NY Jets draft smoke builds as second insider hints at shocking pick

The New York Jets remain one of the biggest wild cards in the 2025 NFL Draft. Armed with the No. 7 overall pick and a roster full of holes to fill, the team has been linked to a wide range of prospects on both sides of the ball.

Offensive line? Tight end? Even a trade down? All are on the table. But one stunning name is quietly beginning to generate legitimate buzz.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday that “people around the league” believe the Jets could target Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron with their first-round pick.

While that would come as a surprise to many, it’s not the first time Barron’s name has been floated in connection with New York. Just days earlier, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer mentioned Barron as a possible “curveball” pick for the Jets, especially if they were to trade down.

Now, two of the NFL’s most plugged-in insiders have connected the same unexpected prospect to the Jets, and the smoke is getting harder to ignore. Could Barron be the surprise name on the card when New York is on the clock Thursday night? At the very least, it seems like a plausible scenario.

NY Jets eyeing Jahdae Barron as a legitimate draft target at No. 7 overall

Barron checks a lot of boxes for what new head coach Aaron Glenn likely values in a defensive back. A versatile, instinctive playmaker who lined up all over the field for Texas, Barron brings the toughness, intelligence, and versatility that defined Glenn’s own 15-year NFL career.

Glenn played under coaches like Bill Parcells, and his defensive philosophy has always emphasized smart, physical defensive backs who can handle multiple roles. That's a description that fits Barron to a tee.

The issue is that cornerback isn’t a pressing need for the Jets. Sauce Gardner is expected to become the NFL’s highest-paid player at the position, the team extended nickel corner Michael Carter II, and they just signed Brandon Stephens to a three-year, $36 million deal this offseason.

The sizable investment in Stephens suggests the Jets are set at cornerback heading into the draft. Spending a top-10 pick on Barron would mean either he rides the bench or the team benches their recent free-agent signing, unless there's an unexpected position switch in the works.

Stephens has experience at safety, but it’s hard to imagine the Jets gave him $12 million per year to change positions. Barron may check every box for what Aaron Glenn wants in a defensive back, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he fits what the Jets need right now.

Still, when two prominent insiders connect a surprising name to a team, it’s worth paying attention. Whether it's a genuine possibility or draft-week misdirection, the Jets have certainly kept everyone guessing.

More NY Jets news and analysis: