The New York Jets are very obviously a possible landing spot for any quarterback who has starting potential in the NFL. They don’t have a long-term plan at the position, so anyone who could be a starter, especially if they’re a rookie, will be linked to the Jets.
With the Las Vegas Raiders almost certainly going with Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza first overall, the Jets will have limited options down the board. Alabama’s Ty Simpson is the clear next-best fit for the Jets.
However, ESPN’s Rich Cimini made the case for why drafting Simpson in round one of the NFL Draft would be a mistake. It’s some sound reasoning, as the Jets will have more than just the 2026 NFL Draft to find their franchise QB.
Why Jets should not draft Ty Simpson R1 in draft
“It would seem counterintuitive for Mougey, who has a long-term plan, to take a quarterback with a light resume in a thin quarterback class,” Cimini writes.
Darren Mougey and Aaron Glenn are not just planning to complete their rebuild this offseason. With three first-round picks in the 2027 NFL Draft, plus a lot more cap space, the Jets have long-term plans with the roster.
One of those plans involves the quarterback position. While the Jets might be ready to find a new future at the quarterback position, Simpson, the Alabama quarterback who’s made only 15 starts in college, is not worthy of a first-round pick.
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If he fell into the second round, with the 44th pick, the Jets could consider taking him with ease. But, with their needs elsewhere on the roster on defense and at wide receiver, the Jets would be better off waiting on a QB until 2027.
Next year’s draft class is going to be much better than this year’s class. Instead of drafting the second-best QB in a weak class, the Jets could get the best QB in the 2027 class, which is expected to be very strong.
The Jets should be planning for the 2027 NFL Draft for their future quarterback, not taking a big risk with Simpson. He’s not a good fit in New York, and they have a better long-term plan than taking a gamble with Simpson early in this year’s draft.