Day 3 of the 2026 NFL draft is upon us.
The New York Jets enter Day 3 with five selections, including three in the fourth round (Nos. 103, 128, and 140) and two in the seventh (Nos. 228 and 242).
After filling several areas of need in the first two days of the draft, today is the day when the Jets could look to add a developmental quarterback.
Sources told Jets X-Factor that the Jets’ trade back from pick 44 to 50, while adding a fourth-round selection, was part of a broader plan to position themselves for a potential trade back into the third round to target LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, whom the team met with throughout the pre-draft process.
Ultimately, the Jets were unable to acquire a third-round pick, but the quarterback remains available entering Day 3.
Following a strong 2024 campaign, Nussmeier entered the draft cycle expecting to be one of the top QBs in the class.
However, his play didn’t remain at the same level.
He was pulled in multiple games and battled an ongoing abdominal issue. The 24-year-old ultimately started nine games, posting 1,927 passing yards with 12 touchdowns and five interceptions while leading LSU to a 5-4 record.
At the NFL’s Scouting Combine, Nussmeier was diagnosed with a spinal cyst, which was the cause of the lingering abdominal and oblique issues. He has since recovered and been fully medically cleared.
Armed with multiple picks in the fourth round, the Jets enter Day 3 with a prime opportunity to target the LSU product, who surprisingly slipped out of the draft’s first three rounds.
