Jan. 22, 2026, 10:22 a.m. ET
The New York Jets were potentially hoping to take Oregon quarterback Dante Moore at No. 2 overall in the 2026 NFL draft. That possible dream ended when Moore decided to return to school for another season. Despite that, ESPN’s Mel Miper Jr. still has the Jets taking a quarterback in his new first-round mock draft.
Kiper has the Jets pivoting at No. 2 by taking Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese.
“The Jets ranked 31st in sacks with 26, and Will McDonald IV was the only player on the roster with more than four of them (eight),” Kiper Jr. wrote. “Reese played off the ball before moving into an edge rusher role in 2025, and he has the traits to make an impact there in the NFL.”
At No. 16 overall, the Jets take Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. Simpson is probably the second-best quarterback in the draft following Moore’s decision to go back to Oregon. He’s an experienced thrower as a one-year starter, so the Jets should assess him with caution.
“Let’s be clear: I do have some concerns about Simpson,” Kiper admitted. “He has 15 career starts, which means this pick would come with a lot of risk. That’s just not enough game experience. We also can’t ignore his dip in performance in the second half of the 2025 season. But there’s also no questioning his upside. Simpson has good pocket presence, and he fired 28 touchdown passes and only five interceptions this past season. If the Jets can surround him with talent on offense and develop him, he has a high ceiling.”
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Darren Mougey and Aaron Glenn must approach the quarterback situation with care. They’ll likely only get one opportunity to draft a quarterback. Simspon comes with both concerns and upside. Kiper Jr. has the Jets taking the plunge in his latest mock draft.