While most teams spent Thursday and Friday sweating out on the board, the New York Jets dictated terms, stacking premium talent across key positions and walking away with one of the most balanced hauls in the league.
General manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn seemed in tandem with their plan. And as the dust settled after Day 2, the consensus around the league became a unanimous vote: the Jets had one of the best opening two days.
Jets Stack Talent Across the Board To Emerge As Day 2 Winners
During Day 2 of PFSN’s live 2026 NFL Draft Show, analyst Ian Cummings highly rated the Jets’ draft tactics. PFSN graded the Jets’ first two days a solid A-.
He said, “David Bailey was a bit early for me, but you addressed the EDGE position. Then, you get Omar Cooper Jr. late in Round 1 to fill a need at WR. Then, you get D’Angelo Ponds, who I had as my No. 12 overall player, in mid-round two; they did a terrific job.”
It starts up front with David Bailey. Even if the No. 2 overall slot didn’t sit well with some people, the production is there.
Bailey led the nation with a 92.9 impact score on PFSN’s CFB EDGE Impact rankings, piling up 14.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss. For a defense that lacked a consistent game-wrecker off the edge, the fit is immediate and obvious.
Then came the offensive versatility. Kenyon Sadiq gives this unit something it simply didn’t have. At 4.39 speed with elite explosiveness, he’s not just a tight end; he’s a matchup problem.
Oregon used him as a seam threat and RAC weapon, but his growth as a route runner suggests there’s more coming. In a modern offense, that’s a chess piece.
The aggression resurfaced late in Round 1. Trading back in for Omar Cooper Jr. was targeted. Cooper brings vertical juice, physicality, and a championship pedigree from Indiana’s title run.
He’s not a finished product, but that’s the beauty of a draft. They know they can get the players with potential and develop them. Cooper finished as the No. 10 overall-ranked receiver on the PFSN’s CFB WR Impact rankings.
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Finally, the move that turned the entire perception of this class on its head: D’Angelo Ponds in Round 2. On tape and by grading, he wasn’t supposed to be there. A top-15 player falling into the middle of Day 2 changes things.
The size concerns are real, but everything else checks out. Elite vertical, blazing speed, and high-end ball production. Over his college career, he consistently erased receivers, showing rare instincts and processing in coverage. This is where the Jets separated themselves from the rest.
