Jets made their decision at No. 2 overall a week ago for 2026 NFL Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
There has been much debate, especially over the last week, about which player the New York Jets will be taking at No. 2 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Ohio State's Arvell Reese and Texas Tech's David Bailey have been the two players who fans, media, and other teams have been debating about who will be the pick.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Jets have already made their decision. And more specifically, they made this decision last week. The Reese vs. Bailey debate is, internally for the Jets, over.
"The Jets had settled on their pick as of late last week and have shifted to the No. 16 selection and how the board might fall there," Fowler writes.
With the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Jets are going to take one of the top players on the board, not named Fernando Mendoza.
It's most likely going to be either Reese or Bailey with the No. 2 pick. The only question is which player Darren Mougey and Aaron Glenn settle on.
The likely favorite leading up to the draft's first round on Thursday night is Reese, the Ohio State Buckeyes hybrid off-ball linebacker who will be transitioning to the edge rusher spot in the NFL.
More: Jets ideal pick at No. 2 overall is Arvell Reese out of Ohio State
He's a bit riskier due to his versatility, but his upside is incredibly high, and he could be the next superstar pass rusher in the NFL.
After the Jets canceled the top-30 visit with David Bailey, the Jets have been trending towards Reese as the pick. Though in the same article, ESPN's Matt Miller predicts the Jets to take Bailey at No. 2 overall.
This debate won't be settled until the Jets' official pick at No. 2 overall is announced. The only thing that would be a surprise at this rate is if it weren't Reese or Bailey, but another player like Carnell Tate, Caleb Downs, or Sonny Styles.
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