Jets Reportedly 'Loved' QB Prospect Ty Simpson

How early are the New York Jets going to draft a quarterback in the upcoming 2026 National Football League Draft?

This arguably is a bigger question than what the team is going to do with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, unless they trade it, of course. If the Jets were to trade the pick, then everything changes. But if the Jets stick at No. 2, it's pretty safe to say that either Arvell Reese or David Bailey will be the guy. Either would be a good addition. It just depends on who the Jets prefer. Arguably, Reese should be the guy. But if New York views Bailey in that light, there's nothing wrong with that. Both are game-breaking-type talents.

On the quarterback front, it's really anyone's guess at this point. The No. 16 pick could be in play. The No. 33 pick could be an option. Also, the No. 44 pick could be in play as well. The Jets don't have a third-round pick, but have two in the fourth round, one in the fifth round, and then two in the seventh round. If the Jets are going to draft one of the top quarterback prospects, the best bets are No. 16, No. 33 or No. 44 for the pick.

Ty Simpson impressed the Jets

March 25, 2026; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Quarterback Ty Simpson throws during Pro Day in the Hank Crisp Indoor Practice Facility at the University of Alabama. | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

New York has met with pretty much all of the top prospects, including Ty Simpson, Drew Allar, Carson Beck and Garrett Nussmeier. The guy who is likely to go the earliest is going to be Simpson. But he's also polarizing. He's someone who has been talked about as a potential fit at No. 16 or No. 33, but he really only had one full season as a starter under his belt in college. Is he worth the risk at No. 16? Arguably not when the Jets have other roster holes to fill. One thing that is positive, though is that ESPN's Rich Cimini reported on "Jets Collective" that the Jets came away impressed with Simpson after their meeting, specifically on the whiteboard.

"They had [Darren Mougey] and [Aaron Glenn] there [to scout Ty Simpson], of course" Cimini said. "They brought [Bill Musgrave] and [Frank Reich]. So that to me is telling. They had dinner with him the night before. This was at the tail end of their scouting tour across America. ... They got in, they had dinner with him, they did some classroom work and from what I understand, no surprise here, he's very impressive on the board.

"On the whiteboard. He's a smart quarterback. The coaches loved him. But he's a coach's kind of quarterback, but is he a scout's kind of quarterback? There's a difference. The scouts are looking for the traits. The size, the arm strength, the speed. That's not where he checks the boxes. He checks it with his cerebral approach, the ability to get to the line of scrimmage and do the whole Peyton Manning thing. Move guys around, read the defense, read the MIKE linebacker. He's great at that stuff."

If Simpson completely "wows" the coaching staff and front office, that does make up a bit for the lack of experience in college. Arguably, the Jets should hold out and see if he drops to No. 33. At that pick, he'd be a perfect value. At No. 16, it's arguably still too early.