ESPN's Field Yates: believes Jets struck gold with Omar Cooper Jr.
New York’s bold move to climb back into Round 1 delivers a tough, versatile playmaker with immediate impact potential.
Some moves are about value. Others are about conviction. The New York Jets ’ decision to trade back into the first round for Omar Cooper Jr.
was clearly the latter, and it’s already earning national recognition. Legends love the selection . So does the national media.
ESPN’s Field Yates recently named his favorite picks from every round of the 2026 NFL Draft . Cooper got the nod as one of his favorite Day 1 picks, pointing to a combination of fit, production, and long-term upside. It stands to mention that the selection of David Bailey could have made the cut if not for one nugget.
Yates focused on picks made outside the top ten. Cooper's acquisition was a wise decision. For a team looking to reshape its offensive identity, that kind of endorsement only reinforces what the Jets believed when they made the move.