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The 2026 NFL Draft was a clear culture-changing draft for the New York Jets.
The leadership group in head coach Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey valued not only talented propsects, but also successful ones.
Each of their first four picks -- David Bailey at No. 2, Kenyon Sadiq at No. 16, Omar Cooper Jr. at 30 and D'Angelo Ponds at No. 50 -- were all participants in the College Football Playoff, with Cooper and Ponds both being crowned national champions at Indiana.
While Glenn and Mougey added a ton of draft capital on Day 1 and 2, the more crucial part will come next April, where all signs point to the Jets finding their next franchise quarterback.
After having three first-round picks in 2026, Gang Green are armed with three more first-round selections in the 2027 NFL Draft, acquiring two-more first rounders when they traded away Sauce Gardner to the Colts and Quinnen Williams to the Cowboys last November.
With a weak QB class this past draft cycle, it made the most sense to sign a one-year stop gap veteran such as Geno Smith for the 2026 season ahead of what might be the most highly anticipated draft class over the last decade coming in 2027.
The Pro Football Network Draft simulator was involved to determine the New York Jets slots for their three first-round picks in 2027.
In this virtual simulation, the Jets ended up in a tremendous spot with three top-15 picks -- No. 3, 12 and 15 overall -- a luxury no other NFL team has at this moment. Shockingly, both quarterback needy teams in the Cardinals and Dolphins passed on a signal caller with the top-two picks, with Ohio State star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith going No. 1 overall to Arizona and South Carolina edge rusher Dylan Stewart going right after Smith at No. 2 to Miami.
Given the highly anticipated QB class coming in, that feels highly unlikely to happen as the Jets will need to trade or have a miracle happen if they landed the third overall pick and neither team in front of them or someone picking later on didn't trade the farm to draft a QB with one of the top two picks ahead of them.
Alas, we continue with scenario that Smith and Stewart start things off at No.1 and No. 2.
So which quarterback will the Jets pick at No. 3 overall?
This is a dream situation for the Jets.
Will it be a fantasy come this time around next year? More than likely, with the Jets needing to trade one or more of their first round assets if they want a specific QB to trade up for and not wait until No. 3 overall or later.
To me, this comes down to Texas QB Arch Manning or Oregon QB Dante Moore.
Moore was seemingly going to be the next Jets franchise quarterback this year before he surprisingly decided to forgo the NFL Draft and return to the Ducks for another season in 2026.
That made Glenn and Mougey's decision much easier to go best player on their board and draft Bailey at No. 2 overall instead of reaching for a QB with one of their first or second round picks.
Right now, my choice is Manning, who in a similar amount of starts, had a lower interception rate (1.7 percent) in 2025, taken fewer sacks in their collegiate careers and has shown early on to be the more capable duel threat option (399 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns) compared to Moore (156 rushing yards, two touchdowns) last season.
It would be poetic for Manning to try and lead the Jets to the promise land after a near six-decade drought for the franchise after his uncle, Eli Manning, led the New York Giants to two Lombardi trophies for the franchise they share a stadium with.
In the offseason, the Jets traded for defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat from the Titans in exchange for Jermaine Johnson.
With four picks in the top-50 selections, there was a good chance the Jets would select a defensive tackle after trading Quinnen Williams prior to last year's trade deadline.
But they didn't.
Enter Ahmad Moten.
The Miami defensive tackle was a force in 2025, as he recorded 4.5 sacks, six QB hits and 31 total tackles (20 solo) in 12 games.
Moten's an older prospect (will turn 23 next April) but that could be beneficial in the trenches to have more experience when having to play the likes of Bills' QB Josh Allen and Patriots' QB Drake Maye four times a year for the foreseeable future.
Yes, the Jets took Bailey No. 2 overall less than a week ago and added edge rusher Joseph Ossai in free agency this offseason.
However, Jets defensive end Will McDonald, who led the team with eight sacks last season, will play on the fifth-year option in 2026 unless the two sides come to terms on a long-term deal before or during the season.
Given that Sauce Gardner, Quinnen Williams and Jermaine Johnson were all traded within the last six months, McDonald's time as a member of the Jets could be over soon rather than later.
If that's the case, don't be surprised if they double dip with an edge rusher with one of these three first-round selections.
Rhodes became a starter for the Razorbacks for the first time in 2025 and made an immediate impact.
The 21-year-old was a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks, as he amassed eight sacks, 43 tackles (27 solo) and forced a fumble in 12 games as a full-time player.
Between the production, size (6-foot-6, 276 pounds) and room to improve another year as a starter, it'd be hard to pass up on taking Rhodes to pair with both Bailey and Moten to give the Jets a fearsome defensive front that would all be on rookie contracts for years to come.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Who will be next Jets franchise QB? Our 2027 first-round mock draft
Continue reading...
The leadership group in head coach Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey valued not only talented propsects, but also successful ones.
