The New York Jets have been widely expected to target Dante Moore with the second overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Stephen A. Smith is among those who are advising the prized quarterback prospect to return to college and avoid landing with the struggling franchise. A reporter who covers the team ripped him and others for this polarizing take.
Stephen A. Smith Ripped for Advising Dante Moore to Avoid Jets in 2026 NFL Draft
The early stages of this offseason have most around the NFL expecting the Las Vegas Raiders to pick Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza with the top pick in the 2026 Draft.
The Jets pick immediately after them and also need a quarterback, which has led most to predict that they will take Moore. One potential hurdle is that Moore has yet to declare for the draft officially and could potentially return to the Oregon Ducks for another college football season.
Smith is one of the most prominent names, along with Todd McShay and Colin Cowherd, to urge Moore to do precisely that. Smith referred to the Jets as an “atrocity” and said the quarterback prospect would be wise to avoid getting drafted by them.
Connor Hughes, who covers the Jets for SNY, responded to this advice being given to Moore and strongly disagreed with the concept. He took a shot at the analyst for doing so and posted a detailed response opposing their suggestion to his personal X account.
“It’s beyond lazy to suggest anyone should advise a rookie QB to avoid the Jets,” wrote Hughes.
It’s beyond lazy to suggest anyone should advise a rookie QB to avoid the #Jets. pic.twitter.com/DKUhWAPYKM
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) January 9, 2026
Hughes backed up his statement by listing off the reasons why he believes the Jets are actually one of the best landing spots for a rookie quarterback this year, rather than a situation for them to avoid.
He reminded them of their superstars on offense, including Garrett Wilson, who is under contract, and Breece Hall, who is reportedly expected to be retained by the franchise this offseason. However, he is currently a pending free agent.
He then mentioned their massive salary cap space to fill out their other positions that could use upgrades, such as their wide receiver depth.
Another essential factor he pointed out is their young and rising offensive line, which is loaded with recently drafted players in the higher rounds. They have been developing as a unit and finished ranked 18th among all offensive lines in PFSN Offense Impact Rankings this year.
