The consensus is the New York Jets will draft at least one quarterback next weekend and/or in the 2027 NFL Draft. But after acquiring veteran Geno Smith from the Raiders and subsequently naming him the starter, the Green & White have several options at their disposal.
"He's a guy that comes in and can kind of be that bridge-type quarterback until you get the next guy," said NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero of Smith. "Whether it's this year's draft or whether that's next year's draft or whether that's sometime beyond, although I certainly think the plan would be in one of these next two drafts. You have 5 firsts to get a quarterback here."
The Jets have a bounty of picks the next two drafts – 19 in all, 8 first- and second-rounders, and 5 first-rounders. They will be a key player starting next weekend with four selections in the top 44 overall (Nos. 2 and 16 in Round 1 and Nos. 33 and 44 in Round 2). The Smith acquisition, which featured a late-round pick swap and became official on March 13, gave the Jets a proven veteran starter and came at a low financial cost. The Jets will reportedly pay Smith $3.3 million this season.
Young QBs in the Pipeline
"I think he is a young 35, so I don't think we're at a drop-off point," said NFL Network insider Judy Battista of Smith. "And again, I think he's motivated. … It's also a smart business move. You're not using your draft capital, you have plenty of money to spend, but you've got other needs. You don't need to spend big and you've got competent quarterback play, and they've got all of their draft capital still to use this year and next year."
Shortly after the draft opens, the Raiders are expected to make Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza the No. 1 overall selection. Then the Jets will go on the clock and most pundits believe they will choose between Texas Tech edge David Bailey and Ohio State hybrid Arvell Reese. They could consider a handful of others, but the prevailing notion is the Jets won't begin to have a conversation about quarterback until No. 16 overall or with the first pick in the second round.
"Obviously, Geno Smith is not your long-term answer – he's 35 years old," Battista said. "So you have to start somewhere along the line get young quarterbacks into the pipeline. I asked Aaron [Glenn] if you need to come out of this draft with a young quarterback and he said we need to come out of it with good players. So, I'm like not necessarily a young quarterback? And he said good players."
Alabama QB Ty Simpson is expected to be the second quarterback selected. But the Jets might prefer the value and upside of a passer or two who likely can be had on Day 2 or Day 3.
"Darren Mougey has earned a lot of respect in the league over this past year based on how he's conducting business, people have found him to be very transparent, people have found him to be very smart about how he's doing it," Pelissero said. "You don't quite frankly always hear that about first-time general managers and a lot of people didn't really know Darren well. But I've talked to so many people who we talk to in various negotiations and things who all came around with a pretty strong sense of this guy is impressive in terms of what he's doing here. He owes it to himself, to the Jets organization, to Aaron Glenn, to Woody [Johnson] to say we're going to dig in on every single one of these guys because you don't know. Yes, your percentages are higher taking a guy in the first round in terms of success rate, but half those guys fail, too. Your percentages are much lower in those later rounds, but there are Brock Purdy's out there, there are Tom Brady's".
See top images of the top quarterback prospects working out and attending at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (17) speaks during a press conference at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Friday, February 27, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/NFL)
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (14) speaks during a press conference at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Friday, February 27, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Cooper Neill/NFL)
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik (10) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/NFL)
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (17) speaks during a press conference at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Friday, February 27, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/NFL)
North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton (15) speaks during a press conference at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Friday, February 27, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/NFL)
Georgia Tech wide receiver Eric Rivers (32) speaks during a press conference at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Friday, February 27, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/NFL)
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza (11) speaks during a press conference at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Friday, February 27, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Cooper Neill/NFL)
BYU wide receiver Chase Roberts (33) speaks during a press conference at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Friday, February 27, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Cooper Neill/NFL)
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza (11) speaks during a press conference at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Friday, February 27, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Cooper Neill/NFL)
Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton (12) speaks during a press conference at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Friday, February 27, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Cooper Neill/NFL)
UConn quarterback Joe Fagnano (07) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Cooper Neill/NFL)
UConn quarterback Joe Fagnano (07) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Cooper Neill/NFL)
Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King (09) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Cooper Neill/NFL)
Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels (06) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Cooper Neill/NFL)
Miami quarterback Carson Beck (04) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Cooper Neill/NFL)
Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels (06) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/NFL)
Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels (06) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/NFL)
Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green (08) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/NFL)
Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King (09) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/NFL)
Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King (09) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/NFL)
Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson (16) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/NFL)
North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton (15) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/NFL)
Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green (08) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/NFL)
Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King (09) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/NFL)
Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green (08) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/NFL)
UConn quarterback Joe Fagnano (07) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/NFL)
North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton (15) runs the 40-yard dash during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/NFL)
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/NFL)
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/NFL)
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (17) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/NFL)
North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton (15) runs the 40-yard dash during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Cooper Neill/NFL)
North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton (15) runs the 40-yard dash during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Cooper Neill/NFL)
Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton (12) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Cooper Neill/NFL)
Miami quarterback Carson Beck (04) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/NFL)
UConn quarterback Joe Fagnano (07) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/NFL)
Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson (16) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Cooper Neill/NFL)
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (14) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Cooper Neill/NFL)
UConn quarterback Joe Fagnano (07) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Cooper Neill/NFL)
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza (11) looks on during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Cooper Neill/NFL)
Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton (12) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Cooper Neill/NFL)
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (14) participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Cooper Neill/NFL)
A Developmental Option
NFL Media draft guru Daniel Jeremiah likes Ty Simpson's mechanics, touch and accuracy, but he questions whether he'd be a good fit for the Jets.
"I like Ty. He's my 38th player and if the Jets wanted to pull the trigger on him at the top of the second round, I could totally get behind that," Jeremiah said on a recent episode of "Now Boarding.". "I think that's about where the value matches. I don't love his size and frame fit in that division. I'd just prefer to have a little bit bigger, stronger guy, studier guy to absorb some of the punishment to play in the weather and all those things. But that point of time, I think you're matching the value at the top of the second round where it would definitely be a consideration for sure.
In his 7-round Mock Draft, The Athletic's Dane Brugler had the Jets taking Penn State QB Drew Allar (6-5, 228) in Round 4 at No. 103 overall. In 45 games with the Nittany Lions, Allar hit on 63.2% of his passes for 7,402 yards with 61 TDs and 13 INTs.
"With rare size for a QB, Allar can drive the ball with ease and generally makes sound decisions, although issues pop up when he is late to pull the trigger," Brugler said.
Jeremiah added of Allar: "In terms of the size and the physicality to play in the weather in that division, he'd be someone I think would be fun to work with and develop. I do think he does have a little bit of a bad rap just in terms of how things finished up there at Penn State. He didn't have a lot around him in terms of the receivers. He had some tight ends and backs but never had good receivers. It didn't finish up the way he wanted but you can find some good tape from him if you go back through it and I think at that point of time, if he made it to the fourth round, I'd be pumped about that."
