The New York Jets have a lot of work to do this offseason. With needs all across the roster, there are plenty of moves the team needs to make for Aaron Glenn's second year as head coach.
While the Jets need a quarterback, that might not come in the NFL Draft, with Fernando Mendoza set to go first overall, and the rest of the QB options not being first-round caliber. Instead, the Jets could load up elsewhere.
Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com, in his first mock-draft of the offseason, predicted the Jets would take two players from Ohio State at 2nd and 16th overall. Taking the edge rusher and wide receiver from Ohio State would make for an incredible first-round for the Jets.
Jets predicted to take pair of Ohio State stars in 1st round
Jeremiah predicts that the Jets will take edge rusher Arvell Reese second overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Ohio State pass rusher is one of the top prospects in the class, and would be a nice pickup for the Jets.
"The Jets have needs all over their defense," Jeremiah writes. "Reese is versatile and athletic. I think he'll benefit from working off the edge full time after also playing off-ball linebacker during his Buckeyes days."
Adding Reese as a full-time pass rusher is incredibly appealing for the Jets. He might not be the only answer to improving the defense, but a difference-making pass rusher could be the exact kind of player the Jets need this offseason.
Then, later in the first round, Jeremiah has the Jets taking Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate at 16th overall with the first-round pick they got from the Indianapolis Colts for trading Sauce Gardner.
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"This would be a value pick," Jeremiah writes, "but we see talented receivers go in this area of the draft year after year (Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Emeka Egbuka, Justin Jefferson). The Jets pair former Ohio State star Garrett Wilson with a fellow Buckeye."
Adding Tate, a big-bodied wide receiver, to pair with Garrett Wilson on offense will make the landing spot for a new quarterback a lot better.
The offensive line is strong, and with Wilson, Tate, and Mason Taylor, the receiver room would be a lot better than it was at times last year.
The dual Ohio State draft class for the Jets would be an incredible haul, and would be an incredibly exciting 2026 NFL Draft haul for Jets fans looking for difference-makers this offseason.
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