The Jets are headed back into the quarterback market, and ESPN’s latest 2027 mock draft has them taking a big swing.
With Geno Smith set to start the 2026 NFL season, New York’s quarterback situation looks temporary at best. The Jets also don’t seem likely to hand the job to a second-year Day 3 pick and hope for the best. If Cade Klubnik ends up mattering here, it would probably mean Smith has fallen apart the way he did last season with the Las Vegas Raiders.
That’s why the 2027 NFL Draft could become the real answer. New York is sitting on three first-round picks, which gives Aaron Glenn’s team plenty of room to move if it wants a quarterback from what looks like an elite class. In ESPN’s newest mock, the Jets land Notre Dame’s CJ Carr at No. 3 overall.
Carr may not be the headline name in the class the way Oregon’s Dante Moore and Texas’ Arch Manning are, but he’s right there in the mix. Moore turned down the Jets last year by going back to school, and Manning could either stay put or go No. 1 overall.
New York, as the mock has it, won’t be drafting that high. So Carr becomes the prize, and a pretty serious one at that.
Tom Brady called Carr last season “the greatest college quarterback he's seen since Joe Burrow,” which tells you the kind of buzz he’s built. ESPN’s Jordan Reid made the case that New York would be an easy fit, pointing to the pieces already in place around the position.
“The Jets' drafts in the past five years have seen them bring in bookend offensive tackles (Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou), a true WR1 (Garrett Wilson), a franchise RB (Breece Hall) and two talented tight ends (Mason Taylor and Kenyon Sadiq). Seems like an ideal base for a young quarterback to join,” wrote ESPN's Jordan Reid.
“Carr's sample size is small (12 career starts), but he thrived last season in his first year as a starter. He's a capable passer who can distribute the ball and does a great job of syncing his feet, eyes and throwing motion.
Notre Dame is a prime national title contender in 2026, and if Carr excels on that quest, it's easy to see him rise to this spot of the draft.”
Carr’s profile fits what the Jets would be chasing. He’s a pocket passer who can throw it deep and keep an offense on schedule. He’s the kind of quarterback who can help a team stay balanced and avoid constantly playing behind the sticks, and for this franchise, that alone would be a major step forward.
He’s got the tools to work every part of the field. Carr can drive the ball downfield, hit back-shoulder throws with precision, and get enough velocity on his release to squeeze passes into tight windows or fire toward the sideline without putting the ball at risk.
What stands out even more is the feel he already shows. For a player with only 12 career starts, Carr has displayed anticipation, poise and a strong handle on the ball. He also did it while limiting sacks, which only adds to the appeal.
He’s not finished, though. Carr could still use more bulk, and his mobility and off-script production need work. But he has a full 2026 season at Notre Dame to keep building, and if that year goes the way ESPN expects, the Jets could be looking at the quarterback they’ve been waiting for.
In Other News...
Jets Could Still Land Needed O-Line Help From An Unexpected Cut
The Jets are heading into roster cutdown week with one of the more familiar late-summer worries in the NFL: offensive line depth. Even after getting through camp with a clearer picture up front, the line still feels one injury away from becoming a problem, which is why any available veteran with starting experience is worth a look.
Andrew Vorhees could end up being one of those names if Baltimore decides to move on. The Ravens guard started every game last season, but his performance grade was a concern, and that kind of profile can make him a candidate to be available via trade or a waiver claim. For the Jets, it is the sort of low-cost, low-risk move that can matter a lot when building out the backup side of the offensive line. [Read more 🡒]
Jets May Be Testing Will McDonald In A Risky New Role
Will McDonald arrived as a first-round pick in 2023 with the kind of pass-rushing upside the Jets have wanted off the edge, and that part of his game has already shown up. The bigger question has been how to make the rest of his profile fit, because run defense and coverage duties have been tougher asks for him as he settles into the league.
Under defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, the Jets are at least exploring a more unusual answer: using McDonald in coverage as an outside linebacker in the new scheme. It is an intriguing way to squeeze more value from his burst and athleticism, but it also comes with obvious risk given his limited experience and tackling concerns, which is why the staff may look for other players to help handle some of those coverage snaps. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Finally Have A Reason To Expect A More Competitive Season
After a 3-14 season, the Jets spent the offseason trying to look like a team that understands where the holes were. They added Geno Smith, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Demario Davis and Tim Patrick, then used the 2026 draft to keep filling out the roster, giving the group a far different feel than the one that stumbled through last year.
Ben Solak sees enough of those moves to expect a more competitive season, especially with upgrades on both sides of the ball. Even so, the bar still looks modest for now, with New York projected to fall short of the playoffs as the team tries to turn roster repairs into actual results. [Read more 🡒]