The New York Jets’ season came to an end yesterday, capping off a year that both the team and its fanbase will want to move on from as quickly as possible. The Jets finished with a 3–14 record in what was one of the worst seasons in franchise history.
Due to their poor performance this season, the Jets currently hold the second overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, along with the 16th overall pick acquired from Indianapolis. Having two selections inside the top 16 provides valuable assets to help accelerate a rebuild for this struggling team, but the question remains: how will the Jets use them?
NFL reporter Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA Today projected the Jets to land two offensive weapons in the first round of the draft: quarterback Dante Moore out of Oregon with the second overall pick, and wide receiver Makai Lemon from USC with the 16th pick.
These two selections would significantly shake up and hopefully improve a Jets offense that ranked among the worst in the league this season. New York struggled mightily in the passing game, finishing last in the NFL by averaging just 140.3 passing yards per game, according to ESPN.
GettyWR Makai Lemon.
A Deeper Look at Dante Moore
If the Jets decide to select a quarterback with the second overall pick, the choice would likely come down to Moore or Fernando Mendoza of Indiana. In Middlehurst-Schwartz’s mock draft, Mendoza is selected first overall by the Las Vegas Raiders, leaving the Jets to land Moore. However, Middlehurst-Schwartz made it clear that Moore should not be viewed as a “consolation prize.”
“Moore is no mere consolation prize, and he’s proven himself to be a highly composed and accurate distributor despite a limited body of work,” wrote Middlehurst-Schwartz.
On ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper’s big board, Moore is ranked as the number one overall prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft.
“Moore is a third-year sophomore with some impressive traits. His accuracy has been solid all season, and he shows good touch on his deep ball. Moore can throw from different arm angles with precision and delivers strikes while rolling either left or right out of the pocket. He can scramble a bit too,” wrote Kiper.
GettyQB Dante Moore.
A Deeper Look at Makai Lemon
The Jets have several holes they could look to address with the 16th overall pick, but adding a top-tier wide receiver to pair with star receiver Garrett Wilson could immediately improve the passing game. In this mock draft, it would also give Moore more weapons to throw to in his rookie season, which is why selecting Lemon makes sense.
“The Biletnikoff Award winner is uniquely positioned to thrive in this era of football, as he consistently frees himself up from coverage in the short-to-intermediate area and piles up yards after the catch with ease,” wrote Middlehurst-Schwartz.
Kiper has Lemon listed as the 10th overall prospect entering the 2026 NFL Draft.
“This kid is a warrior who plays with passion. I’d want Lemon on my roster. He snatches the ball away from his body in an attacking manner then runs with a fierce approach after the catch. He is one of my favorite players in the class, and he currently ranks fourth in the nation in receiving yards,” wrote Kiper.
GettyMakai Lemon would improve the Jets WR core.
Jets Land Two Offensive Stars in Latest Mock Draft