Jets Must Target Quinnen Williams' Replacement in 2026 NFL Draft

With the 2025 NFL regular season slowly winding down, the New York Jets and general manager Darren Mougey will now shift their focus toward the 2026 offseason.

During Mougey’s massive fire sale at the 2025 NFL Trade Deadline, the organization landed a 2026 first-round pick from the Indianapolis Colts after parting ways with star Sauce Gardner. In addition to trading their elite cornerback, the Jets also received a 2027 first-round pick from the Dallas Cowboys in return for defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.

Both deals completely dismantled New York’s stout defense, as Gardner and Williams were easily the best players for head coach Aaron Glenn. Now, the Jets’ interior defensive line includes veteran Harrison Phillips, second-year tackle Jowon Briggs, and Cowboys’ 2023 first-round pick Mazi Smith.

Briggs, after being traded to the franchise prior to the 2025 season, has shown flashes of potential this year, but in order to build the trenches for the future, Mougey must add another young defensive tackle in the 2026 offseason.

Luckily, the answer to the Jets’ defensive tackle issues may lie in Columbus, OH.

Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald has seen his draft stock skyrocket after a fantastic season with the Buckeyes. As a junior, McDonald was a key rotational piece for his squad during their National Championship run last year.

But with Ohio State’s entire starting defensive line going to the NFL last offseason, head coach Ryan Day turned to McDonald to handle the interior efforts at the line of scrimmage.

Fortunately for the young playmaker, he has yet to disappoint in 2025.

McDonald has recorded 57 tackles, three sacks, and two forced fumbles in 13 games this season. His strong performances this year led to him possessing the third-best defensive grade amongst defensive tackles at 89.3, according to PFF.

At 6-foot-3, 326 lbs., McDonald has a perfect frame to become a nose tackle in the NFL, and has plenty of experience lining up at the position this season. The Suwanee, GA native has done an excellent job of being a run stopper for the Buckeyes this season, racking up a total of 30 stops this season. This, along with his ability to generate pressure from the interior in the pass game, makes him an ideal fit for the Jets.

Looking at where McDonald could land in the 2026 NFL Draft, there’s a good chance New York could use the Colts’ first-round pick to select the highly-touted defender. Depending on if the Jets use said pick to trade up for a quarterback, McDonald would become a staple of the team’s defensive efforts for the foreseeable future.