Jets Draft 'Fearless and Tough as Nails' WR in New Peter Schrager NFL Mock Draft 2026 amid Rumors

With two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL draft, the New York Jets are expected to add franchise cornerstones on both sides of the ball.

In his latest mock draft, ESPN's Peter Schrager predicted that the Jets would use the No. 2 pick to select Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey before selecting Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. at No. 16. Schrager went on to explain why he feels Cooper is the perfect fit for New York.

"Every GM I speak to seems to love Cooper. He's fearless and tough as nails -- and he produces, with 937 yards and 13 touchdowns last season," Schrager stated. "The comp I've heard is Deebo Samuel, and I don't think that's too wild to consider. The Jets are all about creating strong culture right now and building with guys who want it more than the ones lining up against them. That's Cooper. He'd be a great complement to Garrett Wilson."

Cooper was the leading receiver for a Hoosiers team that went undefeated and won their first national championship in program history. B/R's NFL Scouting Department ranked him as the No. 6 wide receiver in this year's class in its draft big board.

Despite being very active in free agency this offseason, the Jets chose not to add a veteran wide receiver, so all signs point to them addressing the position in the draft later this month.

Adding a weapon like Cooper would surely make things easier for veteran quarterback Geno Smith, who returned to New York this offseason after being traded from the Las Vegas Raiders.