As a lead-up to the 2025 NFL draft, we've broken down the current depth chart of every NFL team and identified the biggest draft and team needs for the New York Jets.
You can find additional team-by-team draft needs articles and other draft content on our 2025 NFL Draft Hub.
New York Jets Needs: Top Positions of Need in 2025
- Offensive Line
- Wide Receiver
- Defensive Line
What Picks Do the New York Jets Have in 2025?
The New York Jets have 8 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, including:
- Round 1 (7)
- Round 2 (42)
- Round 3 (73)
- Round 4 (110)
- Round 5 (145)
- Round 5 (162)
- Round 6 (186)
- Round 6 (207)
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New York Jets 2025 Draft Capital Stats
The Jets have the 11th-most draft capital according to our Sharp Football Draft Value.
Our Sharp Football Draft Value is a valuation of draft capital based on a combination of average performance delivered and average dollars earned on second contracts.
New York Jets Draft Value vs. Other Teams:
The Jets’ draft value is 13% higher than the league average of all 32 teams.
New York Jets Draft Prediction:
Find out who our top-rated experts expect the Jets to draft:
- Brendan Donahue's 2025 NFL Mock Draft – Complete first round breakdown from the #2 most accurate mock drafter over the last five seasons.
- Ryan McCrystal's 2025 NFL Mock Draft – Complete first round breakdown from the #8 most accurate mock drafter over the last five seasons.
New York Jets Strength of Schedule, 2025
The New York Jets have the 16th-easiest NFL strength of schedule for the 2025 NFL season.
New York Jets Offense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs
Rich Hribar breaks down the offensive depth chart by position for the New York Jets, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.
Quarterback Depth Chart, Jets:
- Justin Fields
- Tyrod Taylor
- Jordan Travis
- Adrian Martinez
The Jets are ushering in a new regime under Aaron Glenn and offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand.
The short-lived Aaron Rodgers is over.
Replacing Rodgers, the Jets brought in Justin Fields as a potential reclamation project.
The Steelers posted a 4-2 record with Fields as their starter to open last season, but his play did not allow him to hang onto the job in favor of Russell Wilson.
Fields completed a career-high 65.8% of his passes since Pittsburgh had him throw to the short-area field more than in Chicago.
Fields averaged a career-low 7.8 air yards per pass attempt.
He had a career-best 9% sack rate, but that was still an issue as it ranked 39th among passers with over 100 dropbacks last season.
Small strides were made, but Fields ended 21st on that list in EPA per dropback (0.04) and 24th in success rate (42.7%).
The negative plays were still a thorn in his game.
17.9% of his dropbacks resulted in a play that was -1.0 EPA or worse, 27th among that group.
We do not have a sample of Engstrand calling plays in the NFL, but he comes over from Detroit with Glenn, where he served as the passing coordinator.
It is no surprise that this staff saw something to take a shot on based on their time facing Fields in Chicago.
Fields used his legs heavily against Glenn’s Detroit defenses, rushing for 90 yards per game over five meetings.
While the probability that Fields can alter his course in the NFL comes with lower expectations based on his passing acumen, at least he is young and offers some hope for an upside outcome compared to what was available on the veteran market.
Fields also came with an investment that allows the Jets to pivot if things do not work out.
They signed Fields to a two-year contract with cap hits of $8 million and $23 million.
That is significantly cheaper than where Geno Smith and Sam Darnold are priced at (warranted), and Fields just turned 26 this March.
They have that flexibility if they need to reset and move in another direction as early as next season.
The Jets have Tyrod Taylor signed for 2025 as a veteran backup along with Jordan Travis on a rookie contract.
Adrian Martinez signed a reserve/future contract with the team for 2025.
Running Back Depth Chart, Jets:
- Breece Hall
- Braelon Allen
- Isaiah Davis
- Zach Evans
- Kene Nwangwu
This running game was middle-of-the-pack in 2024.
Their running backs combined for 4.2 yards per carry (16th) and a 37.2% success rate (19th).
They primarily lived as a boom-or-bust unit.
Their backs ran for 10 or more yards on 11.8% of their runs (7th) but failed to gain yardage on 18.4% (22nd).
Breece Hall accrued 1,359 total yards and 8 touchdowns on 266 touches, but his efficiency dipped for the second consecutive season.
