The New York Jets are in a good spot with their draft capital this season. They have the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, which will likely be used on a star edge rusher. They also have the No. 16 pick in the first round, as well as picks No. 33 and No. 44 in the second round.
All this draft capital has the Jets in a good spot to hit a home run in the NFL draft. But they could be looking to trade up from the second round to acquire another first-round pick.
ESPN's Bill Barnwell recently [put together a mock trade](https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2026/story/_/id/48373315/2026-nfl-mock-draft-all-trades-barnwell-deals-32-round-1-picks-players-mccarthy-crosby) that would send the No. 33 pick and the No. 44 pick to the New England Patriots in exchange for the No. 31 pick, No. 63 pick, and the No. 131 pick this year.
Jets would benefit from adding an additional first round pick
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Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) runs against the Indiana Hoosiers in the first half of the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
"The Jets would accomplish two things with this trade up," Barnwell wrote. "One would be getting ahead of the Seahawks for a cornerback, a position of need for Aaron Glenn. Brandon Stephens was a major liability in his first season with New York, while Nahshon Wright was signed to only a one-year contract this offseason.
"The other would be getting ahead of teams that might trade into pick No. 32 to leapfrog the Jets at No. 33, which would impact the many needs the Jets have across their roster. New York shouldn't be trading up very often, given its need for young talent, but if it has one player left in a tier at a position it really values, moving up would lock in that player."
First thing to note with this mock trade is that it's unrealistic and way too much for the Jets to give up. New York shouldn't move both second-round picks to slide up two slots.
Either way, the idea of trading up makes sense for a few reasons.
As Barnwell notes, they could acquire a cornerback, which they desperately need, by jumping the Seattle Seahawks. But they could also target Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. There are a few teams that may want to jump ahead of the Jets at pick No. 33 if Simpson is available. To combat this, the Jets may trade up.
They would also gain a fifth-year option on whichever player they'd select at pick No. 31, as opposed to no fifth-year options for second-round picks.