NFL Draft Pick 2 Odds
The 2026 NFL Draft is less than a month away, and the first pick has been decided for months. After that, nobody really knows what will happen.
Fernando Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy, led Indiana to its first national championship, and declared for the draft in January. The Las Vegas Raiders hold the No. 1 overall pick and are widely expected to take him. That part is not a story. That part is a formality.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has called Mendoza a lock at No. 1. Matt Miller, also of ESPN, lists him as the only quarterback in this class with a first-round grade. The Raiders have scheduled a Top 30 visit, with Mendoza set to attend Indiana’s Pro Day on April 1 before traveling to Las Vegas the following week. The meeting is procedural. The decision appears to have been made.
What Mendoza brings to Las Vegas is straightforward to evaluate. He threw for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns, and six interceptions on 72 percent completions in 2025, adding 276 rushing yards and seven scores on the ground. He threw just six interceptions on 379 attempts, performed his best football in the biggest games, and showed genuine toughness inside the pocket. In the national title game against Miami, he took three sacks and several hits, then delivered in the fourth quarter, capping the win with a 12-yard quarterback draw on fourth down.
Pick one is locked. The rest of the draft is not.
The draft runs April 23-25 in Pittsburgh, and because it’s the offseason, some sportsbooks have compiled odds on who will be the 2nd overall pick of the draft. The New York Jets hold the 2nd overall pick, and looking at their roster, it’s safe to say that just about any position is in need.
Quick Thoughts
The Jets could use defense, but considering they had some great defensive players, they just traded them away (Sauce Gardner CB, Quinnen Williams DT, and Jermaine Johnson DE), so it makes no sense to keep replacing players you just traded away. I feel like they know their offense has been bad for years, and the only way to improve it is to improve the offensive line. Going with OT Francis Mauigoa or Spencer Fano with pick 2, then targeting Quarterback Ty Simpson in the second round would be a smart strategy.
However, they may feel Arvell Reese is too talented to pass up.
Reese is 20 years old and still growing into his frame. He projects as an off-ball linebacker who can also play stand-up edge. That flexibility is useful. It creates alignment and variety and makes it harder for offenses to read defensive intent before the snap.
His run angles are average right now, but he triggers quickly once he reads the play, uses his hands well to shed blocks, and closes fast in pursuit. Tackle finishing is a work in progress with upside. His pass rush is already difficult to mirror, and he has started developing go-to moves and rush plans that show genuine promise.
Jets fans are not all convinced. A strange-looking workout clip from Ohio State defender Arvell Reese has some New York Jets fans in hysterics.