FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — It was just four seasons ago that the Jets featured four celebrated rookies — three first-round picks and a second-rounder. That foursome made such an immediate impact that the Jets got off to their best start (a 6-3 record) in over a decade, even if things fell apart at the end of the 2022 season.Half of that quartet is gone now: Sauce Gardner and Jermaine Johnson were traded, and Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall are here, it seems, for the long haul.That 2022 rookie class would be a difficult bar for any group to clear, featuring both the offensive and defensive rookies of the year (Wilson and Gardner, who also was named an All-Pro). But the Jets do need their 2026 draft class to make a similar impact out of the gate — and the makeup of the class is similar: three first-round picks (David Bailey, Kenyon Sadiq, Omar Cooper) and a second-round pick (D’Angelo Ponds), not to mention a couple of Day 3 players who will hold key spots on the depth chart right away.“I believe it’s possible,” Cooper said, “but we’re still rookies so we gotta continue to put in the work and grow. As long as we continue to grow it’s definitely possible.”Glenn called it the “expectation” but that “they have to decide that themselves. We’re trying to compete. No one is given anything.”New York Jets channeled Mario Kart this offseasonRobert MaysThe Jets are only two practices into training camp and pads haven’t even gone on yet, but it already feels like this franchise might have another high-impact draft class on its hands. If Thursday was any indication, the conversation needs to start with the rookie at the top of the class:OLB David BaileyIt might be unfair to use the word “dominant” before the pads go on, but Bailey was dominant on Thursday. It felt like he was getting into the backfield on just about every play, using his impressive get-off and burst (he ran a 4.5 40-yard dash at 251 pounds) to wreak havoc against the strength of the Jets’ offensive line: left tackle Olu Fashanu and right tackle Armand Membou.In the spring, Membou had been mostly getting the better of Bailey, who had a pretty quiet run of practices in OTAs and minicamp. Thursday was loud. Bailey’s best play came early in team drills when he bull-rushed both Membou and running back Breece Hall when Hall came over to help; Bailey got what would’ve been a sack on quarterback Geno Smith in a game setting.“That’s a phenomenal play,” linebacker Jamien Sherwood said. “I feel like he can do that, play in and play out. He has the motor (so) no matter who is front of him he can get past them. There were two people — I feel like he can beat three people the way he works.”
David Bailey just dominated the Jets’ second training-camp practice: Rookie report
Plus, how Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper are being used, and Cade Klubnik's quest for QB2.













