With the NFL Scouting Combine concluded, the sports world’s greatest NFL Draft analysts now have more information than they have at any point during this offseason. With that information acquired, mock drafts will begin to take the forefront even more than they already have. One of those heralded draft analysts is none other than The Athletic’s Dane Brugler. Brugler is well-renowned for his scouting ability. Every year, he produces one of the most in-depth pieces of draft content out there – The Beast. This serves as a comprehensive draft guide for the public that will be published closer to the draft. What is published, though, is Brugler’s latest mock draft. His latest crack at April’s marquee event covers the first 64 picks of the draft. The Jets have four selections in this range, and Brugler made sure to load them up in this mock draft exercise. Let’s check out who he landed on with these picks.
Round 1, Pick 2 – Ohio State LB/EDGE Arvell Reese
Arvell Reese has been the consensus 2nd overall selection to the Jets in mock drafts for a while now. After the combine, it might be a lock. It was already known before last weekend that Reese was an athletic freak who has versatility between off-ball LB and EDGE rusher. Now, that athleticism is quantifiable. Reese lit the combine ablaze by running a 4.46 40-yard dash featuring a blistering 1.58 10-yard split. He did so while standing at 6’4″ and weighing 241 pounds. He looked great in the drills as well, showcasing his movement ability that could translate to either LB or EDGE at the next level. The coaching ability of Karl Dunbar could help Reese use that athleticism to become a superstar.
Sheeeeeesh.@OhioStateFB LB Arvell Reese with a 4.47u
2026 NFL Combine on @nflnetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/j74Yd3XQCw
— NFL (@NFL) February 27, 2026
Round 1, Pick 16 – USC WR Makai Lemon
Makai Lemon is another popular mock draft selection for the Jets in the first round of this year’s draft. The USC wideout certainly fills a need for the Jets, as they are pretty thin underneath superstar Garrett Wilson. Lemon has the ability to become a superstar in his own right as well. He was highly productive at USC, racking up 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns on 79 catches in 2025. He’s praised for his route running and contested catch ability. The latter may seem surprising given his frame, but he hauled in 66.7% of his contested targets in 2025. As Dane mentioned in his piece, he could be an Amon-Ra St. Brown-type of player for the Jets. That’s someone that Aaron Glenn has quite a bit of experience with, and one he probably wants to replicate in New York.
Dane also points out that the Jets could potentially opt for more size at WR here. That would imply ASU’s Jordyn Tyson and Washington’s Denzel Boston are firmly in play for the Jets. This would make sense as it would allow Garrett Wilson to exploit matchups in the slot. It will be interesting to see what direction the Jets go at this position in the next month and change.
Round 2, Pick 33 – Georgia LB C.J. Allen
For the Jets’ first pick in the second round of this mock draft, Dane opted to address the LB position with C.J. Allen. This would be a very good outcome. Allen is an underrated player due to positional value. He boasts a high football IQ as he was given the responsibility of the green dot on Kirby Smart’s defense. This defense has produced numerous first-round picks over the last couple of years, including Jalon Walker, Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, and Malaki Starks. To be able to lead that unit is worth noting. He would be a solid replacement for Quincy Williams, as they both share the ability to fly around the field and make plays in the backfield. With proper development as a cover guy, he could eventually usurp Jamien Sherwood as the defensive signal-caller.
Watch Cj Allen on this rep.
Smartest Linebacker in the class pic.twitter.com/7NVHRw0out
— (Foots The King) (@FootsDaKing) February 13, 2026
Round 2, Pick 44 – SDSU CB Chris Johnson
Given the value and the talent, this may be the best pick out of this elite haul. Chris Johnson is another rather underrated prospect in this draft, mostly due to him attending San Diego State. The combine served as a platform for him to make a statement, and he did. Johnson tested very well, running a 4.40 40-yard dash along with hitting a 38″ vertical jump and a 10’6″ broad jump. This goes along with his outstanding 2025 season in which he had 4 interceptions, 5 pass break-ups and only allowed 185 yards in coverage. That 185 yards ranked 12th in the nation out of CBs with at least 267 coverage snaps. Johnson has the ability to become the Jets’ CB1, given Brandon Stephens’ age and the fact that Azareye’h Thomas is coming off an injury.
Overall, this mock draft is an incredible haul for the Jets. They get their potential pass rush ace of the future, an ultra-competitive WR2 with great upside, a highly intelligent LB, and a potential CB1 all within the first 45 picks of the draft. All of this while maintaining their 2027 capital as well. Many Jets fans should be dreaming of this outcome come April.
Main Photo: [Jerome Miron] – Imagn Images