The NFL draft is a cold-blooded place, and the New York Jets learned that the hard way in 2025.
One of the Jets’ biggest needs heading into April’s draft was at defensive tackle. Everyone knew that, including the Jets’ division rival, the Buffalo Bills. Twice during the 2025 NFL draft, the Bills struck a trade with the Chicago Bears to move up one spot ahead of the Jets to take the top defensive tackle off the board.
On day two of the draft, the Bills moved up to the No. 41 overall pick in the second round with the Bears to select South Carolina’s T.J. Sanders. Buffalo gave up the No. 56 overall pick, the No. 62 overall pick, and the No. 109 overall pick in exchange for the No. 41 overall pick, the No. 72 overall pick, and the No. 240 overall pick.
According to the NFL draft value chart, Chicago received less (700 points) than their picks were worth (721 points).
On day three of the draft, the Bears and Bills struck another trade. Buffalo moved up to the No. 109 overall pick in the fourth round and gave up the No. 132 overall pick and the No. 169 overall pick to Chicago. Buffalo moved up for another defensive tackle, Deone Walker, out of Kentucky.
According to the NFL draft value chart, once again, the Bears received less (63.8 points) than their pick was worth (76 points).
Chicago did Buffalo a solid twice by allowing them to snipe the Jets just a single pick ahead of them for the top DT on the board at a discount.
Bills GM Reveals Thought Process Behind DT Picks
Buffalo provided an “exclusive look” behind the scenes at their 2025 NFL draft. This 30-plus minute documentary provided inside access to the trade conversations that took place and the thought process behind these moves.
“It was a uniquely deep defensive line class. My theory on it was just because we get one, [it] doesn’t mean we start pivoting to other positions or the other side of the ball. When you have a draft with the depth this year, [it] probably means next year is not as deep. So why pass on a guy in the second or third round that next year could be a round higher because of the lack of depth,” general manager Brandon Beane explained.
The #Bears helped the #Bills screw the #Jets twice during the 2025 #NFLDraft.
One of NYJ’s biggest needs was DT.
Buffalo knew that & sniped NYJ twice by moving a pick ahead of them at pick 41 in the 2nd round & at pick 109 in the 4th round to take the best available defensive… pic.twitter.com/MSa9beCLFF
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) May 9, 2025
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The Jets apparently had a different theory.
Across the 257 picks through seven rounds in April’s draft, “a total of 30 defensive tackles” were selected, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini.
“Surprisingly, not one was picked by the Jets, who will rely on a trio of low-cost veteran additions to man the spot next to Quinnen Williams. It’s a risky move for a team that struggled against the run last season. New York hopes to squeeze some production out of Derrick Nnadi, Byron Cowart, and Jay Tufele. Maybe second-year DT Leonard Taylor III can make a giant leap,” Cimini added.
Post-draft, general manager Darren Mougey explained that they eliminated DT prospects from their board due to medical and character concerns.
“Yeah, we feel good about the group [that we have]. The guys that are in that room, a lot of those guys have played in the NFL,” Mougey said.
In one of the deepest defensive tackle drafts in the last 20+ years, the #Jets didn’t select a single one.
‘We feel good about the group [that we have]. A lot of those guys have played in the #NFL. They know how to play the game,’ GM Darren Mougey said.
Mougey admitted the… pic.twitter.com/qkQ8rO4YiX
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) April 26, 2025
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Mougey better hope he is right.