After averaging 5.8 YPC and 6.9 yards per touch in his rookie season, Hall has averaged 4.5 and 4.2 YPC these past two seasons to go along with 5.3 and 5.1 yards per touch.
Out of 46 running backs with 100 or more rushes last season, Hall’s 35.4% success rate ranked 32nd.
He ran for 10 or more yards on 12.4% of those attempts (13th) but failed to gain yardage on 21.5% (37th).
Hall’s production after contact has dropped in the past two seasons.
After posting 4.13 yards after contact per rush as a rookie, he has averaged 3.41 and 3.04 yards after contact per rush the past two seasons.
Hall can potentially be one of the best dual-threat backs in the league.
New York fans hope Engstrand will bring the consistency to improve this running game.
Hall enters this season in the final season of his original rookie deal.
Being a second-round pick, Hall is not eligible for a fifth-year option.
The Jets had some foresight to potentially prepare for a worst-case scenario of being unable to retain Hall beyond 2025 (they also will be looking to strike new deals with Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner), selecting both Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis on Day 3 last season.
Those two can play complementary football with each other.
Allen posted 482 yards on 111 touches (4.3 YPT), and Davis had 249 yards on 39 touches (6.4 YPT) as rookies.
Wide Receiver Depth Chart, Jets:
- Garrett Wilson
- Allen Lazard
- Malachi Corley
- Josh Reynolds
- Xavier Gipson
- Irvin Charles
- Easop Winston
- Marcus Riley
- Brandon Smith
- Pokey Wilson
- Tyler Johnson
The Jets are back to having a need here after releasing Davante Adams to open the offseason.
Outside of Garrett Wilson, the cupboard is nearly empty.
The Jets can pick up Wilson’s fifth-year option, something they are expected to do.
Wilson is coming off a 101-catch season, turning those into 1,104 yards and 7 touchdowns.
He has not missed a game through three seasons, catching more passes than the season before each year in the league.
Playing with functional quarterback play for the first time in his early career, Wilson had a career-high 65.6% catch rate and matched his touchdown total from his first two seasons combined.
He had a career low 13.0% inaccurate target rate.
Wilson's only minor complaint is that he has yet to make a complete jump in being a dominant WR1 on the stat sheet and was outplayed by Adams after the team acquired him.
But Wilson still has cleared 1,000 yards every year in the NFL while catching passes from Zach Wilson, Mike White, Joe Flacco, Chris Streveler, Trevor Siemian, Tim Boyle, Tyrod Taylor, and the ghost of Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers played well compared to the other players on that list, but it was a lesser version of Rodgers, to say the least.
Now, he will play alongside Fields, who comes with his own baggage as a passer.
Wilson did have some overlap with Fields at Ohio State, catching 43 passes for 723 yards and 6 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2020, but we have not seen Fields come close to his level of success as a passer in college at the NFL level to this point.
Since entering the league, Fields has an 18.2% inaccurate throw rate to wide receivers, ahead of only Aidan O’Connell (18.9%) and a one-year sample of Caleb Williams (19.6%) for the 39 quarterbacks who qualify for the league’s passer rating.
There is not much to latch onto behind Wilson.
There were rumors that Allen Lazard could be released this offseason, but he remains on the roster with two seasons remaining on his current contract.
Before the team acquired Adams in Week 7, Lazard accounted for 18.3% of the team's targets, catching 26 of 40 for 354 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Wilson had 399 yards and 3 touchdowns at that point in the season.
After Adams was added to the roster, Lazard only caught 11 of 20 targets for 176 yards and a touchdown the rest of the way.
Malachi Corley was selected in the third round (65th overall) last season but hardly found the field.
He entered the NFL as a player with a ton of manufactured production in college at Western Kentucky.
His transition to the NFL was expected to take time, and that played out accordingly.
Corley only played 83 snaps, catching 3 of 6 targets for 16 yards, lowlighted by a dropped fumble short of the goal line, celebrating what would have been his first career touchdown.
Tight End Depth Chart, Jets:
- Jeremy Ruckert
- Stone Smartt
- Neal Johnson
- Zack Kuntz
The Jets are thin at the tight end position with Tyler Conklin exiting the team in free agency.
They are coming into the draft without a tight end under contract beyond the 2025 season.
Jeremy Ruckert is in the final season of his rookie contract, catching 35 passes over his first three years in the NFL.
The team added Stone Smartt on a one-year deal.
He has 31 receptions over his three years in the league.
Zack Kuntz and Neal Johnson do not have a career reception.
The team needs pass catchers and could be in the mix to play aggressively on Tyler Warren early in the draft.
Offensive Line Depth Chart, Jets:
LT: Olu Fashanu, Max Mitchell, Obinna Eze
LG: John Simpson, Kohl Levao
C: Joe Tippmann, Josh Myers
RG: Alijah Vera-Tucker, Xavier Newman
RT: Carter Warren, Zack Bailey, Chukwuma Okorafor
This offensive line was once again a problem area last season.
The Jets ended the season ranking 23rd in ESPN’s pass block win rate (57%) and 29th in run block win rate (68%).
Injuries once again ravaged this unit.
The most frequently used combination up front played together for only 26.6% of the offensive snaps, which ranked 27th in the league.
Alijah Vera-Tucker (two games), Morgan Moses (three), Olu Fashanu (six games), Tyron Smith (seven games), and Connor McGovern (11 games) all missed multiple games during the season.
Moses, Smith, and McGovern are no longer on the roster.
Joe Tippman and John Simpson did play in all 17 games, playing effectively.
Simpson finished the year 11th in overall grade among guards at Pro Football Focus.
Tippman was ranked eighth among centers.
The interior of this line, paired with Vera-Tucker, is in good shape, but Vera-Tucker has had issues staying on the field.
He had missed multiple games in each of the past three seasons.
Vera-Tucker is playing 2025 under the fifth-year option.
Simpson is also slated to be an unrestricted free agent after this season, so the Jets could add some depth at the position.
They have many premier extensions coming up and will likely have to make concessions.
Fashanu was selected 11th overall last spring and logged time at left tackle (336 snaps), right tackle (159 snaps), and right guard (37 snaps).
There were some growing pains as he allowed a 6.2% pressure rate (60th among tackles with 100-plus snaps), but he was only credited with allowing one sack.
We know Fashanu has a starting spot locked up, moving over to starting left tackle, but right tackle is a current hole on the roster with Moses leaving in free agency.
Carter Warren and Max Mitchell were both fourth-round selections by the previous regime in 2022 and 2023.
Mitchell has made 14 starts over three seasons, and Warren has made six.
Warren played 141 snaps at right tackle last season, allowing a gaudy 11.3% pressure rate.
Chukwuma Okorafor was added in free agency as veteran depth, but the Jets will be in trouble if they are forced to use him as a reliable starter.
Okorafor was benched in each of his past two seasons with the Steelers and Patriots.
New York Jets Defense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs
Raymond Summerlin breaks down the defensive depth chart by position for the New York Jets, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.
Defensive Line Depth Chart, Jets:
- Quinnen Williams
- Derrick Nnadi
- Byron Cowart
- Leonard Taylor III
- Jay Tufele
- Phidarian Mathis
The Jets stood up strong against the run last year, allowing 4.1 yards per carry on running back runs (5th) and 0.88 yards before contact per RB rush (2nd).
Quinnen Williams continued his high-level production as a pass rusher, getting pressure on 13.3% of his pass rush snaps on his way to 6 sacks.
That pressure rate ranked 30th among all qualified pass rushers, including EDGE players.
With Javon Kinlaw, Solomon Thomas, and Leki Fotu leaving in free agency, the Jets brought in Derrick Nnadi, Byron Cowart, and Jay Tufele.
Nnadi took more of a back seat with the Chiefs last season, and he has not played at his early-career level against the run in several seasons.
Perhaps Cowart can pick up those snaps, but he is now on his fourth team in as many seasons.
The Jets can get by with what they have here, but another quality option next to Williams would be a plus, especially since all three of the new additions are on one-year deals.
EDGE Depth Chart, Jets:
- Jermaine Johnson
- Will McDonald IV
- Michael Clemons
- Eric Watts
- Braiden McGregor
- Rashad Weaver
The Jets ranked fourth in pressure rate and logged 43 sacks (11th) last season.
