After a sluggish start to the 2026 season had some Jets fans wondering about Darren Mougey’s résumé, a few of his top draft picks have started answering the questions.
The loudest statement came in Week 6 against the New England Patriots, when Omar Cooper Jr. finally got a real stage and made the most of it. It was basically his first career game after he was hurt on his opening drive in Week 1, and he responded with six catches for 103 yards and a touchdown.
He also had another touchdown erased by what can charitably be called a questionable penalty. Cooper looked every bit as explosive and fearless as he did at Indiana.
That showing came with the rest of Mougey’s class starting to flash too. No. 2 pick David Bailey is beginning to settle in as a pass rusher.
Kenyon Sadiq is showing hints of a tight end with real star upside. And Cooper, if this game is any indication, looks ready to be an immediate difference-maker.
Cooper’s college tape was built on two big strengths: creating separation downfield and turning upfield hard after the catch. Both were on display against New England.
Even against a defense that was missing Carlton Davis, he still found success against Christian Gonzalez. And with the Jets having played only six snaps with all of their major skill-position pieces on offense available, the ceiling could look very different once Cooper and Adonai Mitchell are working together.
Bailey, meanwhile, may have been coming off a down pass-rushing game against the Patriots, but he still looks like he’s finding his rhythm. The numbers around his start are hard to ignore.
Since 1994, when tackles became an official stat, Bailey is the only player with five sacks, 30 tackles, and a forced fumble through his first six games. He and Chandler Jones are the only rookies with three sacks, three or more forced fumbles, and six QB hits through six games.
Jones finished his career with 112 sacks and two All-Pro selections in 11 seasons.
Bailey has also drawn four holding calls this season, the most of any pass rusher in the league, at least in the eyes of the officials.
Not every piece of Mougey’s draft history looks as sharp. His 2025 class has had mixed results, even with first-round offensive tackle Armand Membou looking like a home run and third-round cornerback Azareye'h Thomas developing into a quality starter. Mason Taylor is no longer seen as the long-term TE1 with Sadiq in the picture, and none of the Day 3 picks are contributing in a meaningful way for this team.
And 2026 still has room to grow. Second-round cornerback D'Angelo Ponds has barely played, and the results when he has lined up in the slot have been rough. Three of the Jets’ four Day 3 picks - Cade Klubnik, Anez Cooper, and VJ Payne - have combined for zero snaps, with Cooper and Payne missing the entire season because of injuries.
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