The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft is in the books, and with it comes a first peek at who is projected to win Defensive Rookie of the Year.
The Jets opted for Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey with the No. 2 overall pick, who is priced as the +470 favorite to win the award.
Bailey offers the Jets an explosive, NFL-ready pass rusher who can immediately pressure quarterbacks and boost their defensive front. He led the FBS with 14.5 sacks in 2025 and totaled 29 in his college career.
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn and GM Darren Mougey felt he fit their system best as they plan to shift toward a 3-4 defensive look where Bailey can complement Will McDonald IV as a speed-based edge duo.
Bailey is the highest-drafted defensive player in Jets history and looks to help them change course after 10 straight losing seasons and 15 years since their last playoff appearance.
The Jets held the worst pressure rate in the NFL last year at 15.1 percent.
The last time a top-three selection won the award was Will Anderson Jr. in 2023, who was selected No. 3 overall by the Texans in 2023.
Miami Hurricanes edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., who was selected by the Buccaneers with the 15th overall pick, is next on the board with 5/1 odds.
The ACC Defensive Player of the Year sliding to Tampa Bay was one of the draft’s biggest surprises as he was widely viewed as one of the best edge-rushing talents of the draft class. He fits the Bucs’ blitz-heavy scheme neatly as a high-motor edge rusher who can destroy blocks and generate quick pressure.
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| David Bailey | +470 |
| Rueben Bain Jr. | +500 |
| Arvell Reese | +700 |
| Sonny Styles | +850 |
| Caleb Downs | +850 |
| Mansoor Delane | +850 |
| Akheem Mesidor | 20/1 |
The Giants’ fifth-overall pick in Arvell Reese falls next at 5/1. Reese was favored to be selected by the Jets at No. 2 overall, but when the Jets took Bailey, Giants GM Joe Schoen snagged the 2024 national champion to improve a pass rush that averaged 2.3 sacks last year.
The Ohio State standout brings a versatile profile of speed, range and ability to rush, cover and chase. Reese gives the Giants a modern hybrid linebacker who can impact all phases and make their defense more dynamic and unpredictable.
He is projected to play inside linebacker alongside Tremaine Edmunds but will be moved around a flexible defense that already features pass rushers like Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, the Commanders’ 7th-overall pick, is available at +850. Styles, who was the oddsmakers’ frontrunner to land with the Giants, was a safety-turned-linebacker who finished his college career with 244 tackles, strong production in tackles for loss, sacks, and coverage impact.
At the combine, Styles validated his hype with historic testing numbers: a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at 244 pounds, one of the highest athletic scores ever recorded for a linebacker. He projects to be an all-purpose linebacker for Washington who can cover ground sideline-to-sideline and blitz effectively.
Sean Treppedi handicaps the NFL, NHL, MLB and college football for the New York Post. He primarily focuses on picks that reflect market value while tracking trends to mitigate risk.
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