Jets Favored To Trade Up In 2025 NFL Draft For Superstar QB Prospect

New York owns the No. 7 pick

Dec 28, 2024; San Antonio, TX, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) warms up before the game against the Brigham Young Cougars at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The New York Jets need a new franchise quarterback, but will they be able to get one with the seventh pick in the 2025 NFL Draft?

It's too early to tell. A few months ago, it seemed inevitable that Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward, the two best QB prospects in the class, would be top-three picks. However, with the draft two months away, it's increasingly easy to envision both sliding outside the top five. That could be good news for the Jets, aside from one problem: The QB-needy Las Vegas Raiders are one spot ahead of them in the draft order at sixth overall.

With that in mind, ESPN's Mel Kiper recently suggested New York could trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who own the fifth pick, to leapfrog the Raiders and select a quarterback.

"‘You are in a division with (Josh Allen), Drake Maye, and (Tua Tagovailoa) in an AFC loaded with great quarterbacks," Kiper said during a TV segment. "You are fourth again that’s the problem, you are fourth by miles. You don’t have a quarterback. Miles, miles, and miles -- you’re across the other side of the country. You are so far away from what the reality is at quarterback that you need to be, so you gotta get a quarterback.

"Whose it going to be? Shedeur Sanders, he's dropping to the Raiders. What would preclude the Jets from going up ahead of the Raiders and getting a guy like Shedeur Sanders? That's going to be interesting."

Kiper then floated the possibility of the Raiders signing QB Sam Darnold in free agency, potentially allowing Sanders to drop the Jets at seventh overall.

"Do you take Shedeur Sanders if you're the Jets? I would think you would," Kiper said.

Ultimately, the Jaguars make the most sense as a possible trade-up candidate for the Jets because they don't need a quarterback. Neither do the New England Patriots, who own the fourth pick, but they might not want to help a divisional rival. And the top three teams in the draft order -- the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants -- all need quarterbacks and shouldn't be in the business of trading premium draft picks.

Nevertheless, the Jets must do something to replace Aaron Rodgers this offseason.

More NFL: Davante Adams To Patriots? New Report Opens Door For Jets Disaster