The 2026 NFL season will mark the third pro campaign for the Jets 2024 draft class which includes left tackle Olu Fashanu. The group has been a mixed bag thus far with some quality performances, but also significant injury issues and small sample sizes. This is indeed the year for several players to prove their worth.
Here’s a look at the full class with grades thrown in based on what we’ve seen up to this point.
LT Olu Fashanu (Round 1, Pick 11):
Fashanu hasn’t been the elite left tackle from day one that many hoped the Jets were getting when they took him with the 11th pick out of Penn State. He didn’t start right away and had some hiccups as a rookie but has shown enough for the Jets to feel that his floor is long-term above average starter with enough time to elevate his game to becoming a top ten tackle. If you can get that in the first round, you take it every time.
Grade: B
WR Malachi Corley (Round 3, Pick 65):
The Jets must have known fairly early on that the Corley pick wasn’t a good one. He spent just one season in Green and White and had two memorable incidents. One included the receiver dropping what would have been his first career touchdown on the 1-inch line to celebrate a score that never happened. Then when approached by star wide receiver DaVante Adams about selling his number (17), Corley said with a straight face that it would cost Adams a million dollars. Corley now sits deep down on the Browns wide receiver depth chart.
Grade: F
RB Braelon Allen (Round 4, Pick 134):
Taken to be a bruising running back out of the backfield, Allen has yet to realize his full potential as he’s dealt with very limited reps as a rookie and then a season-ending injury in year two. Allen has shown enough in his limited opportunities to give fans reason to believe he can be a very good back.
Grade: Incomplete
QB Jordan Travis (Round 5, Pick 171):
A huge roll of the dice for the Jets that came up snake eyes. Travis was coming off of a major ankle injury so the Jets used a day 3 pick on a developmental quarterback with winning pedigree and elite leadership traits. However, he would never take a snap as a Jet and we’ll probably never know who was at fault.
Travis sat out year one which was expected, but then abruptly retired after last year’s draft. This was apparently the result of a significant setback during his rehab.
Did the Jets botch the rehab program, or did Travis engage in activities that weren’t recommended by the team? Until we find that out, this is an almost impossible pick to grade.
Grade: Incomplete
RB Isaiah Davis (Round 5, 173):
Like Allen, Davis has seen limited reps, but he has managed to stay healthy and impress as a back who can run between the tackles, catch the ball out of the backfield and pick up the blitz. Davis is a player who you feel would likely put up impressive numbers if given the opportunity.
In 33 career games, Davis has run the ball 73 times for 410 yards (5.8 ypc) and a touchdown. How the Jets handle their running back room this season will be interesting as they’ve made it clear they plan on having a run-heavy system.
Grade: C+
CB Qwan’tez Stiggers (Round 5, 176)
Stiggers was a great story on draft day and gained national attention for being a drafted player who didn’t play any college football. Everyone knew that day that he was going to be a multi-year project. Well, it’s now been multiple years and Stiggers may have his first real shot to see some reps in 2026.
The Jets cornerback room isn’t terrible, but it’s far from having every spot locked down.
Stiggers has had some solid moments early on in his career, but it’s time to take the training wheels off and see what he kid can do. With Brandon Stephens and Azareye’h Thomas penciled in as the starters, it’s not as if Stiggers is competing with the duo of Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie for playing time.
Grade: Incomplete
S Jalen Key (7, 257): Mr. Irrelevant became just that for the Jets as Key never played a snap as a pro, but as the final pick in the draft, he wasn’t likely graded much higher than most undrafted free agents.
Grade: F
