Jan. 21, 2026, 7:57 a.m. ET<\/p>\n
The first 2026 NFL mock draft from ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr<\/a>. is here, which means NFL fans everywhere will wonder who he has their favorite team taking.<\/p>\n The most intriguing pick? That would be the New York Jets’ second selection. In our latest NFL mock draft from Christian D’Andrea<\/a>, he had QB Dante Moore going to New York with the No. 2 overall pick, but that was before Moore stayed at Oregon<\/a>.<\/p>\n Kiper has Ohio State’s Arvell Reese to the Jets at No. 2… and Alabama QB Ty Simpson being the selection at No. 16. Is that a reach for a quarterback that people have concerns about? Here’s what he had to say:<\/p>\n Let’s be clear, though: I do have some concerns about Simpson. 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.<\/p>\n Very interesting! Make sure to check out the latest NFL mock draft from D’Andrea!<\/a><\/p>\n