Kirk Herbstreit may have given Jets fans the kind of early read they were hoping for on the 2027 quarterback class.
Speaking last week at a Baton Rouge Raising Cane's appearance with owner and founder Todd Graves, where he discussed college football, LSU and the launch of his new " Peter Fan Club" pop-up, Herbstreit was asked which passers Jets fans should be tracking as potential draft risers. His answer went beyond a few names and landed on the kind of depth New York would love to hear about.
“I think we could have six, maybe seven first-round draft picks,” Herbstreit told a group of reporters at the event.
That’s the big takeaway for a Jets team already looking ahead while trying to get through what could be a pivotal 2026 season. The franchise may have its eyes on the next college quarterback wave, and Herbstreit’s view suggests the pool could be deeper than expected.
He singled out Miami’s Darian Mensah, LSU’s Sam Leavitt, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, and Oregon’s Dante Moore as quarterbacks who could help define the class. Arch Manning, who currently projects as the top QB in next year’s draft, was not part of that list.
And after Week 1, Herbstreit’s early read already looks pretty strong.
Mensah was the loudest early statement among the group, going 27 of 30 for 401 yards and five touchdowns in Miami’s 45-6 win over Stanford. The Duke transfer has already started to look like an early Heisman favorite.
Sayin was crisp for Ohio State, completing 21 of 25 passes for 320 yards and three touchdowns in a 56-3 win over Ball State. Moore opened fast as well, throwing for a career-high 378 yards and three touchdowns in Oregon’s 34-27 victory over Boise State.
Leavitt showed off the kind of dual-threat ability Herbstreit had in mind, throwing for 230 yards and a touchdown while piling up 113 rushing yards and two more scores in LSU’s 51-10 win over Clemson.
For the Jets, the situation remains straightforward. They’re hoping Geno Smith gives them competent quarterback play in 2026 and that fourth-round rookie Cade Klubnik grows into a dependable long-term backup. But neither one locks down the future beyond this season.
So when the Jets do head back into the quarterback market, they may not have to sit at No. 1 overall to find a path forward. Plenty can still shift over the course of the season, and all of these quarterbacks have more proving to do. Even so, Herbstreit’s early assessment is a promising one for Jets fans already staring at 2027.
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