From the sound of things, the New York Jets are expected to take Arvell Reese with the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Until the draft is here and the Jets make the decision when they’re on the clock, everything will be on the table.
However, according to Rich Cimini, it seems like the Jets are going the Reese route.
“General manager Darren Mougey said they haven't identified that player yet. After listening to Glenn, then gathering a few crumbs at the NFL spring meetings in Phoenix, it feels like Ohio State's Arvell Reese is the best fit. A couple of comments from Glenn jumped out. Discussing his plans for a revamped defensive scheme, he confirmed that he's planning to employ multiple fronts, including a new 3-4 look,” he wrote.
Despite that report, ESPN’s Daniel Jeremiah said that Carnell Tate could be in play. Taking a wide receiver at No. 2 would raise questions, but Tate is good enough to justify doing so.
“I think [Carnell Tate] starts; I think that he’s in play like at No. 2,” Jeremiah said. “I think that conversation, I think that he’s entertained at No. 2. … There’s a lot of Tate supporters out there. A lot of people [who] need a receiver. I’ll say this: If Tate was 205 pounds instead of 192 pounds, and he ran a 4.42 [40-yard dash] instead of 4.53, I think there’s a real chance he’s the second pick in the draft.”
The question for the Jets is whether they want to go with an elite wide receiver or an elite player who can get to the quarterback. From a need standpoint, the Jets could use either player.
The one problem here is that defensive guys are typically move valuable. Not to say that Tate can’t be an incredible player in New York or in the NFL in general, but the Jets will likely have to find a better quarterback if they want him to succeed at the level they’d hope for.
At the same time, the Jets getting a wide receiver with the talent he has would go a long way for this offense if it ever gets figured out.