the Jets took an OT at any point during the 2026 NFL draft.
The same can’t be said for the guard position.
Ioane, out of Penn State, is the top-ranked interior offensive lineman in this class. According to the consensus big board, Vega is the No. 16 overall-ranked player in this class. There have been multiple mock draft scenarios in which he is off the board before the Jets select with the No. 16 overall pick.
Throughout this process, Vega has been the only IOL considered a lock to be a first-round pick. However, there is some recent buzz that he could have some company.
The three players that Reid mentioned have all consistently been available in mock draft scenarios with the No. 33 overall pick in the second round:
- Texas Tech’s Chase Bisontis (No. 40 overall ranked player)
- Oregon’s Emmanuel Pregnon (No. 41 overall ranked player)
- Georgia Tech’s Keylan Rutledge (No. 57 overall ranked player)
There are some tangible examples where that isn’t the case.
In Chad Reuter’s five-round mock draft for the NFL Media Group, he predicted that Bisontis would be the No. 28 overall pick in the first round to the Houston Texans.
In Josh Edwards’ mock draft for CBS Sports, he predicted that Pregnon would be the No. 28 overall pick in the first round to the Texans.
ESPN’s Peter Schrager dropped a first-round mock draft based on what he has heard from around the league. That included Rutledge being the No. 31 overall pick by the New England Patriots at the backend of the first round.
This New Info Would Kill the Jets Dream Pick
On the Jets’ Official Podcast, senior reporter Eric Allen asked NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah who is the player that he would pound the table for in the draft room and would urge the Jets to draft.
“I’m going to Keylan Rutledge, the guard from Georgia Tech. I know interior offensive linemen are not the sexiest thing in the world, but I love this dude’s temperament, I love how he finishes, [and] I love his effort. When you look at where I have him rated, and you look at where these picks are: pick No. 44 for the New York Jets is Keylan Rutledge out of Georgia Tech. Just write it in ink. It’s going to be a home run pick. Plug-and-play. Add to what could be the best young offensive line in the NFL,” Jeremiah explained.
The Jets just better hope he makes it to that point of the draft.
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