Slipping WR prospect could fall into Jets’ laps at No. 16

The New York Jets have long needed a wide receiver to complement Garrett Wilson, and the perfect opportunity may finally be on the horizon.

With less than two weeks to go until the 2026 NFL draft, teams are narrowing down their options on who they want to select. Half the battle is predicting who will still be available when they’re on the board.

Holding the 16th overall pick, the Jets may have gotten some encouraging news last night.

Appearing on NFL Network, insiders Ian Rappaport and Tom Pelissero discussed how many wide receivers they expect to go in the top 15. Their answer is encouraging for Jets fans.

“Two receivers go in the top 15, and the third receiver, who at this point I would say it’s a decent chance to be Makai Lemon from USC, ends up being the third receiver. Very good receiver. I know a lot of teams like him. A lot of teams compare him to Amon-Ra St. Brown. I would expect him to go probably right after 15”.

This would be a dream scenario for New York. They would land the WR3 in the draft without needing to trade up.

Depending on who you ask, Lemon may even be viewed as the WR2 or WR1 of the class, regardless of where he ends up selected. Many across the league see Lemon as a similar level of prospect to Carnell Tate. Size concerns could cause Lemon to drop, but as Jets X-Factor’s Joe Blewett broke down on film, Lemon plays bigger than his size.

While the Jets reportedly like Omar Cooper Jr., the consensus views Lemon as the superior prospect. The Jets already met with him at the combine in a reportedly “smooth” meeting as well.

All signs point to the Jets taking a playmaker in the first round. We just have to wait and see which ones will still be available with the 16th overall pick.