The New York Jets are in an interesting spot as an organization. Everyone knows that the roster stinks, and that includes head coach Aaron Glenn and General Manager Darren Mougey. The team also holds a lot of draft capital over the next couple of years to churn this roster pretty quickly. That includes two first-round selections for the 2026 NFL Draft class, which will be valuable come April.

When it comes to rebuilding this roster, the top priority will be to find the team’s quarterback of the future. Currently sitting with the No. 3 overall selection, there should be no reason why the Jets don’t get a very talented starter in this class. They have the ammo to trade up without any issues. They will need to be aggressive.

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With help from fellow A to Z Sports NFL Draft analyst Joe DeLeone, we put together a trade package to move up in the draft. DeLeone also put together a three-round mock draft after that trade was made. Here is what we cooked up together.

New York Jets 3-round mock draft(Trade scenario: The New York Jets trade the No. 3 and No. 18 overall selections to the New York Giants for the No. 2 overall selection.)Round 1, Pick 2: Dante Moore, QB, OregonRound 2, Pick 35: Denzel Boston, WR, WashingtonRound 2, Pick 45: Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina

Getting the second quarterback may sound like a consolation prize, but it’s absolutely not in this class. There’s a narrow line between Oregon’s Dante Moore and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. Moore can provide the Jets with a gifted signal caller to lead them into the future. While Moore has limited starts under his belt, he possesses the natural touch and accuracy to develop into the catalyst for the franchise’s turnaround.

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It would behoove the Jets to find Moore a weapon early in the draft to develop with. Garrett Wilson is a highly impactful receiver, but he needs a partner in crime with a different skill set. Boston’s massive frame makes him a contested catch threat to win jump balls for Moore.

Lastly, finding an early replacement for Sauce Gardner is extremely important. It’s unlikely they’ll find someone on Day 2 as good as Gardner, but they need a young, talented cornerback to boost their secondary. Right now, their defensive backfield lacks the pieces to become a top unit. By selecting Brandon Cisse, they solve that issue early in this draft class.

Related: Jets add a developmental QB even before their looming 2026 NFL Draft decision

This story was originally published by A to Z Sports on Dec 29, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.