Jets go all-in on fixing their defense in Field Yates' latest mock draft

The New York Jets didn't have a good offensive or defensive unit in 2025. Offensively, you can chalk that up to the quarterback situation.

The quarterback brigade of Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor, and Brady Cook led to a horrid passing offense, despite a positive showing from the Jets' young offensive line and above-average run game.

On the defensive side of the ball, there was a much bigger problem. Even when the team still had defensive cornerstones Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, they were a unit that ranked close to last in the league, and they finished the season as the 30th-worst according to Sumer Sports' EPA/play, including 32nd against the pass and 25th against the run.

That's why ESPN analyst Field Yates has the Jets doubling down on defense in his latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft, and replacing the two defensive stars the team lost with new faces that can hopefully turn New York's poor defense around.

Field Yates mock draft lands Ohio State's Arvell Reese and Florida's Caleb Banks

With no quarterback worthy of the No. 2 overall pick on the board, Yates predicts the Jets will target Ohio State linebacker/edge rusher Arvell Reese, adding some juice in the hybrid linebacker.

"After playing mostly inside linebacker at Ohio State prior to last season, Reese kicked out to a primary edge role in 2025 and posted 6.5 sacks. Only Will McDonald IV had a higher sack total (8) among Jets players last season. Reese has great length, a quick first step and smooth athletic movements to bend the edge around opposing tackles."

Field Yates

While you could argue the Jets already have two first-round edge rushers in Jermaine Johnson II and Will McDonald IV on the roster, both players left a lot to be desired in 2025.

You can give a pass to Johnson, as he was working his way back from an Achilles tear in 2024 and likely needed a season to reacclimate himself to the speed of the NFL. McDonald, on the other hand, was a bit disappointing.

Yes, he led the team with eight sacks in 2025, but four of them came in one game against Dillon Gabriel and the Cleveland Browns. McDonald seems better suited as a situational pass rusher, coming into the game for obvious passing downs.

Reese could be more of a three-down player and was an effective run defender in college for the Buckeyes. According to PFF, he recorded 18 run stuffs throughout the 2025 season and missed only two tackles.

With the No. 16 overall pick, Yates predicted the Jets to replenish their interior defensive line with Florida's Caleb Banks.

"The extremely talented Banks could pair with Reese and solidify their defensive cornerstones moving forward. Banks was limited to just three games this past season due to injury, but he showcased his upside during a dominant week of practice at the Senior Bowl. At 6-foot-6, 330 pounds with 35-inch arms, his overwhelming size should translate to the NFL level. He could become a top-10 player from this class with the proper development."

Field Yates

Some Jets fans may be hesitant to use a first-round pick on a player who missed virtually the entire 2025 collegiate football season, but Banks could be a player worth gambling on.

After a successful Senior Bowl, as Yates noted, Banks is rising up draft boards with his elite size and figures to be an elite space eater on the defensive line.

The Jets got solid production out of Harrison Phillips and Jowon Briggs this past season, but Phillips is entering the final year of his contract, and Briggs is an impending exclusive-rights free agent. Adding a young player to the room with upside would be a tremendous addition.

The Jets finished with the second least amount of sacks in 2025, and gave up an average of 139.5 rushing yards per game to their opponents. Doubling down on defense with their two first-round picks in 2026, specifically on the defensive line, seems like a solid course of action to begin the turnaround the Jets desperately need from their defense.