The 2026 NFL Draft is just around the corner, as it begins on Thursday, April 23rd. This year’s festivities will take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After finishing last season with a 3-14 record, the New York Jets currently hold the second pick in the draft. DraftKings Sportsbook has a market available for the second pick, and I will be giving my best bet for it below.
Best Bet for the No. 2 Overall Pick
After trading away Quinnen Williams last season and Jermaine Johnson this offseason, the Jets had plenty of work to do on their defensive line. They made a few additions in free agency, but no splash names. David Onyemata, Kingsley Enagbare and Joseph Ossai entered the fray, alongside T’Vondre Sweat in the Jermaine Johnson trade with Tennessee. They’ve added plenty of depth, especially on the interior, but you get the sense they still need another star on the outside.
That narrows this pick down to either Arvell Reese or David Bailey. It makes sense that Reese is the favorite. He’s younger, more athletic and has higher upside. But there are questions around his ability to rush the passer, simply because he hasn’t done it as much as someone like Bailey. Reese was a hybrid player at Ohio State, lining up at both linebacker and on the edge.
Aaron Glenn and the Jets are under huge pressure to deliver this upcoming season, or this regime could be in trouble. I’m not sure they can afford a swing and a miss with the second overall pick, which is why I think they will make the higher floor pick with David Bailey.
You know what you’re going to get with the former Texas Tech defensive end. He’s a proven pass rusher and was arguably the best at his position in college football last season. He racked up 14.5 sacks at Texas Tech last season, by far the best tally of his career. In his first three seasons at Stanford, Bailey accumulated 14.5 sacks. He matched his career total in just one season, and also set career bests in total tackles, solo tackles, assisted tackles and pass deflections. He might not be as athletic as an Arvell Reese, but Bailey is still an elite athletic prospect. Look no further than his 4.5-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
The Jets can’t afford to miss on this pick, and Bailey provides much more security in that he will start Week 1 and likely contribute right away.
