New York Jets finally find their franchise QB, fill massive holes in latest 4-round 2026 NFL mock draft
Latest 4-round 2026 NFL mock draft gifts the New York Jets a ton of hope for the future.
The 2025 NFL season is officially over, which means many teams can now put their eyes fully toward the future. The New York Jets cemented the No. 2 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, which means they will be firmly in the conversation for a quarterback. The organization also has an insane amount of draft capital, offering a ton of hope for head coach Aaron Glenn and the organization’s future.
To kick off draft season, it feels like the perfect time for a good old 4-round 2026 NFL mock draft. I put the mock together, while also providing analysis for the haul. My fellow A to Z Sports NFL Draft analyst Joe DeLeone provided his analysis for the mock at the end, and also capped it off with a grade at the end. It would be, in my humble opinion, quite the haul for the Jets.
4-round NY Jets mock draft
Round 1, Pick 2: Dante Moore, QB, Oregon
There are some questions about whether Moore is going to definitely enter the 2026 class, but if he does, he will go very high. Moore is one of the more natural throwers we have seen come out over the last few years and has a ton of upside to continue tapping into.
Round 1, Pick 18: Makai Lemon, WR, USC
Lemon has become one of the better all-around wide receivers in the country this season. He can win after the catch and as a route runner. The 5-11, 195-pound pass catcher can also win surprisingly well at the catch point for his size.
Round 2, Pick 35: Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee
Heading into the 2025 season, everyone was talking about star Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy. His injury put all the attention on Hood, and he became one of the better cornerbacks in all of college football.
Round 2, Pick 45: Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech
There may not be a bigger defensive tackle riser in the 2026 class than Hunter. He is a massive interior presence who boasts some surprising explosiveness for his size.
Round 4, Pick 105: Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn State
Wheatley is one of the best pure coverage safeties in the 2026 class. His long strides allow him to cover a lot of ground on the back end, while also having a solid level of physicality coming downhill to boot.
Grading the Jets’ mock draft
Not having to waste future draft capital is the Jets’ most significant benefit in the upcoming draft. Coming away from this draft with a prospect as physically gifted as Dante Moore set this franchise on the right path. The bigger question is how effectively they can build around him. Landing Makai Lemon in the first round is a perfect second pick to have. His explosiveness and football IQ give him the potential to be the best receiver in this class in five years. To pair Moore and Lemon early and build chemistry is massive.
I’m a fan of both second-round selections, as they fill massive holes at a low price. Colton Hood has been receiving possible first-round projections at the beginning of this cycle. To land a likely starting outside cornerback at the beginning of the second round is a boost to a barren defense. Additionally, Lee Hunter’s space-eating ability will be impactful on a defense that has a lot of pass-rushing talent but little at defensive tackle.
Lastly, Zakee Wheatly appears to be going under the radar in this draft class after Penn State’s poor year. To land him in the fourth round as another likely starter is tremendous value for where he’s being selected.
Ultimately, it’s difficult to find significant issues with this mock draft, given that this team had massive holes to address and Ryan was able to find prospects who can start early. Quarterback, wide receiver, defensive tackle, and corner were all handled effectively with prospects who weren’t reaches, making this a quality mock.
Grade: A
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