The 2026 Senior Bowl is in the books, and the march toward April’s NFL draft has officially begun.
With the combine and pro days still ahead, plenty will change. But as the New York Jets continue their search for a long-term answer under center, their quarterback evaluations are in full swing.
However, it is not a guarantee that the team will use either of their first two-round selections on a quarterback.
If Gang Green opts to address other needs with their top picks, the quarterback search would shift to Day 2 or Day 3, where the franchise could target a developmental signal-caller with upside.
Here are five quarterbacks in this year’s draft class who could be on the Jets’ radar in the later rounds.
Luke Altmyer, Illinois
Luke Altmyer is known for his clutch ability, as the 23-year-old has led a whopping seven game-winning drives in overtime or the final minute of the fourth quarter since 2023.
In 2025, Altmyer led Illinois to a 9-4 record, completing 67.4% of his passes for 3,007 yards (8.2 yards per attempt), 22 touchdowns, and five interceptions.
He opened his NCAA career at Ole Miss (2022-23), spending two seasons in Oxford, making just one start over that span while backing up Matt Corral and Jaxson Dart.
Altmyer then transferred to Illinois, where he spent the final three years of his college career (2023-25), marking 35 starts and leading the Fighting Illini to a 23-13 record.
While his arm talent isn’t jaw-dropping, he is a quick processor with great touch on his deep ball. However, at 6-foot-1 and just over 200 pounds, his small frame will drop him down the board.
Ranked 274th overall on Mock Draft Database’s big board, Altmyer projects as a long-term backup at the NFL level. That is worth a dart throw late in the draft.
Jalon Daniels, Kansas
Jalon Daniels is one of the most intriguing late-round quarterback prospects in the class.
Daniels spent six years as a Jayhawk, battling through an injury-riddled college career. The Lawndale, Calif. native started only 21 games over his first four NCAA seasons, after shoulder issues hindered him in 2022, back problems kept him off the field in 2023, and a knee injury ailed him ahead of the 2025 season.
In 2025, Daniels threw for 2,531 yards and 22 touchdowns against seven interceptions on a 62.1% completion rate, while adding 550 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground throughout 102 attempts.
Daniels is uniquely tantalizing for a late-round prospect because of his athleticism and arm strength. Along with averaging 3.4 yards after contact per rush attempt, the 23-year-old earned a 92.6 grade from Pro Football Focus on deep passes (20+ air yards) in 2025, which ranked first among 145 qualified FBS quarterbacks.
He is a project, with his intermediate accuracy and ball security needing immense improvement at the next level in those particular areas.
In 2025, Daniels posted a 57.1% adjusted completion rate on throws traveling 10-19 yards downfield, placing 104th among 145 qualified FBS quarterbacks.
Daniels has 33 fumbles in his career, 10 more than his total rushing touchdowns, and 18 of those fumbles have come over the past two seasons alone, compared to just 10 rushing TDs.
Overall, though, his ceiling is intriguing enough for a team to take him on Day 3.
Cole Payton, North Dakota State
At North Dakota State, Cole Payton put up video game numbers.
In 2025, Payton led the Bison to a 12-1 record while completing 71.9% of his passes, the second-highest mark in the FBS and the third-highest in program history. He also set NDSU single-season records for yards per pass attempt (12.1), total yards per game (268.9), and yards per play (9.71).
He tossed 16 touchdowns against four interceptions while throwing for 2,719 yards, picking up another 894 yards on the ground and 13 rushing touchdowns across 120 attempts.
The signal-caller also earned the overall grade among FCS signal callers in 2025 (95.8), per Pro Football Focus.
Payton possesses high-end arm talent down the field. In 2025, he completed 35 of his 56 deep passing attempts (62.5%) for 1,247 yards, eight touchdowns, and one interception.
He also stood out at the Senior Bowl, while being named as the National Team’s player of the game.
There are a few caveats, though. The main distinction is that he compiled these numbers against FCS competition. Also, while there is a lot to like about his arm strength and elite ball placement, he has only one full year of starting experience at the NCAA level.
Ranked 191st on the consensus big board, Payton’s lack of starting experience and competition level will certainly hinder his stock, but a team will likely take a shot on his developmental upside on Day 3 of the draft.
Taylen Green, Arkansas
Taylen Green started his college career at Boise State, spending two seasons as a Bronco before transferring to Arkansas for the final two years of his college career.
The Razorbacks had a horrific season in 2025, finishing 2-10 overall and 0-8 in conference play. Green posted a 60.7% completion rate for 2,714 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
However, Green dominated on the ground, picking up 994 rushing yards and eight touchdowns throughout 113 attempts. He earned the highest rushing grade from PFF among all FBS quarterbacks (92.2), while ranking seventh in yards after contact per rush attempt (4.6).
Known for his freakish athleticism, Green is very elusive for someone of his size, as he stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 229 pounds. He earned a spot on Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks list” in 2023.
While Green had ball-security issues in 2025, as evidenced by his 5.3% turnover-worthy throw rate, Jets X-Factor’s Michael Nania’s analysis of predictive quarterback metrics shows that a prospect having a higher TWT rate actually tends to be a positive sign for their NFL outlook.
Similar to Daniels, though, Green is a developmental project at the NFL level. His accuracy has been poor throughout his career as an NFL prospect, and his mechanics tend to break down under pressure. He finished the 2025 season with a 60.7% completion percentage, barely improving upon his 60.4% from the previous season.
The 23-year-old also endured far too many sacks throughout the final two seasons of his college career. He took 59 sacks throughout his tenure as a Razorback, while his sack rate was 6.95% over that span.
Green is what many teams look for in a late-round dart throw: an exciting QB with a ton of upside, even if he is a developmental project.
Carson Beck, Miami
Carson Beck opened his career at Georgia, spending three seasons in Athens before transferring to Miami for his final year of eligibility.
In Coral Gables, Beck helped guide the Hurricanes to the 2025 national championship game, the program’s first appearance on that stage since 2001.
Beck completed 72.4% of his passing attempts for 3,813 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, while leading Miami to a 13-2 record.
After spending his first three years at Georgia as a backup to Stenson Bennett (2020-2022), Beck put his name on the map in 2024, his first season as a starter.
As the season progressed, Beck continued to look like a top prospect in the upcoming draft and was expected to be selected early. However, during the SEC championship game, Beck suffered a UCL injury that required surgical repair.
After declaring for the 2025 NFL draft despite the injury, Beck changed his mind and transferred to Miami, where he performed at a high level despite being one year removed from a serious injury.
When you turn on Beck’s film, his arm strength stands out most. Beck tied for third in the FBS with 13 passing touchdowns on deep passes in 2025.
However, there are many concerns regarding the 23-year-old, particularly his limited mobility. He lacks the ability to create off-script and struggles with decision-making once the pocket collapses.
While he is undoubtedly not worthy of first-round consideration, Beck offers a baseline of what teams commonly look for in a Day 2 QB: arm talent, winning experience, and the ability to operate within structure.
