Jets Way-Too-Early Mock Draft Wouldn't Fix QB Room

If the New York Jets don't dig themselves out of the hole they have put themselves in, there's a chance that the franchise ends up picking very high in the 2026 National Football League Draft.

The Jets utilized their 2025 first-round pick to select offensive tackle Armand Membou at No. 7 overall. Right now, the Jets have the inside track to the No. 1 overall pick as they are the only winless team in football. We are now over a third of the way through the 2025 season, so some around the league have already started to look ahead at which prospects could be available and who could fit.

Pro Football Focus' Trevor Sikkema dropped a way-too-early 2026 mock draft, for example, and projected the Jets to ultimately land the No. 1 pick and use it to select Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.

"No. 1. New York Jets (0-6): QB Ty Simpson, Alabama," Simpson said. "There isn’t a quarterback in the 2026 class who feels like a “safe” top-five talent – if there ever is such a thing. However, there are a handful of players who have shown promise in flashes or small sample sizes, and Simpson leads the way. In his first year as a full-time starter, he has the highest overall passing grade among the projected first-round quarterbacks (86.6) and the highest intermediate (11-19 yards downfield) passing grade (91.1)."

This doesn't seem like the right fit for the Jets

Oct 11, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) throws against the Missouri Tigers during the first half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

It's still too early for this. The Jets' schedule the rest of the way is actually lighter than it was to kick off the season. All it takes is a couple of wins to drop down in the draft order. It's true the Jets would have the No. 1 pick if the season ended today, but that could change quickly.

Regardless, this is the type of pick that could have a high reward, but is risky as the No. 1 overall selection. Before this season, Simpson had 50 total passing attempts over the last three years at Alabama. He's the starter now and has been very good -- 134-for-189 passing for 1,678 yards, 16 touchdowns, and one interception -- but it's a very small sample size.

The Jets signed Justin Fields to a two-year deal this past offseason. He has shown flashes this season, but also has a couple of rough games, like last week. The quarterback position has been in flux in New York for years.

This is hypothetical, but it just seems like taking a guy in Simpson who has very little college game experience would be a dice roll that hasn't gone New York's way in recent memory.

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