LaNorris Sellers Staying at South Carolina Adds New Wrinkle to Jets’ 2026 Draft Outlook
Some big college football news broke Saturday morning, and it’s already sending ripples through the NFL-particularly for a New York Jets team that may be eyeing the future more than the present.
South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers, the No. 4 quarterback prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft class, is reportedly planning to return to the Gamecocks for another season. That’s a major development for QB-needy teams, and especially for the Jets, who now have one less blue-chip option potentially available in the first round.
Sellers was one of just four quarterbacks ranked inside the top 32 prospects for the 2026 draft, per NFL Mock Draft Database. So his decision to stay in school doesn’t just thin the top of the QB class-it raises the stakes for teams like the Jets, who may be looking to land their next franchise signal-caller without mortgaging future draft capital in a trade-up scenario.
Jets’ Draft Position: A Climb with Obstacles
Right now, the Jets sit at 3-10 and hold the No. 7 spot in the draft order heading into Week 15. But with the Titans pulling off a win in Week 14, the door has cracked open for New York to potentially climb higher-possibly all the way into the top three, depending on how things break this weekend.
Here’s how the top of the draft board looks as of now:
- New York Giants (2-11, .532 SOS)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-11, .550 SOS)
- Tennessee Titans (2-11, .575 SOS)
- Cleveland Browns (3-10, .486 SOS)
- New Orleans Saints (3-10, .498 SOS)
- Washington Commanders (3-10, .511 SOS)
- New York Jets (3-10, .540 SOS)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-10, .570 SOS)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-9, .523 SOS)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons, 5-9, .498 SOS)
The Jets’ strength-of-schedule (SOS) is currently working against them. At .540, it’s higher than most of the teams above them, meaning they lose tiebreakers in the event of identical records. Only the Raiders (.550) and Titans (.575) have tougher schedules among the top seven.
That makes the path to the No. 1 overall pick steep, but not entirely out of reach. If Week 15 results fall a certain way-namely, wins by the Giants, Raiders, Browns, and Titans-the Jets could finish the week in the No. 3 slot. That scenario would create a five-way tie at 3-11, and the Jets would lose the tiebreaker to the Giants and Commanders due to SOS, but still land in a strong position heading into the final stretch.
Week 16: A Draft-Tilting Matchup with the Saints
Circle Week 16 on your calendar. The Jets face the Saints, who also sit at 3-10 but have a weaker SOS (.498).
That game could be pivotal-not just in the standings, but in shaping the draft board. A Jets loss there would put them in prime position to leapfrog New Orleans in the order.
Still, the Jets have to thread the needle. Their SOS is significantly higher than the Browns (.486), Saints (.498), and Commanders (.511), so even with identical records, they’ll need help to move past those teams.
Jets Head into Jacksonville Short-Handed
Before any of that matters, though, there’s the matter of Sunday’s road trip to Jacksonville. The 9-4 Jaguars are 13.5-point favorites, and for good reason. The Jets will be rolling out a severely depleted lineup, led by undrafted rookie quarterback Brady Cook, who’s making his first career start.
He’ll be without several key weapons, including tight end Mason Taylor, wide receiver Garrett Wilson, and cornerback Azareye’h Thomas. It’s not just a tough ask-it’s a full-blown uphill battle.
And yet, this is the kind of game that has historically tripped up the Jets’ draft hopes. Remember 2020?
The Jets pulled off a surprise win over the Rams late in the season, a game that ultimately cost them the No. 1 pick-and Trevor Lawrence. That win came in an empty stadium.
Before that, the last time the Jets beat a 10-win team on the road with fans in the stands and starters on the field was way back in 2010, when they took down the Steelers in Pittsburgh.
So yeah, it’s been a while.
Aaron Glenn’s Moment, Jets Fans’ Dilemma
For Aaron Glenn, this is a chance to notch a signature win in his first year as head coach. A road victory over a playoff-bound team with a patchwork roster and a rookie QB? That’s the kind of thing that gets noticed around the league.
But for a portion of the fanbase, the focus is squarely on the draft board. Every win makes the climb harder. Every loss, in theory, brings the Jets closer to securing a top-tier quarterback in 2026-though with Sellers now off the board, that group just got smaller.
So as the Jets take the field in Duval County, the stakes are layered. There’s pride, there’s progress, and there’s the ever-present pull of the future. Jets fans may be divided on what they want to see, but one thing’s clear: the road to the 2026 draft just got a little more complicated.