Will the New York Jets select a quarterback in the upcoming National Football League Draft?
It seems very likely.
The team currently has Tyrod Taylor, Jordan Travis, and Adrian Martinez under contract for the 2025 season. Taylor is a 14-year NFL veteran who can be a capable starter or backup for New York. There’s no way to know what the Jets have in Travis right now after being injured for the 2024 season. Martinez isn’t likely to have a big role.
The Jets have been linked to a few veteran options with free agency approaching with Justin Fields obviously being the most talked about guy. Even if the Jets were to sign Fields or another veteran, it still makes sense to at least take a chance in the draft.
Who could be an option, though? The Jets have the No. 7 pick and it currently seems unlikely for someone like Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders to drop that low. The Jets could always trade up if they want one of those guys, but ESPN’s Rich Cimini shared that he’s heard a more “likely avenue” is a secondary guy in the draft like Jaxson Dart.
“Based on conversations with league sources, this is a likely avenue for the Jets,” Cimini said. “Typically, new regimes look to reset the depth chart on teams without clear-cut starters. They want to draft and develop their own, allowing him to grow up in their program. Toward that end, Mougey said there are ‘a lot of intriguing prospects.’
“Jaxson Dart of Ole Miss is widely regarded as the third-best quarterback prospect, behind Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. Spielman has stated his affinity for Dart, who backed up a strong 2024 season (4,279 yards, 29 TDs) with a terrific showing at the Senior Bowl and a solid combine. Dart’s rising stock could put him in the first round, according to some evaluators. Picking seventh, the Jets could be in no man’s land — too low for Ward and Sanders, too high for Dart. If he’s their target, it might require some maneuvering. They also have the 42nd pick.”
No matter what the Jets do in free agency, it seems likely that a rookie could be on the way to the quarterback room as well.