Haason Reddick did not play until Week 8 and then left in free agency, and Jermaine Johnson suffered a torn Achilles in Week 2.
Will McDonald picked up the slack, finishing with 10.5 sacks and a 14.6% pressure rate.
That rate ranked 13th among qualified pass rushers and was a big step forward for a player who was limited to just 184 snaps as a rookie.
The timing of Johnson’s injury means he should be ready for the start of the season, but it does add some questions for a player who only has one year of extended playing time.
The good news is that one year was solid, and the Jets should utilize Johnson’s fifth-year option to keep him under contract for at least the next two seasons.
Michael Clemons got an extended look last season, given the issues on the rest of the depth chart, but he did not impress with a 7.6% pressure rate.
The top of this depth chart looks great, especially if Johnson comes back healthy and McDonald continues to build on his big sophomore season, but there are real questions behind those two.
Linebacker Depth Chart, Jets:
- Quincy Williams
- Jamien Sherwood
- Zaire Barnes
- Marcelino McCrary-Ball
- Jamin Davis
- Jackson Sirmon
Despite letting C.J. Mosley go this offseason, the Jets are in a great spot at linebacker.
Quincy Williams and Jamien Sherwood combined for 2,203 quality snaps, with both players leading the defense in snaps played.
Williams led all qualified linebackers with 22 run stuffs, and Sherwood was 12th on that list with 15 of his own while recording a tackle on 19.1% of his run defense snaps.
Sherwood was 26th among qualified linebackers in yards per coverage snap, and Williams finished 53rd in that metric among the 98 qualifiers.
Sherwood just got a three-year, $45 million contract, but Williams does need a new contract – he will be a free agent after this season.
It will also be interesting to see if the Jets get three linebackers on the field more often under the new coaching staff.
The Lions led the league in plays lined up in their base 4-3.
The Jets do have 2023 sixth-round pick Zaire Barnes and Jamin Davis, who has 36 games of starting experience, behind that starting duo, but they might need better depth, especially if they cannot figure out a new deal with Williams.
Cornerback Depth Chart, Jets:
- Sauce Gardner
- Brandon Stephens
- Michael Carter II
- Isaiah Oliver
- Jarrick Bernard-Converse
- Qwan’tez Stiggers
- Kris Boyd
The Jets overall had good numbers against the pass last season (6.9 yards per attempt against), but they took a big step back after Robert Saleh was let go in October.
From Week 6 to the end of the season, they were 24th in yards per pass allowed and 29th in EPA per opponent pass.
New coach Aaron Glenn and new DC Steve Wilks will need to get this pass defense back on track, but they will have to do it without D.J. Reed, who left in free agency.
Brandon Stephens was brought in to replace him.
Stephens is coming off a down season in which he allowed a 106.1 quarterback rating in coverage and 8.9 yards per target, but the former third-round pick has played better football.
Stephens should get every opportunity to start opposite Sauce Gardner, who was also not at his best last season but was one of the top corners in his first two years in the league.
Gardner is technically scheduled to be a free agent after the 2025 season, but the Jets will almost certainly pick up his fifth-year option before working out a long-term extension.
Michael Carter and Isaiah Oliver – who perhaps belongs in the safety group – should compete for the slot role.
As is the theme, here, Carter is not coming off his best season, but he also has had good moments in his career.
Losing Reed hurts, and the new coaching staff will need to get the best out of several players, but this unit looks to be in good shape.
Safety Depth Chart, Jets:
- Andre Cisco
- Tony Adams
- Jarius Monroe
- Jaylin Simpson
- Tre Swilling
All of Chuck Clark, Jalen Mills, and Ashtyn Davis are gone, with Andre Cisco added to take over one of the starting spots.
Keeping the theme of the secondary going, Cisco is not coming off his best season, but he started 47 games for the Jaguars over his rookie contract and should take over one of those starting spots this season.
Tony Adams was one of the primary options for the Jets last season, and he ranked 17th among qualified defensive backs with a tackle on 14.7% of his run defense snaps.
He was retained this offseason on a restricted free agent tender, meaning he is headed to unrestricted free agency after the season.
Adams certainly wants to open the season as a starter to maximize his potential earnings next offseason, but the Jets might want more competition in this position or, at best, more depth.