Christmas Week New York Jets Mock Draft

Before we get the Tank Bowl on Sunday between the New York Giants and the Las Vegas Raiders, let’s take a look at what the Jets draft could look like if they remain at 4th overall. For this mock draft I’ve used the PFF simulator, and all picks are with other teams selecting in mind.

Round 1, 4th Overall: Rueben Bain Jr, EDGE, Miami

Well, the Jets lost out on the top two quarterbacks in this draft class. The Raiders selected Fernando Mendoza at two, and the Browns got Dante Moore at three. The Jets needed to pivot. While the offense is a mess, the defense may be even worse. That starts with the Jets’ pass rush, which has the 2nd fewest sacks in the league.

Rueben Bain Jr. is as elite as they come off the edge. He has five sacks in his last two games, 10 for the season, and a 15.3% pressure rate. Bain’s most impressive game of the season, without a doubt, was his eight pressure, three sack game against Texas A&M in the playoff. Just a masterful performance.

It should also be noted that Bain is 7th in the NCAA among EDGE, with a minimum 50% of snaps, in run defense grade. That’s a much needed skill set for the Jets, who’ve struggled to contain the run on the EDGE for years now.

Bain doesn’t have the numbers that jump off the page as a top 5 pick. However, they are well above average, and he’s an athletic freak. At 22 years old on Week 1 next year, Bain will be among the youngest EDGEs in the NFL with sky high potential.

Round 1, 18th Overall: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

With the pick the Jets received from the Colts for Sauce Gardner, Glenn and Mougey will look to find Garrett Wilson a partner. Denzel Boston provides a near complete opposite skill set to Wilson, which should be a nice change of pace.

Boston is 6 foot 4 and can jump out of a building. He’s 10 for 13 in contested targets this season, a conversion rate of 76.9%. If that wasn’t enough to prove his solid hands, he has just two drops on the season, a 3.1% drop rate. Boston also has a higher yards per route run than Jordyn Tyson.

The only major concern with Boston is that he came up small in the biggest games of Washington’s season. He had only 25 receiving yards against Oregon, though he did have two TDs in the game. He also had just 26 receiving yards against Ohio State.

The good news is that Boston would likely draw CB2 his entire tenure with the Jets thanks to Garrett Wilson, which should open the door for him, especially in the red zone.

Round 2, 36th Overall: A’Mauri Washington, DT, Oregon

This is high for a run stuffing DT, but given the Jets massive need there, it’s hard to pass up a player of A’Mauri Washington’s ability.

Washington is an athletic freak, and the hope is that he develops into a better pass rusher in the NFL. However, that’s never going to be a big part of his game. He had just two sacks this season and a 7.7% pressure rate. If he maintains a pressure rate around 8% in the NFL, that’d be a massive win for a team drafting Washington for his run stuffing ability.

Washington has an 8.3% run stop rate. That also is not a number that jumps off the page. However, he does come with an 81.5 run defense grade, 11th among Power 4 DTs this season. He’d get a year as a developmental run stuffer learning next to Harrison Phillips, with the chance to get big snaps as the season goes on.

Round 2, 45th Overall: AJ Haulcy, S, LSU

The overhaul of the Jets defense continues. Malachi Moore has impressed and will return as a starter next season, but the Jets defense desperately needs a ball hawk at the back end, and AJ Haulcy may be able to fill that void.

AJ Haulcy has eight interceptions in his last two seasons for LSU and only three TDs allowed. He had an 88.8 coverage grade this season, 8th best among safeties in the country, with a minimum 50% of snaps.

For a Jets team that has had issues with coverage over the middle all year, Haulcy would provide a stabilizing force with a chance to make game-changing interceptions. That’s something they’ve sorely lacked this season as they’ve set the record with 15 consecutive games without an interception.

Round 4, 104th Overall: Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson

The Jets need much more than one WR. In the fourth round they turn their attention to the slot and special teams with Clemson’s Antonio Williams. A gadget player with special teams experience, Williams could be a nice developmental add for the Jets whom they hope would eventually win the slot WR job but could provide cover on Special Teams in the meantime.

Round 4, 139th Overall: DJ Campbell, Guard, Texas

A three-year starter for Texas, DJ Campbell has improved every year. This past season he allowed just one sack and a pressure rate of just 4.1%. Campbell can compete for a starting guard spot in camp, but if he ends up a backup in year one that’s fine. He has a chance to be a long-term answer at the position with proper development/

Round 6, 202nd Overall: Jalon Daniels, QB, Kansas

Jalon Daniels is an older QB prospect. He’ll turn 24 midway through his rookie season. However, he has all the athletic tools to succeed in the NFL. An elite athlete with a rocket for an arm, Daniels is a lottery ticket. He performed okay for Kansas this season with 22 TDs, seven interceptions, 7.9 yards per attempt, and 550 yards and four TDs on the ground, though he did fumble an astonishing 10 times.

Obviously, turnovers are a big issue, and so is his accuracy, with just a 61% completion rate. Odds are Daniels is at best a backup QB or potentially even a position change candidate. But in the 6th round the potential is enough to give him a chance, and if he flames out there’s no harm.

Round 6, 209th Overall: Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh

The Jets have a massive need at LB, both starting and in depth. Kyle Louis was Pitt’s do-it-all LB. He had a 22.1% pressure rate as a blitzer, he had a 10.3% stop rate as a run defender, and he had two interceptions and three pass breakups in coverage.

Not an elite athlete and small at just 6 foot 1 and 220 pounds, Louis probably projects more as a backup and special teams player then as a linebacker. But he’s performed enough that he’s earned a shot to try and win a roster spot on an NFL team.

Round 7, 218th Overall: Parker Brailsford, Center, Alabama

The Jets continue taking shots on the interior. Josh Myers isn’t a long term answer at center, as he was one of the worst in the NFL in 2025. Even with a contract extension he’s not guaranteed a starting year or a roster spot beyond 2026.

Brailsford, who’s been good in pass protection, but struggled in run blocking, can compete for a roster spot as a rookie with eyes on potentially replacing Myers in 2027.

Round 7, 251st Overall: Dean Connors, RB, Houston

Connors has shown to be explosive with 21 runs of 10+ yards, and he is a decent receiver with over 230 receiving yards this season. It helps that he plays special teams. It’s unlikely he makes the team with the Jets likely to return the trio of Hall, Davis, and Allen. But if he shows he has special teams value it’s not impossible. If nothing else, having an explosive big play threat on your practice squad is never a bad thing.

Round 7, 253rd Overall: Gracen Halton, DT, Oklahoma

Halton has been a rotational piece on the Oklahoma defensive line the last two years. He has excelled in that role. He has a run defense grade of 86.9, a run stop rate over 10%, a pressure rate over 10%, and five sacks this season.

So why is he still available at the very end of the draft? He’s small at 6 foot 2 and 292 pounds. He’s not an athletic freak that teams look for on their defensive line either. But the Jets have no depth at DT, so Halton has a chance to show that his college numbers are no fluke and potentially earn playing time.