It’s long been known that the New York Jets will be loaded come 2027 draft weekend. That was set in stone on November 4, 2025, when the team sent two All-Pros packing in exchange for four draft picks, including two 2027 first-rounders.
But nobody could have anticipated the Jets’ haul turning out this good.
As of today, the Jets are projected to have three picks in the top 12:
- No. 7 (via Indianapolis)
- No. 10 (own)
- No. 12 (via Dallas): Better of Dallas and Green Bay (No. 20)
As peachy as that picture looks, it may be on the verge of becoming even more beautiful for hope-starved Jets fans.
Yes, Jets are suddenly in the mix for the No. 1 pick.
Colts’ all-out tank puts Jets in No. 1 pick race
It seems unlikely that the Jets themselves will contend for the top draft slot.
While New York’s 2-5 start has been uninspiring, the team has gone down to the wire in all but one game; overall, their -13 point differential is tied for 22nd in the NFL. This is far from the worst team in the league. It’s unlikely they will finish with a record that could contend for the top pick.
The Indianapolis Colts, though, could absolutely make a push for that “throne”.
Indy shares New York’s 2-5 record, but on Tuesday, the Colts declared an all-out tanking push for the remainder of the season. They traded away six-time All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson (to Seattle) and two-time All-Pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (to San Francisco) in exchange for three draft picks (2027 third round, 2027 fourth round, and 2028 fifth round).
It’s quite the underwhelming haul for two players who have been cornerstones for Indy throughout the decade, especially since both remain difference-makers. Tanking is also an unappealing route for a team that does not have its upcoming first-round pick.
However, the strategy is understandable. The Colts are going nowhere fast, and they need to recoup draft capital after getting fleeced by New York in the Sauce Gardner trade, which cost them two first-rounders and their 2024 second-round pick, Adonai Mitchell.
As a result, the Jets are poised to benefit from Indianapolis’ implosion.
The Colts suddenly have a case to be the NFL’s worst team heading into Week 8. They have already been struggling—they rank 26th in both DVOA and SRS, two one-number metrics designed to rate the strength of NFL teams—and now, they have lost their best player on both sides of the ball.
Nelson turned 30 in March, but he is as dominant as ever in his ninth season; Pro Football Focus has him as the league’s top-rated left guard through Week 7, with an 85.7 overall grade. That also made him the highest-rated player on the Colts’ roster.
Buckner, 32, remains one of the league’s best two-way forces on the interior. He is tied for second among defensive tackles in sacks (4.0) and ranks 15th in total pressures (20). Buckner complements his pass rushing with high-level activity against the run, as he ranks eighth at the position with 16 solo tackles against the run.
So, take the league’s 26th-best team, then subtract its best offensive lineman and its best defensive lineman, both of whom double as team captains.
That… isn’t promising.
Anything can happen in the NFL; games are not won and lost on paper. But if we were to play out the season on paper, this decrepit Indianapolis roster would likely be overmatched in each of the next 10 games.
The road ahead certainly isn’t brimming with roses and sunshine for Indy. As it pertains to the first overall pick, though, the problem is that they have already won two games, which complicates matters.
Over the last 10 drafts, the teams that earned the first overall pick averaged 2.1 wins per season. Indy is already there, so they may have to lose out to have a shot at the first choice.
However, in four of the last five drafts, the first overall pick went to a 3-14 team. If that happens again, it would afford the Colts one win, but there is a lot of competition. Four teams still have fewer than two wins.
For the Colts to have a shot at handing the first overall pick over to the Jets, they will probably have to win no more than one game the rest of the way. Even that might be too much; losing out is the most plausible path. That certainly isn’t likely, but given the Colts’ level of play this season and the substantial self-inflicted hit they just laid on their roster, it is not out of the question.
Regardless of whether the Colts ascend all the way to the first pick, it seems all but guaranteed that they will be handing New York a top-10 selection, with likely top-5 potential. After already sending over Adonai Mitchell and what became the 16th overall choice in 2026 (Kenyon Sadiq), that would complete one of the most lopsided trades in NFL history, as Sauce Gardner continues searching for his fourth career interception and fourth win as a Colt.
So, will the Jets pick first overall in 2027? Probably not. But the Colts are doing everything they can to keep the hope alive.
Not to mention, with the Jets having two other first-round picks, both of which currently sit in the top 12, they will have all the ammunition they need to build a worthy package for the No. 1 pick if they are so inclined to make an offer.
It remains to be seen whether there will be a quarterback prospect who entices the Jets enough to even consider moving up to No. 1, anyway. Nevertheless, the Jets’ 2027 outlook keeps getting brighter, even as their 2026 season keeps getting bleaker.
