NFL insiders double down on reports of Jets' David Bailey infatuation

The last few weeks have been filled with debate between New York Jets fans regarding who they should select with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Should they select the high-upside 20-year-old with Ohio State's Arvell Reese? Or do they play it safe and take the instant-impact player in Texas Tech's David Bailey?

For roughly the last month or so, it's felt like Reese was the guy. He was the headliner in every mock draft and was the heavy betting favorite. But this week, things have started to move in a different direction.

First, NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah and ESPN's Peter Schrager said they felt that the Jets were leaning further in the direction of Bailey, due to Bailey's high floor. Now, Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer and The Ringer's Todd McShay are saying the intel all points to the Red Raider.

Jets drafting David Bailey 'fait accompli' according to Albert Breer

On the most recent episode of The McShay Show, both Breer and McShay spoke about how much it feels the Jets are going to draft Bailey. "It sounds like, if the information's right, that David Bailey is going to be the guy at No. 2," McShay told Breer.

"Yeah, I actually talked to a couple teams that almost talked like it was a fait accompli. Now, we'll see. The information gets better, a little better, as you get closer to the draft, and these guys are coming out of their meetings. But you know, there's an interesting, like I would say, way to tie this to Aaron Glenn's job security, too."

Albert Breer

Breer's reasoning, outside of his intel, that Bailey is the pick at No. 2 ties back once again to the debate between Reese's label as a project player and Bailey's floor as a pass rusher.

Yes, Texas Tech's superstar edge rusher led college football in sacks in 2025, and he is clearly the more polished player than Reese. But in all honesty, Reese can be a Day 1 contributor as well.

He may not be able to rush the passer to the same degree, but he'll still be able to make an impact almost as soon as he walks through the door, thanks to his athleticism and nose for stopping the run.

The Jets really can't go wrong either way, but the idea that they are locked in on a specific player with three weeks to go until the 2026 NFL Draft just doesn't sound right.