Each of their first four picks -- David Bailey at No. 2, Kenyon Sadiq at No. 16, Omar Cooper Jr. at 30 and D'Angelo Ponds at No. 50 -- were all participants in the College Football Playoff, with Cooper and Ponds both being crowned national champions at Indiana.
While Glenn and Mougey added a ton of draft capital on Day 1 and 2, the more crucial part will come next April, where all signs point to the Jets finding their next franchise quarterback.
After having three first-round picks in 2026, Gang Green are armed with three more first-round selections in the 2027 NFL Draft, acquiring two-more first rounders when they traded away Sauce Gardner to the Colts and Quinnen Williams to the Cowboys last November.
With a weak QB class this past draft cycle, it made the most sense to sign a one-year stop gap veteran such as Geno Smith for the 2026 season ahead of what might be the most highly anticipated draft class over the last decade coming in 2027.
Who will be next New York Jets franchise QB? Our prediction
The Pro Football Network Draft simulator was involved to determine the New York Jets slots for their three first-round picks in 2027.
In this virtual simulation, the Jets ended up in a tremendous spot with three top-15 picks -- No. 3, 12 and 15 overall -- a luxury no other NFL team has at this moment. Shockingly, both quarterback needy teams in the Cardinals and Dolphins passed on a signal caller with the top-two picks, with Ohio State star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith going No. 1 overall to Arizona and South Carolina edge rusher Dylan Stewart going right after Smith at No. 2 to Miami.
Given the highly anticipated QB class coming in, that feels highly unlikely to happen as the Jets will need to trade or have a miracle happen if they landed the third overall pick and neither team in front of them or someone picking later on didn't trade the farm to draft a QB with one of the top two picks ahead of them.
Alas, we continue with scenario that Smith and Stewart start things off at No.1 and No. 2.
So which quarterback will the Jets pick at No. 3 overall?
Round 1, Pick 3: Arch Manning, QB, Texas
This is a dream situation for the Jets.
Will it be a fantasy come this time around next year? More than likely, with the Jets needing to trade one or more of their first round assets if they want a specific QB to trade up for and not wait until No. 3 overall or later.
To me, this comes down to Texas QB Arch Manning or Oregon QB Dante Moore.
Moore was seemingly going to be the next Jets franchise quarterback this year before he surprisingly decided to forgo the NFL Draft and return to the Ducks for another season in 2026.
That made Glenn and Mougey's decision much easier to go best player on their board and draft Bailey at No. 2 overall instead of reaching for a QB with one of their first or second round picks.
Right now, my choice is Manning, who in a similar amount of starts, had a lower interception rate (1.7 percent) in 2025, taken fewer sacks in their collegiate careers and has shown early on to be the more capable duel threat option (399 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns) compared to Moore (156 rushing yards, two touchdowns) last season.
It would be poetic for Manning to try and lead the Jets to the promise land after a near six-decade drought for the franchise after his uncle, Eli Manning, led the New York Giants to two Lombardi trophies for the franchise they share a stadium with.
Round 1, Pick 12 (via Colts): Ahmad Moten, DT, Miami
In the offseason, the Jets traded for defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat from the Titans in exchange for Jermaine Johnson.
With four picks in the top-50 selections, there was a good chance the Jets would select a defensive tackle after trading Quinnen Williams prior to last year's trade deadline.
But they didn't.
Enter Ahmad Moten.
The Miami defensive tackle was a force in 2025, as he recorded 4.5 sacks, six QB hits and 31 total tackles (20 solo) in 12 games.
Moten's an older prospect (will turn 23 next April) but that could be beneficial in the trenches to have more experience when having to play the likes of Bills' QB Josh Allen and Patriots' QB Drake Maye four times a year for the foreseeable future.
Round 1, Pick 15 (via Cowboys): Quincy Rhodes Jr., EDGE, Arkansas
Yes, the Jets took Bailey No. 2 overall less than a week ago and added edge rusher Joseph Ossai in free agency this offseason.
However, Jets defensive end Will McDonald, who led the team with eight sacks last season, will play on the fifth-year option in 2026 unless the two sides come to terms on a long-term deal before or during the season.
Given that Sauce Gardner, Quinnen Williams and Jermaine Johnson were all traded within the last six months, McDonald's time as a member of the Jets could be over soon rather than later.
If that's the case, don't be surprised if they double dip with an edge rusher with one of these three first-round selections.
Rhodes became a starter for the Razorbacks for the first time in 2025 and made an immediate impact.
The 21-year-old was a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks, as he amassed eight sacks, 43 tackles (27 solo) and forced a fumble in 12 games as a full-time player.
Between the production, size (6-foot-6, 276 pounds) and room to improve another year as a starter, it'd be hard to pass up on taking Rhodes to pair with both Bailey and Moten to give the Jets a fearsome defensive front that would all be on rookie contracts for years to come.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Who will be next Jets franchise QB? Our 2027 first-round mock draft
Continue reading...
