The 2026 NFL Draft is less than two weeks away, which means the New York Jets and general manager Darren Mougey are in the midst of preparing for the highly anticipated event.

After trading away cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams during the 2025 NFL Trade Deadline, the Jets now possess a total of nine picks in this year's draft, including four picks within the top-50. The organization's ample number of picks in the upcoming draft will help rebuild the defense, along with a few key pieces on the offensive side of the ball.

One of the main positions under question heading into next season is the quarterback position. Earlier this offseason, New York made the bold decision to trade for the team's former 2013 second-round pick, Geno Smith, despite his rough one-year stint with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2025. Still, the move for Smith this offseason should not prevent the struggling franchise from taking a quarterback in this year's draft, which raises the question of whether or not the Jets try to pursue Alabama's Ty Simpson.

As one of the top-ranked quarterbacks in the 2026 draft class, Simpson has quickly become one of the most polarizing figures in this cycle.

In his lone year as the Crimson Tide's starting quarterback, the 23-year-old threw for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns, while also completing 64.5 percent of his attempts in 2025. Simpson had a strong start to the season, but began to falter in the second half of the year, causing his stock to slip ahead of the draft.

As of now, there is only one quarterback projected to be taken in round one of the 2026 NFL Draft: Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza. The consensus mock drafts have Simpson being selected in round two by either the Jets or the Arizona Cardinals, which likely means that the organization will not have to spend pick No. 2 or 16 on the young quarterback.

If I had to guess as to whether the Jets wind up selecting Simpson in this year's draft, I do not believe that the struggling franchise will target the former Alabama standout.

The Cardinals, despite only possessing one first-round pick in the upcoming draft, hold the No. 34 pick in round two. But Arizona's moves, or shall I say lack of moves, this offseason in the quarterback room, clearly indicate that they are a prime destination for Simspons. Newly-hired head coach Mike LeFleur could use a young playmaker who fits his scheme, whereas the Jets can afford to wait on a quarterback until the later rounds of the draft.

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