Jets' draft night decision heralded as one of the NFL's best offseason moves

Entering the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Jets had one large hole on the roster and a major decision to make on their hands.

After trading away Jermaine Johnson in February, the Jets needed some more star power off the edge. In front of them were two major options: Texas Tech's David Bailey or Ohio State's Arvell Reese.

Of course, New York opted for Bailey with the No. 2 overall pick, but both players, despite being highly-touted prospects, had reasons for concern.

Despite the risk in taking either elite collegiate defender, Bleacher Report seems to think the Jets made the right move, and hopefully, fans agree.

Jets praised for choosing David Bailey over Arvell Reese in 2026 NFL Draft

B/R's Moe Moton ranked the NFL offseason's 25 best moves so far, and he has New York taking Bailey over Reese as the 13th-best.

"With the Las Vegas Raiders expected to take Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick, the New York Jets had a tough decision between top pass-rushing prospect David Bailey and a versatile standout defender in Arvell Reese. After trading Jermaine Johnson II to the Tennessee Titans, Gang Green made the right move to fill a void in its pass rush rather than figure out where Reese would fit in the defense."

Moe Moton

The case Moton makes is that the Jets needed a pure pass rusher with the No. 2 overall pick, and that's certainly what Bailey was billed as coming out of Texas Tech. He was college football's sack leader in 2025, recording 14.5 for the Red Raiders.

Hopefully, he can help contribute to a Jets defense that desperately needs some help off the edge. New York finished second-to-last in the NFL last season, with a team total of 26 sacks.

The only concern about the pick could be the perceived higher ceiling of Reese. Bailey is expected to be the better player right away, but the Ohio State product's potential feels almost unlimited.

Despite being billed as an edge rusher coming out of college, Reese primarily played on-ball linebacker for the Buckeyes, and only rushed the passer in specific packages.

On 121 pass rush snaps, Reese recorded a pass rush win rate of over 22%, an absolutely absurd number on albeit limited reps.

With both Bailey and Reese set to play out their respective careers in New York for both the Jets and Giants, it will be hard not to compare them as they continue to develop.

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