New York Giants
The Jets Took David Bailey at No. 2. The Giants Took Arvell Reese at No. 5.
New York had the second and fifth picks in the 2026 draft, and both teams used them on the same thing. The Jets took David Bailey at No. 2. The Giants took Arvell Reese at No. 5. Then the Giants took an offensive tackle at 10, and the Jets took a tight end at 16 and a receiver at 30.
Between them, the two franchises made five picks in the first 30. Here’s what arrived.
David Bailey, EDGE — Jets, No. 2 overall, Texas Tech
The player. The Jets took Bailey over Ohio State’s Arvell Reese with the second pick — a choice made explicitly between two edge rushers, and one the Giants immediately capitalized on three picks later.
Bailey went second on the strength of what he does rushing the passer. His run defense is the part still being evaluated, and the Jets have other players with similar strengths on the roster, which gives him room to be used specifically rather than asked to do everything.
Playing time projection. Starter from Week 1. Second overall picks play.
Arvell Reese, EDGE — Giants, No. 5 overall, Ohio State
The player. One of four Ohio State defenders taken in the top 11, alongside Sonny Styles (No. 7, Commanders) and Caleb Downs (No. 11, Cowboys), plus receiver Carnell Tate at No. 4.
Reese to the Giants adds yet another pass rusher to a defensive front that has been accumulating them for years — a strategy that either compounds or crowds, depending on how the snaps get divided.
Playing time projection. Rotational immediately, starter quickly.
Francis Mauigoa, OT — Giants, No. 10, Miami
The Giants’ second first-rounder, and a pick that fits the round’s dominant theme: nine offensive linemen went in the first 32 selections.
Mauigoa is a densely built blocker with excellent play strength, point-of-attack power and a commanding anchor. Moving inside would let him play to his strengths as a power rusher.
Playing time projection. Immediate starter on a line that needed him.
Kenyon Sadiq, TE — Jets, No. 16, Oregon
The Jets used their second first-rounder on a tight end, a position that went early and often in this draft — eight tight ends came off the board in the second and third rounds alone.
Playing time projection. Starter or heavy rotation. Rookie tight ends rarely produce immediately, but the draft slot says the Jets expect this one to.
Omar Cooper Jr., WR — Jets, No. 30, Indiana
The third Jets first-rounder, out of the same Indiana program that produced No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.
Playing time projection. Rotational receiver, with volume available depending on the depth chart.
Day 2 and beyond
Giants: Colton Hood, CB (No. 37, Tennessee) and Malachi Fields, WR (No. 74, Notre Dame) are the notable additions. Fields arrives from a Notre Dame receiver room that lost significant production to the draft. Late picks included J.C. Davis, OT (No. 192, Illinois) and Jack Kelly, LB (No. 193, BYU).
Jets: D’Angelo Ponds, CB (No. 50, Indiana) and Darrell Jackson Jr., DT (No. 103, Florida State) add defensive depth. Cade Klubnik, QB (No. 110, Clemson) is the developmental name worth knowing — a former high-profile college starter falling to the fourth round.
Three others in the mix
Fernando Mendoza, QB — Las Vegas Raiders (No. 1). The pick ahead of Bailey, and the class’s headline. Mendoza went from an unknown in August 2025 to a Heisman winner and national champion at Indiana to first overall — the first Hoosier taken in round one since 1994. He opened camp behind Kirk Cousins.
Makai Lemon, WR — Philadelphia Eagles (No. 20). An NFC East matter. Philadelphia traded up with Dallas to take him amid A.J. Brown trade rumors, and Lemon reportedly learned about it while on the phone with Pittsburgh. The Giants will see him twice a year.
Caleb Downs, S — Dallas Cowboys (No. 11). The other NFC East addition that matters. Dallas traded up a spot for a safety who left Ohio State as arguably the best defensive back in college football. Downs and Reese were teammates; now they’re twice-a-year opponents.
The comparison that lasts a decade
The Bailey-Reese comparison, for a decade. The Jets picked one, the Giants got the other three picks later, and both are edge rushers drafted to be centerpieces. There is no cleaner head-to-head in this class, and both play in the same city.
Beyond that: whether the Jets’ three first-rounders produce a functional offense, and whether the Giants’ latest pass rusher finally makes the accumulation add up.
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