Although the New York Jets haven’t even reached Week 5 of the NFL regular season, it’s never too early to look ahead to the incoming quarterback class of the 2026 NFL draft.

With so many underclassmen considered top prospects, it’s challenging to predict which players will declare for the draft and which ones will stay in the college ranks for another year.

After Week 5 of the college football season, though, we are getting some clarity in several potential signal callers that the Jets will want to keep an eye on heading into the 2026 offseason.

One top option could potentially land with New York in April.

Four key storylines have emerged this season regarding the nation’s top quarterback prospects.

LaNorris Sellers is still QB1

There is a chance that South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers, just a sophomore, will return to the Gamecocks after the 2025 season. However, the opportunity for Sellers to be the top overall pick may be too good an opportunity to pass up.

The Jets would need to clear low-level teams like the New Orleans Saints and Cleveland Browns to have a chance at landing a player like Sellers, but he possesses the blend of skills that some of the NFL’s elite signal-callers possess.

Although the Gamecocks have already registered a loss this season, the SC native remains QB1.

Drew Allar remains an enigma

For as unfortunate a game as Allar had against Oregon on Saturday, throwing an interception that helped allow the Ducks to win in overtime, that doesn’t negate the fact that he remains a high-upside player.

Penn State’s offense under James Franklin has been notoriously underachieving, failing to put players in the best position to succeed.

A modern and innovative offensive game plan should get Allar to play well and within structure.

It’s why Tanner Engstrand’s offense could be an intriguing fit for Allar if the Jets agree on the fit in 2026.

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Jets general manager Darren Mougey was in attendance for Saturday’s clash against Oregon.

Fernando Mendoza continues to rise

If there has been an underrated riser of signal-callers to this point in the pre-draft process, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has been at the top of that list. He has thrown 16 touchdowns to just one interception, while completing over 70% of his passes, and has helped lead the Hoosiers as a top-10 team in the country.

If his prowess from the pocket continues at this rate, his draft stock will only continue to skyrocket.

Adjust expectations on the 2026 QB class

Through the first month of the college football season, the entire 2026 draft class of quarterbacks has been underwhelming for many fans and analysts.

Of course, those very pundits are judging the first month of tape of collegiate prospects and stating that the entire group is underwhelming is, at the very least, short-sighted. The fact of the matter is that collegiate quarterbacks, due to the transfer portal and the different looks that come from the college game, are still carving out their paths.

Whether it’s Sellers, Mendoza, Allar, or Garrett Nussemeier, the 2026 class is full of high-ceiling quarterbacks with the kind of potential that will make organizations very happy.

The tape from one month of college ball won’t alter that, even if fans and analysts want it to.