New York Jets May Have Taken the Wrong WR

The New York Jets ended up with three first-round draft picks on Thursday night, as they traded back into Round 1 to nab Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper at No. 30.

The Jets had taken Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey (No. 2) and tight end Kenyon Sadiq (No. 16) with their first couple of selections before jumping back into the picture to snatch Cooper later in the round.

New York desperately needed more weapons, so the Jets' decision to draft a couple of them on Day 1 was perfectly valid.

But did New York select the right player in Cooper?

The Jets needed a No. 2 receiver behind Garrett Wilson. No question. But what they really needed was an X-receiver to complement him. That isn't Cooper.

At six feet tall, 199 pounds, Cooper is of very similar stature to Wilson. He is also a terrific downfield threat and could absolutely develop into a very good wide out on the professional level.

But was Cooper the right pick with Washington's Denzel Boston on the board?

Boston had been connected to the Jets quite a bit in the weeks leading up to the draft, and understandably so. He stands 6-foot-4, weighs 210 pounds and is your prototypical X-receiver. Yes, he lacks top-end speed, but he doesn't need it.

The 22-year-old hauled in 62 receptions for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2025, averaging a healthy 14.2 yards per catch. He is an outstanding possession receiver, has a fantastic catch radius and should be a perfect red-zone threat.

That is what the Jets really needed.

Now, you can argue that New York kind of got that in Sadiq, who is sort of like a big-bodied wide receiver himself, but why not double down?

Don't get me wrong: the Jets did an incredible job on Thursday evening. I thought Bailey was the right pick at No. 2, and Sadiq could be one of the best players in this class. Cooper does fill a hole a wide receiver. I'm just not sure it's the right one.

Maybe it's a case of being too picky, but I can't help but think Gang Green would have been better off selecting Boston at No. 30.

Then again, maybe there is a reason why every other team in the first round passed on Boston.

Jets Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Jets. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.