2. New York Jets: D'Angelo Ponds, cornerback
There were a lot of fantastic moments in this year's draft, but the way Aaron Glenn stood and watched with pride as the NFL Network talked about how fitting it was that he selected D'Angelo Ponds was arguably the best.
And Ponds is what the kids are calling an absolute dawg these days.
When it comes to playing in the slot, it's hard to imagine there is anyone better in this rookie class. Ponds had at least two interceptions in each of the past three seasons at Indiana, and was just so productive when the ball was thrown his direction. He had 33 career passes defensed, 7 interceptions, and 10.5 tackles for loss.
And yes, his size seems to limit him to the slot, but Ponds can also play on the outside. He's going to be an immediate impact playmaker on a defense that no longer features Sauce Gardner in the secondary. It won't be long before he's a "jersey guy" for fans of the Jets.
1. New England Patriots: Gabe Jacas, EDGE
I hate to be the bearer of bad news for the rest of the AFC East, but the reigning division champs might have gotten the most impactful player beyond the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
This might be a bit of personal preference, but Gabe Jacas was one of my favorite players in this draft class. Athletically, he's right there with his peers in the class. In terms of experience and production, there is absolutely nothing not to like. All he did over the last four years at Illinois was make plays behind the line of scrimmage, and he ramped up his playmaking over the last two years with three forced fumbles in both 2024 and 2025.
The Patriots really don't have a great presence off the edge. They lost K'Lavon Chaisson in free agency and replaced him with veteran Dre'Mont Jones. It's not out of the question that Jacas could be New England's best edge player before the season is done.
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