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The New York Jets’ decision to select David Bailey with the second overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft has certainly been questioned, as they also allowed the New York Giants to select Averell Reese. While the Jets don’t know yet if they made the right decision, the move will continue to be questioned until everything goes right.
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When looking at whether the Jets made the right decision, some have questioned whether they screwed up by not drafting Reese, and that’s probably not an unfair assessment.
“Did they mess up by giving up Aville Reese? Most talent evaluators believe Reese has a higher ceiling than Bailey. Another issue is Bailey’s liability against the run. By his own admission, this is an area he needs to improve. He has just eight run stops (interceptions at or behind the line of scrimmage) in 14 games. If the Jets go forward with Bailey (251 pounds) and Will McDonald IV, they will be vulnerable against the run. (245) as their two edge defenders,” ESPN’s Rich Cimini wrote.
If I were in the Jets’ shoes, I would take Reese because I think he has more potential long term, and I also think he’s a better player right now. However, Bailey feels more like a safe option, which isn’t necessarily a mistake for the Jets.
