Will the New York Jets draft a quarterback in 2025? More and more mock drafters are beginning to think so.
Pro Football Focus published its latest mock draft on Monday. If this turned out to be the real outcome, one of the most popular storylines would be that the Jets managed to get their hands on one of the top quarterback prospects without trading up.
Here are the top 10 picks from PFF’s mock:
- 1. Tennessee Titans: Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
- 2. Cleveland Browns: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
- 3. New York Giants: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
- 4. New England Patriots: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
- 5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
- 6. Las Vegas Raiders: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
- 7. New York Jets: Cam Ward, QB, Miami (FL)
- 8. Carolina Panthers: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
- 9. New Orleans Saints: James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
- 10. Chicago Bears: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
The Jets managed to grab Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the seventh overall pick. Not only is Ward the consensus No. 1 quarterback prospect in the class, but he is also the No. 1-ranked overall prospect on NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board.
Ward led the FBS with 39 touchdown passes in 2024, while only tossing seven interceptions. He completed 67.2% of his passes for 9.5 yards per attempt.
In addition, Ward projects as a smooth fit in Tanner Engstrand’s Jets offense. Ward excels on passes over the middle, play action passes, and quick passes, which all figure to be core elements of the Jets’ new offensive scheme.
New York’s need for a franchise quarterback was going to exist regardless of whether or not they kept Aaron Rodgers. However, now that they have officially announced their intention to part ways with Rodgers, it feels as if the desperation for a splash move at quarterback has heightened.
Staring at the possibility of a “bridge” season with an unexciting option under center, many fans and analysts (including yours truly) are beginning to ponder whether the Jets’ best option is to go all-in for a franchise QB in the 2025 draft. The alternative is punting to 2026, which seems preferable given the uninspiring nature of 2025’s options, but their options might be no better than they are today.
The 2025 QB class is considered weak, while the veteran market at quarterback is indisputably weak. Still, there is no telling whether things will look any better in one year’s time. The Jets may also drop a few spots from their current No. 7 position on the board – if Aaron Glenn is as good of a coach as they hope.
With all of that in mind, the buzz is growing louder that New York could go all-out for a QB in the 2025 draft. Grabbing Ward without trading up would be the dream, although that currently seems unlikely based on the consensus.
Who knows, though? Baker Mayfield wasn’t supposed to go No. 1 until days ahead of the 2018 draft. Aaron Rodgers was never supposed to last as long as he did. Bo Nix wasn’t even supposed to go in the first round. Quarterback prospects frequently undergo seismic shifts on the draft board in the final couple of months leading up to the draft, whether it’s due to the combine, interviews, pro days, or simply a last-second jolt of conviction from a certain franchise. You never know what will happen. Maybe Ward somehow does fall to the Jets at No. 7.
If not, the Jets might have to consider trading a lucrative package to move up and get their guy. Should Darren Mougey be opposed to trading up, perhaps he will stay put and grab a surprising quarterback who the team feels extremely optimistic about, similar to what his former team, the Denver Broncos, did with Nix in 2024. Mississippi’s Jaxson Dart is gaining steam as a candidate for this route.
With the slate wiped clean, every quarterback option is on the table for the Jets.
