The quarterback situation for the New York Jets, for one more year, is unsatisfactory. The return of Geno Smith via trade gives them a defined starter, but their medium- and long-term plans are nonexistent. Smith can do the job for one or two years, but the Jets should also set their sights on the future.
Ty Simpson Is Mocked to the New York Jets in the Latest PFSN Mock Draft
With the second overall pick in the 2026 draft, all signs point to the New York Jets building their trenches. Fernando Mendoza, the best quarterback in the class, is set to be picked by the Las Vegas Raiders with the first pick, and there’s no other passer who deserves such a high selection.
But that doesn’t mean the Jets can’t explore options in later rounds. They have extra picks in the first and second rounds after trades involving Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner. And PFSN’s Jacob Infante believes that with the 44th overall pick, originally from the Dallas Cowboys, New York will select Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.
“Ty Simpson is only a one-year starter in college, but he’s pretty advanced given his limited playing time. He identifies soft spots in zone coverage well and exploits them accordingly.”
Simpson spent four years of his career at Alabama, but during this period, he was the backup for Bryce Young and, later, Jalen Milroe. During his only season as a starter in 2025, he had 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, and just 5 interceptions. Infante believes that with the extra picks, the Jets can take a shot on a young passer.
“He does a good job of finding the open man, and he’s an accurate thrower of the football. The Jets have an abundance of draft capital in the early rounds and a big need at quarterback, so using a second-round pick on a player like Simpson could be worth a shot.”
Simpson could sneak into the first round. He’s widely considered the No. 2 quarterback in a weak class, and positional value could scare teams into taking him late on the first night. However, it’s abundantly clear that he’s not ready to be an NFL starter, and whoever takes him will need a solid development plan.
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The Jets could provide this plan with Smith, even if he was one of the worst quarterbacks in the league in 2025. The awful situation with the Las Vegas Raiders affected his play, and he was ranked as No. 34 in our PFSN’s NFL QB Impact Metrics.
A combination of Smith and Simpson could at least have a clear plan in place for the Jets, even if it’s not the most exciting idea.
