Jets questioned over Omar Cooper Jr. pick by ESPN analyst for ridiculous reason
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Jets questioned over Omar Cooper Jr. pick by ESPN analyst for ridiculous reason originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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The New York Jets made three picks in the first-round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Each pick has some questions worth being asked, with the David Bailey pick revolving around Arvell Reese and the Kenyon Sadiq pick being an odd pick and value.
But, the Omar Cooper Jr. pick at No. 30 overall is not one the Jets should face many questions over. It's solid value, a position of need, and was a reasonable trade-up.
However, ESPN's Rich Cimini questions this pick from the Jets for a ridiculous reason, being the cost of the trade-up the Jets gave the San Francisco 49ers to move up from No. 33 to No. 30 overall.
Jets questioned over Omar Cooper Jr. pick for ridiculous reason
"Biggest question: Did the Jets give up too much to get Cooper?" Cimini writes. "They traded up three spots, giving up a second-round pick (33) and a fifth-rounder (179) to the 49ers to move up three spots."
This is a ridiculous question to ask, as the fifth-round pick the Jets gave up to move up in the draft is actually one of the best deals made during the first-round of the draft.
ESPN's Seth Walder handed out grades for all of the trades during night one, and this Jets trade actually was the highest-graded trade among teams that moved up the board.
They got a B+ grade for trading up. No other team got such a high grade, with only a few earning B grades for their trade-ups during the draft.
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In comparison, the New England Patriots sent the Buffalo Bills the No. 125 pick in the draft to move up from No. 31 to No. 28. That's three spots, and yet the Patriots had to use a pick over 50 spots higher than what the Jets gave up.
The Jets swung a trade-up with the 49ers, and actually won the trade. Every other trade on draft night for Round 1 for the team moving up was graded as a loss for the team moving up the board.
To question this Jets selection over worrying about the Jets giving up too much capital is a ridiculous worry to have. This was a good trade for the Jets, and the player is someone worth getting excited about as well.
Sure, having the No. 33 pick, one that will draw a ton of trade interest at the top of Round 2, would be nice. But instead, the Jets get someone they liked, and didn't have to give up much to do so either.