The New York Jets General Manager Darren Mougey has drafted well in the last two years. And with three first-round draft choices in 2027 sitting in his pocket, the team is poised to make the leap from average to good and potentially great.
This weekend saw the latest breakout by a Jets rookie in edge David Bailey. Drafted No. 1 in 2026 as the overall No. 2 pick in the NFL, Bailey had his long-anticipated coming out game against the Cleveland Browns.
Bailey racked up 3 sacks, 9 pressures, and 4 quarterback hits. He is far and away the leader among NFL rookies in quarterback pressures and is becoming the kind of rushing terror that the Jets have envisioned since his name was called.
Bailey currently has a huge lead in the voting for this week’s Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week. The winner will be announced on Wednesday morning. If Bailey takes the trophy, he will be the second NY Jets rookie to win, following tight end Kenyon Sadiq’s big game in Week 3, when he went off for 7 catches, more than 100 yards, and a brilliant diving touchdown.
Those two players have been the standouts. But a quick look at the last two drafts shows a lot of other starters and major contributors among the young players.
In 2025, the Jets drafted right tackle Armand Membou as their No. 1. While the Missouri product hasn’t dominated this year, he is slightly above the NFL average on the PFF tracker, coming in at 63.5, with a 69.0 on pass protection, giving up two sacks and 11 pressures.
No. 2 in 2025 was starting tight end Mason Taylor, who came back strong from a thumb injury with 3 catches in the Cleveland game. Then there’s cornerback and third-rounder Azareye’h Thomas, who beat out veteran Nahshon Wright for the starting job and is at a 70.8 PFF at the demanding position.
In addition to Bailey and Sadiq, the 2026 Jets rookie class includes wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr., currently on injured reserve but impressive in his brief appearance before a high ankle sprain sidelined him. Then there’s cornerback D’Angelo Ponds, who is being brought along slowly by the Jets staff after being limited by a sports hernia.
Then there’s No. 4 draft choice Cade Klubnik, who is the backup quarterback and keeping veteran Will Levis on the practice squad. Fellow No. 4 defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr. made his presence felt in the Browns game, batting down two consecutive passes and getting a sack.
Taken together, the Jets are building a strong young nucleus. If they keep progressing, the next few years may bring the oasis of winning that Jets fans have been yearning for.
