Jets Take Risky Quarterback at No. 16 in New Mock Draft

There is under one month to go until the 2026 National Football League Draft and with each passing day, there is more and more prospect talk.

Pro Days are popping up across the country along with private workouts, 30 visits and an endless amount of mock drafts. It's a fun time of the year. The next class of prospects is just a few weeks away from making the jump to the National Football League. There will be stars, busts, role players and everything in between. The New York Jets are going to be one of the most fascinating teams to follow during this draft cycle.

New York has nine picks in the upcoming draft, including four in the first two rounds. The Jets will start the draft with the No. 2, No. 16, No. 33 and No. 44 picks in the first two rounds. New York enters this cycle with a few major holes including the pass rush and No. 2 wide receiver, among others. Also, the quarterback position has been talked about a lot. Geno Smith is the team's No. 1 quarterback heading into the 2026 season. But what about the long-term vision? This idea has led to plenty of chatter about options in the draft. For example, NFL.com's Chad Reuter mocked Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson to the Jets at No. 16.

The Jets should avoid this mock draft

Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (QB17) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"Pick 16: New York Jets," Reuter wrote. "Ty Simpson, Alabama, QB, Junior (RS). Trade acquisition Geno Smith takes the pressure off Simpson to start as a rookie. The Alabama product's inconsistency and inexperience (15 college starts) will make some question whether or not he's worth a top-20 pick. But several other teams (like Pittsburgh and Arizona) could have interest in Simpson later in the first round or early in the second, so the Jets take him off the board here."

Arguably, this is the type of move New York should actually avoid. The pass rush is a problem that should be solved with the No. 2 pick. If the Jets were to take an offensive weapon, like wide receiver Jordyn Tyson or even tight end Kenyon Sadiq, at No. 16, that would be better for the team in the long run than Simpson specifically at No. 16. The 2026 NFL Draft class is weak with quarterbacks. Fernando Mendoza is the top prospect followed by Simpson at No. 2 and guys like Drew Allar and Carson Beck behind him. The differences between Simpson and Allar and Beck, who aren't expected to be first-round picks, aren't very big.

Simpson doesn't have a ton of experience under his belt from his college days. He has upside, but is a risk and really isn't much better than Allar and Beck, who the Jets have seen already. It's not a shock that Simpson has been mocked to New York a lot. The Jets don't have a long-term quarterback answer and he's technically the No. 2 quarterback in this draft class. But there are too many variables to consider with him. Instead, the Jets should steer clear, at least in the first round.