New York Jets fans received good news and bad news during Week 17.
The good news is that the team improved its draft positioning thanks to its blowout loss to the New England Patriots and the Cleveland Browns’ upset of the Pittsburgh Steelers. New York now possesses the third overall pick.
The bad news? The Las Vegas Raiders, the lone quarterback-needy team slated to pick above Gang Green, lost to the New York Giants.
Coupled with strength-of-schedule-related results around the NFL, the Raiders’ loss eliminated the Jets from contention for the first overall pick. It guarantees that Las Vegas will have the highest pick among teams in need of a franchise quarterback in the upcoming NFL draft.
However, there is a silver lining for Jets fans: If there is any team they should want to pick ahead of the Jets, it’s Las Vegas.
With that franchise, anything can happen.
Why Jets draft plans are still in front of them
If history tells us one thing, it’s this:
The Raiders do weird things when it comes to the NFL draft.
Whether it was first-round selections for punters and kickers (Ray Guy in 1973, Sebastian Janikowski in 2000), the overvaluation of speed (Darius Heyward-Bey in 2009 and Henry Ruggs in 2020), or misevaluations in general (Alex Leatherwood in 2021), things get bizarre when the Silver and Black are on the clock.
That has only continued since Al Davis passed away in 2011, and it’s a great thing for the Jets with the third overall pick.
Las Vegas, as a franchise, is obsessed with traits-based scouting. They focus on players with speed, long arms, or another physical aspect of their game that helps them stand out compared to other players. They love talents with high ceilings but lower floors.
When it comes to the 2026 quarterback class, the Raiders’ draft history could allow a gift to fall into the Jets’ arms.
As things stand, New York’s best quarterback fit appears to be Indiana quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza. His intangibles and pocket-passing skills make him a perfect fit for the Jets and today’s NFL. Oregon’s Dante Moore may have a higher overall ceiling, but his rawness as a passer is a significant red flag that teams will have to address.
Now, the Raiders could absolutely draft Mendoza over Moore. It’s too early in the process to pigeonhole any one team to a player.
However, Las Vegas’ history suggests a team that would prefer to select Moore and take the gamble of seeing him become another Russell Wilson (especially if Pete Carroll is retained), rather than the pocket passer in Mendoza.
If the Raiders were indeed to select Moore, it could make the Jets the front-runners for Mendoza. As the draft order currently stands, they could trade up one spot with the Giants to secure him. If things fall their way, though, they can still climb into the second overall pick by the end of Week 18.
Is it a long shot for Las Vegas to pass on Mendoza? Maybe.
But if the Raiders have taught anyone anything, it’s that they are the most unpredictable team in NFL history when it comes to the draft.
That could allow the Jets’ guy to fall into their laps.
