Yup, mock draft season is officially here.
Somehow, it feels like the New York Jets manage to drag us into these conversations earlier every single year. And now, before we’ve even hit Thanksgiving, we’re already talking about April’s NFL draft. Only the Jets could make that possible.
In ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller’s latest mock, New York goes big. The Jets swing a blockbuster move, jumping from No. 4 to No. 1 overall in a trade with the Tennessee Titans.
“Armed with two first-round picks and an additional second-round pick in 2026 thanks to the deadline trades of cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, the Jets are moving up to Tennessee’s spot at No. 1 in this mock draft,” wrote Miller. “Since the Titans used their 2025 No. 1 pick on quarterback Cam Ward, they could be persuaded to move down and accumulate draft capital to build around their young QB.”
In this deal, the Jets would send both of their first-round picks (Nos. 4 and 28) and their 2027 second-round pick to Tennessee for the draft’s first selection.
With the first overall pick, Miller has Gang Green selecting Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
“Jets general manager Darren Mougey didn’t load up on draft capital by trading away Gardner and Williams to watch teams pick quarterbacks ahead of him. So I had the Jets aggressively move up for Mendoza, a pocket passer with great touch and timing who can carve up a defense with surgical accuracy while providing enough mobility to execute on the move,” the longtime draft analyst wrote.
Mendoza might not be in Caleb Williams’ class in terms of top QB prospects over the past five years, but he’s the best in this class and the Jets have to take a swing at the position. Justin Fields was just benched, and Tyrod Taylor isn’t the long-term answer,” he continued. “Mendoza’s 30 touchdown passes to five interceptions shows how careful he is with the football.”
Among FBS quarterbacks with a minimum of 300 dropbacks this season, Mendoza currently ranks fourth in completion percentage (72.2%), second in yards per attempt (9.4), and first in touchdowns (30), while leading the Hoosiers to a perfect 11-0 record on the season thus far.
“His mindset and work ethic are what caught my attention,” Mendzoa’s high school head coach, David Dunn, told Jets X-Factor in an exclusive interview. “He showed up to every single meeting with a notebook and a pen and took copious notes every time we sat down, and just always overturned every single stone there is to make himself a better football player.”
If this is finally the year the Jets get it right at quarterback, maybe, just maybe, New York fans can stop studying mock drafts before the holiday pies even hit the table.