New York, you need a quarterback. It won’t be coming from the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after Dante Moore decided to return to Oregon. Moore was destined to be one of the top two selections in the NFL Draft, with the Jets and Raiders in need of quarterbacks.
Now, there’s only one quarterback worth taking, and the Jets have to pivot away. What can they do at No. 2, and how can they answer their quarterback problem?
Dante Moore’s Decision Changes Everything for Jets Holding No. 2 Overall
The Jets are back to the drawing board. There’s no quarterback worth selecting with the No. 2 pick in the draft. Fernando Mendoza is almost assuredly going No. 1 overall to the Raiders.
The Jets can pick the best non-QB in the draft. They have plenty of needs all over the field. They could go defense with Ohio State LB Arvell Reese, Miami EDGE Reuben Bain Jr., or Auburn EDGE Keldric Faulk. Reese is the top-ranked player in PFSN’s draft rankings on PFSN’s Mock Draft Simulator, while Bain and Faulk are in the top five.
Safety has been a big need for the Jets, but picking a safety at No. 2 could be a reach. If there’s one worth it, though, it’s Ohio State S Caleb Downs.
The offensive weapons also need improvement. They could go get a wide receiver to pair with their star, Garrett Wilson. Ohio State WR Carnell Tate and Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson would be the two best selections there.
The quarterback issue still remains. If they don’t have a quarterback to get the ball to their receivers, there’s no point. There are very few quarterbacks worth selecting with premium selections in this class after Moore decided to return. Alabama QB Ty Simpson is the next highest-ranked QB, but No. 2 is a steep price to pay for Simpson.
This means the Jets will likely take a flyer on a QB in the later rounds and look to free agency to sign a bridge QB, such as Marcus Mariota or someone similar.
The Jets are stockpiled with draft capital. They pick No. 2 and No. 16 in this draft, hold the highest second-round selection at No. 33, and have three first-round picks in a loaded 2027 draft class. The Jets could trade out of No. 2 if a team is willing to jump up a few spots, and the Jets could continue to acquire future capital to set up a major trade or a plethora of high picks in the future.
The Jets got screwed by this decision, no doubt about it. However, the good news is that they have plenty of capital and assets to devise another plan. They still need a quarterback and might not be able to find one in this draft, but impact players are still available for a team that needs to plug holes beyond the quarterback position.
Watch out for the Jets as they’ll be a team to closely monitor this offseason after Moore’s decision likely threw a wrench in their plans.
