Jets explain controversial choice of selecting David Bailey over Arvell Reese in NFL Draft

In the weeks, days and hours leading up to Thursday night, the New York Jets had sportsbooks and analysts guessing regarding whether they would make Texas Tech defensive end David Bailey or Ohio State pass-rusher Arvell Reese the second overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Jets ultimately went with Bailey at No. 2. Shortly after the pick became official, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn explained why he'll have Bailey as part of his defense this coming September. 

David Bailey a better "fit" for Jets than Arvell Reese?

"Both of those guys… are really good players," Glenn said about Bailey and Reese, per Eric Allen of the Jets' website. "Listen, Arvell's going to have a really good career in this league, but when you just continue to evaluate those guys, we just felt like Bailey fit us better when it comes to he's a 6'4", 255-pound man with 34-inch arms that has a ton of production in college. Listen, we looked at all those things, and he fits us."

The perception exists that Bailey is the more NFL-ready prospect of the two men routinely linked with the Jets throughout the spring. That said, well-known analyst Dane Brugler of The Athletic had Reese rated as the No. 1 overall player in this year's draft class. The New York Giants grabbed Reese at pick No. 5, which could prove to haunt Jets fans for years to come if he becomes the better talent. 

This big David Bailey concern may hover over the Jets through the summer

For a post shared on Thursday night, Jets and NFL insider Connor Hughes of SNY spoke with "multiple defensive coaches who scouted [Bailey] extensively" and said that Bailey "does not play the run." 

"That’s not always an issue … except the Jets already have a player just like that in Will McDonald," Hughes continued. "His snap counts plummeted the second half of last season because he was such a liability against the run, and the Jets seldom had leads to let him attack. It’s hard to foresee a situation where the Jets get Bailey and McDonald (whose fifth-year option they will pick up) on the field together on first or second down. Teams will just abuse stretch runs."

Glenn and Jets general manager Darren Mougey clearly aren't worried about having both Bailey and McDonald on the roster. That said, only time will tell if the Jets will regret passing on Reese when he fell into their laps.