We’re only a few days away now from the New York Jets making one of their more important decisions in a very long time.
Holding the second overall pick, it’s very unlikely that New York will have an opportunity to draft Fernando Mendoza, but that doesn’t mean it can’t add a very good player and go out and do what’s needed on either side of the football. If the Jets do what’s right and make the decisions that the organization is expected to, there’s a very good reason to think the future of this organization can be much brighter after the draft than it currently is.
Looking at what that might mean, as there have been reports indicating that the Jets could either go with Arvell Reese or David Bailey, it sounds like most believe that Bailey will be the pick, and the reason for it is due to pairing Will McDonald IV with a player who can come in and help make an impact alongside the Iowa State product.
"It's a rich scenario for the Jets, and yet simultaneously it's pretty simple. Assuming the Raiders aren't snowing everyone and take QB Fernando Mendoza first overall on Thursday night, the rest of the draft racetrack landscape is wide open for the Jets at No. 2… But you don't need a boarding-house reach to grab one of the two best players in this draft, both at a position of need. The Jets were 31st in the NFL last season with 26 sacks and their sacks/pass attempt rate of 5.05% was 29th.
"Pair someone up with Will McDonald IV and the beefed-up interior and turn the line loose. Arvell Reese has been the chalk as the Green & White's pick at No. 2 for a while, but I'm liking David Bailey moving up on the outside. At Stanford in 2024, he tied for fourth in FBS with 5 forced fumbles. Last season with Texas Tech, he tied for second in FBS with 14.5 sacks. Bailey has been pegged by a number of analysts to be the more polished edge right now, while Reese is said to have a higher ceiling. There's something to be said for each type of player, but why not help solve one of last year's problem areas? My ticket reads Bailey to win in the second at Pittsburgh on Thursday night," Randy Lange of the Jets wrote.
In my opinion, I’d probably go with Reese, but I also understand the intrigue around Bailey. He was a very good player at Texas Tech a year ago and also has a lot of potential. While I think Reese will be the better player in the long term, that doesn’t mean Bailey can’t be a star in New York, too.