Why Jets reaching for QB in draft 'can’t be ruled out'

NFL insiders and analysts remain split on whether or not the New York Jets could make Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart the seventh overall pick of the 2025 draft after the Jets signed Justin Fields to a two-year, $40M deal with $30M guaranteed earlier this offseason. 

Jets reporter Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic touched upon the subject for a piece published Thursday. 

"This would undoubtedly be a reach, but it can’t be ruled out — particularly with general manager Darren Mougey running things," Rosenblatt said about the Jets drafting Dart at pick No. 7. "Mougey previously worked for the Broncos, who reached (relative to perception, at least) for Bo Nix last year even though Nix wasn’t projected as a high first-round pick. That worked out for Denver, at least so far."

Broncos head coach Sean Payton was widely ridiculed last spring after Denver made Nix the 12th overall pick of the 2024 draft. Nix ultimately became a legitimate Offensive Rookie of the Year Award candidate en route to helping the Broncos reach the playoffs. 

Gang Green isn't married to either Fields or veteran backup Tyrod Taylor, and individuals such as NFL insider Connor Hughes of SNY have said that the Jets' long-term answer at the position is probably "not on their roster" at this time. 

While the Jets aren't being mentioned among teams that could trade up to the No. 1 pick for the right to draft Miami's Cam Ward, the consensus top quarterback in this year's class, some continue to suggest that Colorado's Shedeur Sanders could slide to the seventh selection. 

"I lean more toward believing he’ll be gone before the Jets pick," Rosenblatt wrote about Sanders, "but if he was there at No. 7 [the Jets would] have to at least consider him depending on their evaluation of Sanders as a prospect. Sanders is a smart and accurate quarterback but doesn’t really have the physical (6-1, 198) or athletic attributes most teams look for in top quarterback prospects, and he doesn’t have especially impressive arm strength either. But he can be a solid, game-managing quarterback in the right environment."

Derrik Klassen of The Athletic recently referred to Sanders as "a quarterback prospect who can execute an offense but not elevate one." Meanwhile, Rosenblatt pointed out that some evaluators view Dart "as a better prospect than" Sanders. 

Back on March 21, Jets beat writer Antwan Staley of the New York Daily News revealed "that the organization was enamored with Dart" during the NFL Scouting Combine. If the Jets have Dart as their QB2 of this class, and he falls to pick No. 7, spending that asset on the Ole Miss star could be a worthwhile investment.