How Jets could be beneficiaries of major offensive tackle run in NFL Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New York Jets own the second, 16th, 33rd, and 44th picks in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. While edge rusher between Arvell Reese and David Bailey looks to be the No. 2 pick, the rest of the selections are up in the air.
Their 16th overall selection is a very interesting one, as the Jets might be eyeing a wide receiver upgrade to pair with Garrett Wilson. While they could trade up for a top name, they might also entertain a trade-down as well.
And with Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reporting that there could be an aggressive run of offensive tackles in the middle of Round 1, the Jets might be able to be major beneficiaries of such aggressive OT hunting from NFL teams picking down the board.
"If, say, after 13 picks, Mauigoa and Fano are gone, and the five others are left, and you have these seven teams looming as potential suitors, it's possible we'll see a little game of leapfrog going," Breer writes. "And teams like the Buccaneers (No. 15) and Jets (No. 16) could be beneficiaries of that."
The Baltimore Ravens (No. 14), Detroit Lions (No. 17), Carolina Panthers (No. 19), Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 21), Philadelphia Eagles (No. 23), Cleveland Browns (No. 24), and Chicago Bears (No. 25) could all be eyeing offensive tackle.
Francis Mauigoa and Spencer Fano being taken before the 14th selection of the NFL Draft is a very real possibility. Such a scenario would be a major issue for teams down the board, as there would be only five first-round caliber OTs left on the board.
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Utah's Caleb Lomu, Arizona State's Maz Iheanachor, Alabama's Kadyn Proctor, Georgia's Monroe Freeling, and Clemson's Blake Miller are the first-round caliber OTs.
The Jets don't need an offensive tackle, meaning they could trade down with one of those teams to pick up some extra 2027 picks if possible for a team looking to jump the Lions or Panthers for an offensive tackle.
With a finite number of good offensive tackles, the Jets might be able to pick up some valuable picks down the board or in next year's draft, thanks to a potential aggressive OT run in the middle of Round 1.
While the Jets will be looking at the positions of need, it's important to keep an eye out for the OT run, as they might end up getting a lot of value in a trade-down if tackles start flying off the board.
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