The Las Vegas Raiders are expected to take Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to kick off the event, which begins on Thursday, April 23. Mendoza led the Indiana Hoosiers to the national championship, and while he may not be as highly touted as other quarterbacks to go first overall, he's the clear choice for Las Vegas.
There's more uncertainty around the No. 2 pick, which belongs to the New York Jets. The Jets have plenty of needs across the board, so they're a candidate to go in several directions or even trade down. That creates unpredictability at sportsbooks when it comes to NFL betting and specifically, prop bets on the NFL draft. We'll take a look at the latest DraftKings Sportsbook odds for who will be the No. 2 pick on Thursday and what direction we think the Jets will ultimately go.
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Reese is the favorite after emerging as Ohio State's standout playmaker on a loaded defensive unit for the Buckeyes. He didn't have the most eye-popping numbers, but he showed out against the toughest competition, racking up nine tackles and a sack against Texas to open the season. He added nine tackles and 1.5 sacks against Illinois, 12 tackles and a sack against Penn State and seven tackles in the College Football Playoff matchup with Miami. He'd be a foundational player for the Jets to rebuild their defense around.
New York could also go with Bailey, who exploded as a sack machine in his lone season in Lubbock after steadily improving in three seasons at Stanford. He entered the 2025 campaign with 14.5 sacks across three seasons with the Cardinal and then racked up 14.5 sacks with Texas Tech en route to a Big 12 championship and CFP berth. The Jets struggled to rush the passer and subsequently, force turnovers. Bailey could immediately change that, though Reese might have more staying power at his position.
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Of the longshots, Simpson probably has the highest likelihood of being taken if the Jets really want to address the quarterback position. They've brought Geno Smith back as a placeholder with an eye on the 2027 draft class, but this is an organization that has been known to make rash decisions routinely. I don't see the Jets pushing for a receiver or running back, but Simpson could be the prospect who makes them abandon their plans. They also have the No. 16 pick, and there's a good possibility Simpson is still available when they're back on the clock.
It's between Reese and Bailey, according to the oddsmakers, and most mock draft experts would likely agree with that thinking. Mike Renner's latest mock draft at CBS Sports has the Jets going with Bailey, but I'll be different and say they take Reese to serve as the anchor for their defense.