Shocking Surprise Favorite Emerges to go No. 2 Pick in the 2026 NFL Draft

This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

Between Ohio State stars Arvell Reese, Caleb Downs, Carnell Tate, Texas Tech’s David Bailey, and Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr., among others, there’s a great debate as to what the New York Jets should do with the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Everyone knows that the Las Vegas Raiders will take Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No.1 selection. Mendoza and Oregon’s Dante Moore were once expected to be the first two picks of 2026.

But in a stunning twist, Dante Moore instead committed to another year at Oregon in 2026. It was a big blow for the Jets, who are also in desperate need of a new starting quarterback.

According to the FanDuel sportsbook, Arvell Reese is the overwhelming betting favorite to go second overall in the 2026 NFL Draft at -120, followed by Bailey at +135. Reese is also the -140 favorite at DraftKings, with Bailey behind him at +160.

In his final college season, the Ohio State linebacker had 6.5 sacks, two pass breakups and 69 combined tackles.

Arvell Reese Is A Logical Choice For The New York Jets

The Jets have two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, as they also own the No. 16 pick from the Indianapolis Colts in the Sauce Gardner trade.

It doesn’t make sense for the Jets to reach for another QB at second overall. Alabama product Ty Simpson, the consensus No. 2 quarterback in the class, probably won’t go inside the top 10.

But New York desperately needs playmakers on defense, after trading away both Gardner and Quinnen Williams last season. Reese is by far the best all-around defensive player in this class. And a defensive-minded coach like Aaron Glenn would likely prefer a game-changing player on that side of the ball.

Again, the Jets can address another need (QB, perhaps) later on with the 16th pick.