Many experts, analysts and fans expect the Jets to select a "developmental" quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh at the end of April.
Fernando Mendoza is a near shoe-in to go to Las Vegas with the first overall pick. Who could be the next QB selected? The Jets have two first-round selections (Nos. 2 and 16) and a pair in the second round (Nos. 33 and 44). In their recent tour of several pro days, Jets GM Darren Mougey, HC Aaron Glenn, OC Frank Reich and QB coach Bill Musgrave worked out Ty Simpson, Drew Allar, Carson Beck and Garrett Nussmeier.
Mougey, speaking at the recent NFL Annual League Meeting in Phoenix, AZ, said: "Yeah, we feel good about the quarterback room., but could potentially add another guy to the room before the draft. We'll see where that goes, but we'll monitor the quarterback markets and just see where we end up."
After trading for veteran Geno Smith, who Glenn said is his QB1, the other players in the room are Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe. With the clock ticking toward the draft (April 23-25) the available options include free agent Tyrod Taylor (who spent the past two seasons with the Jets), Cooper Rush (another free agent), or trading for either Tanner McKee, Will Levis, Jarrett Stidham or Spencer Rattler.
In a recent "Now Boarding" draft show, team reporter Eric Allen spoke with NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein about who might be the right fit for the Jets in the NFL Draft. In Zierlein's view, Ty Simpson, a one-season starter at Alabama, makes the most sense -- perhaps not with the No. 16 pick, more likely at No. 33 (the first selection in the second round), providing he doesn't land with another team first. As with so much in the draft, it's a fluid situation: move up, move down, stand pat. In other words ... stay tuned.
"Mac Jones was a one-year starter at Alabama, Ty Simpson's a one-year starter," Zierlein said. "They both have some things that they do in the pocket that's a positive in terms of their pocket mobility. The way they read a defense is going through a pro style passing attack. So there's actually a lot of similarities there between the two players.
"Both of them are pretty average from a mobility standpoint outside of the pocket, although I think inside the pocket, sliding around the pocket, I think Ty Simpson is very, very good at that. You know, Simpson didn't get to throw to Devonte Smith like Mac Jones did [at Bama]. But I think when you look at the two of them and what their trajectory could be, how they play the game, their strengths and weaknesses, I think there is actually and in the fact that they were both one-year starters, I think there is some similarity."
Simpson (6-1, 211), who spent all four years with Alabama, led the Crimson Tide to an 11-4 record, completing 334-of-523 pass attempts (63.9%) for 3,948 yards with 28 TDs and 5 INTs. He also ran 112 times for 223 yards and 5 scores.
"Ty Simpson still has a lot to learn," Zierlein said. "He's only got one year under his belt as a quarterback, so there's still a lot he hasn't learned. And that's not a bad thing to me." He added: "So you want the Jets to be able to ... you want Geno Smith to be able to impose some of his knowledge on Ty Simpson."
Zierlein touched on the plusses and minuses of several of the other quarterbacks available in the NFL Draft in a couple of side-by-side comparisons:
Simpson or Garrett Nussmeier (LSU): "You kind of know who Nussmeier is on tape," Zierlein said. Nussmeier (6-1, 210) in 2024 ranked fifth in the FBS in passing yards (4,052). Last season, a knee injury limited him to 9 games (1,927 yards, 12 TDs and 5 INTs). His stock rose after a strong performance in the Senior Bowl 5-of-8 passing for 57 yards and a TD. "Very cool experience under his [Simpson's] belt makes him more moldable than Garrett Nussmeier, so I would say Ty Simpson."
Carson Beck (Miami) or Drew Allar (Penn State): Beck, who led Miami to the national championship game, is coming off his best season (3,813 yards, 30 TDs, 12 INTs) since transferring from Georgia and might still be available in the third or fourth round. Beck (6-3, 233) and Aller (6-5, 228) each have the size of QBs who have appealed to OC Frank Reich in his coaching career. An ankle injury limited Allar to 6 games last season after he led the Nittany Lions to a 13-3 record in 2024.
"It's hard to get there with Drew Allar after the last couple years of tape, and the last year was really bad before he got hurt," Zierlein said. "I think with Carson Beck, he's played a lot of high-leverage games. He understands the position. He comes in, I think having a much better feel for the NFL game with Drew Allar. I think you're having to rebuild him from the ground floor up in terms of mechanics, in terms of trying to find his accuracy to just a functional level, and then get his confidence where you want it. Because in big games, he really struggled. So I would say Carson Beck."
Taylen Green (Arkansas) or Cole Payton (North Dakota State): "Both of them can run. Both of them have the ability to ... there's meat on the bone in terms of becoming better passers. I think Green, while he's got a longer wind up, he's got a more live arm than Cole Payton. Payton's arm is a little better than I initially thought. Watching tape when I saw him at the Senior Bowl was a little bit better, but I still think Taylen Green is one of these guys who has great size [6-6, 235]. His accuracy is a problem [60.1% over 3 years at Boise State and 2 with Arkansas], his decision making isn't always great, but I think when you have the ability to run like Green does, anytime you have the ability to have an off game passing, but still hurt a team with your ability to run. And you can say the same thing about Cole Payton, but Cole Payton takes longer to get ramped up. It takes longer for him to get his legs going. He did it against FCS competition. Taylen Green did it in the SEC."
