Jets' Bailey or Reese decision comes down to this, Adam Schefter says
Decisions, decisions.
The New York Jets are facing a big one when they are on the clock at the top of the 2026 NFL Draft. Armed with two first-round picks on Day 1 - No. 2 and No. 16 - it figures to be a long night for general manager Darren Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn.
With the Las Vegas Raiders expected to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the Jets will have their choice of pass-rusher. And that all comes down to a matter of preference, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The New York Jets plan to select a pass rusher," Schefter said, during an appearance on ESPN's "Get Up" on April 22. "I think everybody across the league knows that. The question is whether it's going to be David Bailey or whether it's going to be Arvell Reese."
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There has been a well-documented debate between those prospects in this year's class, but no one seems to have an idea of the Jets' plans. ESPN's Peter Schrager noted on April 21 that there are no leaks coming out of the team's facility, meaning everyone is guessing at this stage.
Bailey has been defined as the more "pro-ready" prospect that also profiles as a traditional edge. Reese is considered to possess the higher ceiling, but it's unclear whether he fits in best as a pass-rusher or off-ball linebacker at the next level.
That, Schefter says, is the big difference in the Jets' decision.
"I can tell you there is a feeling across the league that David Bailey is the most effective, productive pass rusher coming out of this draft," Schefter said. "Arvell Reese may have some more upside and that could be something the Jets decide they want to bet on. But I think the feeling continues to be the sense is the Jets will go Bailey. But again, they have been very intentional about not advertising their pick to anybody."
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New York raised some eyebrows when they opted to cancel Bailey's top-30 visit ahead of the draft, but Mougey dismissed that news having any impact on the final selection.
In regards to David, we had good touchpoints with himat the combine,"Mougey said. We went to his pro day, had a good dinner with him. We were just kinda juggling our 30 and how to use them. I wouldn't look too much into a cancelation because there were other ones we may have changed as well."
Of course, what the Jets do with the second pick directly impacts everyone behind them. Rumors have swirled about the Arizona Cardinals' desire to potentially trade back and the interest other teams have in moving up. With no indication of New York's plans, it can be hard for any team to feel confident about the options they'll have on the clock.
In other words, everyone will just have to wait-and-see. Even if that means waiting until the pick is officially announced.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who will the Jets draft? Arvell Reese, David Bailey decision explained