Jets Might Draft No. 36 Prospect At No. 7 Overall In 'Shocking Move'

After parting ways with Aaron Rodgers, the New York Jets might soon be handing the QB1 keys to a young prospect from the 2025 draft.

New York’s No. 7 overall pick excludes them from Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders, but as Pro Football Focus’ John Kosko noted recently, that doesn’t mean the Jets can’t strike gold on another QB.

“If a quarterback does slide to (the Jets at No. 7), (Ole Miss QB) Jaxson Dart is the most likely option — and he’d be a great fit for new head coach Aaron Glenn and offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand,” Kosko wrote.

“Engstrand, who spent the last three years as the Lions’ passing game coordinator, helped design one of the league’s most effective play-action offenses—an approach that would complement Dart’s skill set perfectly.”

“Over the past two seasons, Dart has been the most effective play-action passer in the draft class, leading the group with a 93.8 play-action passing grade and an impressive 0.431 expected points added (EPA) per play-action pass. His 460 play-action dropbacks rank second behind Quinn Ewers, but his 35 big-time throws in those situations nearly triple Ewers’ total of 12.”

“Beyond his playmaking ability, Dart also takes care of the football. His 1.7% turnover-worthy play rate is tied for the third-best in the class, making him an ideal fit for an offensive system like the one Engstrand helped design in Detroit over the past two seasons.”

In response to Kosko’s report, ClutchPoints’ Dylan Fine called the Dart-to-Jets idea a bold one.

“Jaxson Dart would be a bold pick to get the most out of the Jets' talented weapons,” Fine wrote.

“Dart is a talented quarterback with incredible upside. But the 21-year-old is the 36th overall prospect heading into this year's draft. That makes the scenario where the Jets draft Dart at No. 7 an incredibly bold pick. In addition, one concerning trait … Dart looked rattled under pressure in a game (versus Florida in 2024) that eliminated the Rebels from the College Football Playoff.”

“It's a testament to Jaxson Dart's upside that he could be the Jets' best chance to win right now. And if new general manager Darren Mougey makes this shocking move, New York fans will be excited to cheer on their rookie QB.”

Maybe the best move for the Jets is to draft a guy like Dart and develop him under a veteran bridge quarterback like Tyrod Taylor, who is currently under contract with New York.

The 2025 NFL draft will begin on April 24.

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