If the Jets ever turn things around, they may look back on the 2026 and 2027 NFL drafts as the time when they stockpiled talent to become a winner.

On Thursday night, the Jets had three first-round draft picks: They used their own pick, No. 2 overall, on linebacker David Bailey. Then they used the 16th pick, acquired from the Colts by trading Sauce Gardner, on tight end Kenyon Sadiq. And then they traded up from the second round to get the 30th pick and use it on wide receiver Omar Cooper.

Next year, the Jets have three more first-round picks. They have their own first-round pick, they have the Colts' first-round pick from trading Gardner, and they will have the higher of the Cowboys' or Packers' first-round picks for trading Quinnen Williams to Dallas.

The total of six first-round picks in a two-year span represents an enormous influx of talent. Or at least it will if Bailey, Sadiq and Cooper pan out, and if the Jets use their three first-round picks next year wisely.

Using draft picks wisely is no sure thing for the Jets, but with the draft capital they have, they're a team with the potential for a major turnaround.