2026 NFL draft: Jets load up on defense in USAT pre-free agency mock
· Yahoo Sports
With the free agency period arriving during the 2026 NFL offseason this week, USA TODAY has released a mock for the upcoming draft.
In it, the New York Jets stick to defense with both of their Round 1 selections.
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Free agency starts on Tuesday, March 11, and will dictate what the Jets will do at the draft. For now, USAT sees a rejuvenation on the defensive side of the ball happening for New York at the draft
With two selections in Round 1, the mock projects the Jets taking Texas Tech's David Bailey at No. 2 overall. With New York's second pick, Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman ends up with the Green and White with the 16th selection.
After the house cleaning the Jets have gone through by trading away top pieces on their defense the past year, going defense with both of their first-round selections is a realistic scenario.
USAT's Nate Davis' breakdown on both picks for the Jets can be found below:
2. New York Jets – OLB/DE David Bailey, Texas Tech
The Stanford grad came into his own with the Big 12 champion Red Raiders in 2025, tying for first in the FBS with 14½ sacks while leading the field with a 20.2% pressure percentage and mixing in 19½ tackles for losses. Bailey is scheme diverse, which could also be a boon for a team switching to a three-man front and one that just offloaded DE Jermaine Johnson II, who was optimal for Tennessee's 4-3 defense.
16. Jets (from Indianapolis Colts) – S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
One of the combine's standouts, the Ducks All-American is a rangy player who can be weaponized all over the field – box, slot, center field. The Jets are also woefully thin at safety but could wisely invest in one with the pick obtained in last year’s trade of CB Sauce Gardner. Thieneman may not be a facsimile of Brian Branch, whom NYJ coach Aaron Glenn had in Detroit, but he’s a reasonable enough approximation for a defense in dire need of playmakers.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: 2026 NFL draft: Jets load up on defense in USAT pre-free agency mock