Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
Getty
Former Penn State offensive lineman Olaivavega Ioane reacting in the middle of a college football game versus Michigan State.
The New York Jets could push all of their chips into the middle of the table this offseason on their offensive line.
Longtime former NFL scout and current NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah had the Jets doing exactly that in his mock draft 2.0. He predicted that the Jets would select Penn State big man Olaivavega Ioane with the No. 16 overall pick in the first round.
“I know quarterback is a huge need for the Jets, but I don’t see a QB worthy of the 16th overall pick this year. So, they can take the best player available here. I view Ioane as the best offensive lineman in the draft. He can fill the void with the injury-plagued Alijah Vera-Tucker and John Simpson headed for free agency,” Jeremiah wrote.
A Historic Selection for the Green and White
If the Jets followed through on Jeremiah’s prediction, they would be making history.
Since 2020, the Jets have invested four first-round picks into the offensive line. That is more than any other team in the NFL over that span.
Mekhi Becton went No. 11 overall in 2020. Vera-Tucker went No. 14 overall in 2021. Olumuyiwa Fashanu went No. 11 overall in 2024. Armand Membou went No. 7 overall in 2025.
The selection of Ioane would make that the fifth first-round pick the Jets have invested in the trenches over the last seven drafts.
“It’s a bold strategy, Cotton. Let’s see if it pays off for ’em,” a wise man once said.
Jets Using the Reverse Uno Card
Quite frankly, the Jets are simply making up for lost time.
Between 2007 and 2019, the Jets didn’t draft a single offensive lineman in the first round. They went on a 13-year drought in the first round.
The big decision this offseason is seemingly between Simpson and AVT for the Jets. Both big men are scheduled to reach free agency on March 11. However, Jeremiah picked option C for the Jets, bring back neither, and start fresh with a young buck.
That would be overkill in terms of forcing all your resources into one positional group. However, the good news is that great offensive line play helps serve as the straw that stirs the drink for the entire offense.
Bigger rushing lanes help out the running backs. Creating more time to pass the ball helps out whoever the heck is playing quarterback. The more time a passer has, the easier it’ll be for the wide receivers and tight ends to get open.
DJ’s Other Mock Selection for the Jets
With the No. 2 overall pick in the first round of Jeremiah’s mock draft 2.0, he predicted that the Jets would go defense with Texas Tech pass rusher David Bailey.
“The Jets have their pick of the draft’s finest edge rushers here. Bailey’s combination of explosiveness and production is the best of the bunch,” Jeremiah explained.
If the Jets stick and pick at No. 2, the prevailing thought at this moment in time is that they would go with a front-seven player.
There are different flavors of ice cream when you look at the top defensive linemen and/or pass rushers at the top of this class. It’s all about who you prefer and what traits are important to you.