Jim F'S MOCK DRAFT
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Jim F'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON FEB 24, 2026

Mendoza/Reese/Styles

  • Jim F DRAFTING FOR THE
    Jets
Draft Selections
Fernando Mendoza Head Shot
PICK: 2 RND: 1 (NYJ)
Fernando Mendoza
QB Indiana
Arvell Reese Head Shot
PICK: 16 RND: 1 (NYJ)
Arvell Reese
LB Ohio State
Sonny Styles Head Shot
PICK: 33 RND: 2 (NYJ)
Sonny Styles
LB Ohio State
D'Angelo Ponds Head Shot
PICK: 44 RND: 2 (NYJ)
D'Angelo Ponds
CB Indiana
Sam Hecht Head Shot
PICK: 103 RND: 4 (NYJ)
Sam Hecht
C Kansas State
Kaleb Proctor Head Shot
PICK: 175 RND: 5 (NYJ)
Kaleb Proctor
DL SE Louisiana
Febechi Nwaiwu Head Shot
PICK: 178 RND: 5 (NYJ)
Febechi Nwaiwu
OG Oklahoma
Bud Clark Head Shot
PICK: 192 RND: 6 (NYJ)
Bud Clark
S TCU
Oscar Delp Head Shot
PICK: 206 RND: 6 (NYJ)
Oscar Delp
TE Georgia
Dane Key Head Shot
PICK: 209 RND: 6 (NYJ)
Dane Key
WR Nebraska
Robert Henry Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 218 RND: 7 (NYJ)
Robert Henry Jr.
RB UTSA
Cole Payton Head Shot
PICK: 242 RND: 7 (NYJ)
Cole Payton
QB North Dakota State
Draft Grade — Jets
Overall B
ValueB NeedB+ TradesB- FutureB-
The Jets answered their biggest question with Mendoza. Grade: B.

The one hole that towered over the rest is filled. The Jets spent their marquee pick on Fernando Mendoza, and for the first time in a while there is a real answer at quarterback.

Leaving edge rusher unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall. If one pick saves this weekend, it is Hecht.

Spending an early pick on linebacker with edge rusher open is the decision the grade keeps circling back to. Reaching for Henry Jr. left real value on the table behind him.

In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the edge rusher spot they never got to.

Pick Analysis
Pick2 Rnd1 Fernando Mendoza
In Round 1, Pick 2 they get a long-term answer under center at fair value. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
Pick16 Rnd1 Arvell Reese
Arvell Reese slipping to the 16th overall pick is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.
Pick33 Rnd2 Sonny Styles
A curious use of slot 33. Edge rusher needed the pick; a linebacker in Sonny Styles did not.
Pick44 Rnd2 D'Angelo Ponds
A market-rate cornerback, with the board and the slot shaking hands on D'Angelo Ponds. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick103 Rnd4 Sam Hecht
Sam Hecht in pick No. 103 should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Pick175 Rnd5 Kaleb Proctor
Good price on Kaleb Proctor in the 175th pick, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Pick178 Rnd5 Febechi Nwaiwu
Febechi Nwaiwu at the Round 5 slot is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the offensive lineman. A need, and now a little less of one.
Pick192 Rnd6 Bud Clark
They liked Bud Clark enough to skip the value, taking him in No. 192. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Pick206 Rnd6 Oscar Delp
A tidy bit of business in the 206th overall pick, where Oscar Delp graded well above the range. It adds depth where they could use a little.
Pick209 Rnd6 Dane Key
Dane Key in slot 209 is exactly on the number, no argument either way. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Pick218 Rnd7 Robert Henry Jr.
A wild overpay on Robert Henry Jr. in pick 218, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Pick242 Rnd7 Cole Payton
A tidy little value on Cole Payton in the Round 7 slot, a step better than break-even. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.