4 prospects the Jets may have been eyeing at Texas Tech Pro Day

As we inch closer to finding out who the newest and youngest members of the New York Jets will be later this month, the Jets front office and coaching staff continue to do their due diligence. It kicked off with pro day in Miami on Monday, then moved to Notre Dame, and then to Ohio State.

And today, Darren Mougey, Aaron Glenn, and new offensive coordinator Frank Reich, among others, hit Lubbock, Texas, to check out Texas Tech's pro day. With so many holes in the roster, they'll be analyzing every player at every position out there.

But similar to their time in Coral Gables and Columbus, Jets brass will be focusing a lot of their attention on an edge rusher who might just be their first pick at No. 2 overall. And that's who we'll kick this off with.

Texas Tech prospects the Jets are likely keeping their eye on

DE David Bailey

Whether you think it's going to be Rueben Bain Jr. of Miami, Arvell Reese of Ohio State, or David Bailey of Texas Tech, almost all experts project the Jets to go with an edge at the number two pick. So it's no surprise this is where they're concluding their trip.

An Orange, California product who began his collegiate career at esteemed Stanford University, Bailey had a breakout season in 2025. He jumped from seven sacks in 2024 to 15 in 2025. He walked away with 23 QB-hits, 43 hurries, and 40 defensive stops.

To sum it all up, he was a demon on the field.

He has an explosive take off, can flip his hips with ease, and bends around wide angles to get to the quarterback. He uses every ounce of his 6-foot-4, 251-pound frame to wreak havoc. Pro Football Focus gave him a pass-rush grade of 93.8, a staggering number that points to a potential superstar at the next level.

If he's the Jets' No. 2 overall pick, the seeds of his selection were planted today.

DL Lee Hunter

An infusion of talent all along the defensive line would be nice. T'Vondre Sweat was a steal from Tennessee, and Harrison Phillips is a solid veteran, but there's no reason to stop building there. Lee Hunter, a Mobile, Alabama product who began his career at UCF, has the potential to be a dynamic interior lineman who provides both production and versatility.

He showed promise all across the board last season. With 19 quarterback hurries, five hits, and two sacks, he put stress on opposing QBs. His 72.1 PFF pass rush grade is incredibly respectable for someone who often lined up at nose tackle. He won't be a force as a pass rusher, but he'll certainly penetrate the middle of the line to disrupt attempts.

He really made his mark in the run game, where he provided the Red Raiders with 25 defensive stops. He received an 84.5 run defense grade, up drastically from 74.5 in 2024.

He's far from a life changer, but he could be a game changer. Providing our likely future first-round outside pass rusher with a friend in the middle to handle the run isn't the worst idea. And he could be available at pick 33, or even 44.

LB Jacob Rodriguez

If the Jets want to bring a young inside linebacker into the fold, now is the time to do it. The addition of Demario Davis should do a lot of positive things for the Jets' defense, but his impact on the young guys might wind up being where his biggest value lies.

Jacob Rodriguez would make for a promising understudy. The 6-foot-1, 235-pound Hastings, Minnesota, product can do a little bit of everything... including play quarterback.

Yes, Rodriguez's college football journey started under center, playing QB for Virginia, before transferring to Texas Tech to play linebacker in 2022. This turned out to be a fruitful decision, as he's about to make a lot of money playing professional football.

He's not going to provide much as a pass rusher, but his 92.3 PFF coverage grade jumps off the page, especially when parlayed with his 94.8 run defense grade. And it's not just grading and metrics. He put up 94 tackles and 70 stops last season. He puts up serious production in terms of total output.

Just like Hunter, he could be around with one of the second-round picks. Adding a versatile inside linebacker to learn from a future Hall-of-Famer could make for an interesting dynamic on defense.

WR Reggie Virgil

We all know the current sorry state of the Jets' wide receiver room. Of course, there's Garrett Wilson, but outside of that, it's as bad a receiving corps as there is in the NFL. The Jets could stand to add multiple wide receivers in this draft.

An option who might be available somewhere between the fourth and sixth round is Reggie Virgil of Texas Tech. Virgil spent the better part of his career at Miami of Ohio before transferring to Texas Tech after three seasons with the RedHawks.

He's not known for any one specific trait, but rather being an overall solid receiver. He's good against zone defenses due to his spatial awareness. He'll come back to the throw instead of waiting for the ball to get to him. He's quick and hard to press at the line of scrimmage, and has sticky hands that pluck passes in traffic.

He really got starting-level playing time his final season at Miami and last season with Texas Tech. His production remained just about the same after the move, with a slight dip in yards from 816 to 705, but a nice jump in receptions from 41 to 57 on a 62% reception rate, up from 50% the year prior.

I'm not going to make the case that he has the makings of a long-term number two option – at least, not a very successful one. But he's a guy who knows how to play wide receiver, and he proved he can handle jumps in competition, seamlessly transitioning from the MAC to the Big 12 last year. So he could be a good number three or four.

It would behoove the Jets to consider Virgil in the later rounds. His style of play is a quarterback's best friend.