Quarterback Dante Moore’s decision to return to Oregon for the 2026 season has caused a major shake-up in the New York Jets’ NFL draft outlook.
Whether or not the Jets planned to draft Moore with the second overall pick, New York’s plans have likely been altered by Moore’s decision. The Jets had multiple intriguing options that would have involved the Oregon signal-caller.
If the Jets fell in love with Moore’s game, they could have chosen him second overall as their hopeful franchise quarterback. This was the consensus expectation.
However, even if the Jets did not like Moore enough to draft him second overall, his presence on the board could have yielded a multitude of enticing trade offers for New York to consider. Teams like the Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns could have been enticed to one-up each other in pursuit of Moore’s services.
Now, though, both options are off the table for New York.
As a result, it’s time map out a new draft-weekend plan for the Jets.
Moore’s decision is far from the end of the world for New York. In fact, even before his decision, it was already enticing for the Jets to punt on drafting a quarterback in the first round. That possibility becomes all the more interesting with one less first-round-worthy quarterback in the class.
Here is our three-round Jets mock draft, one day after Moore’s pivotal decision.
Round 1, Pick 2
Assuming Fernando Mendoza goes first overall to Las Vegas, the Jets have the luxury of selecting the first non-quarterback of the draft.
The most appealing choice at the moment, based upon both his fit in an Aaron Glenn-style defense and his overall talent, is arguably Miami defensive end Rueben Bain.
At 6-foot-3 and 270 pounds, Bain has the type of sturdy body that Glenn values on the edge in his base 4-3 look. Bain is a dominant run defender, and to boot, he boasts elite upside as a pass rusher, displaying unique explosiveness, bend, and smoothness for his size.
In 15 games for the Hurricanes this season, the true junior has racked up 80 total pressures, the second-most among FBS edge defenders, while his 87.1 run defense grade (via Pro Football Focus) ranks third-best among qualified Power Four edge defenders. That’s the type of two-way dominance that warrants the second overall pick.
The only major concern with Bain is his short arms, but recent highly-drafted edge rushers like Aidan Hutchinson and Micah Parsons have proven that it is possible to be a star edge rusher with short arms if you’re talented enough, and Bain fits the bill. He’d instantly inject electricity into a Jets defense that has no star power to speak of.
The pick: Rueben Bain, EDGE, Miami (FL)
Round 1, Pick 16
After landing a star playmaker on defense, the Jets turn their attention to finding one on offense. By punting on the quarterback position in this year’s first round, they have an opportunity to strengthen their offensive supporting cast as much as possible before adding a franchise signal-caller in the future.
In desperate need of a threatening weapon opposite Garrett Wilson, the Jets go with USC wide receiver Makai Lemon.
In 12 games for the Trojans this season, Lemon caught 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns, adding two rushing touchdowns. He earned the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s top receiver.
Lemon is undersized at 5-foot-11, but the 195-pounder plays taller than his height, as evidenced by his 10-of-15 performance on contested targets in 2025. He is also incredible after the catch, forcing 21 missed tackles.
Toss in Lemon’s polished route-running, and he is the type of player who would allow Garrett Wilson to finally have someone who can draw coverage to the other side of the field.
The pick: Makai Lemon, WR, USC
Round 2, Pick 33
The Jets’ wide receiver unit was a downright embarrassment in 2025. It says a lot that Garrett Wilson led the team in receiving yards despite playing only five full games.
For that reason, the Lemon selection is not enough to take the wide receiver position off New York’s radar as the second round approaches.
With Indiana star Elijah Sarratt still on the board, the Jets double-dip at wide receiver, maximizing their chances of building a supreme offensive supporting cast for their eventual franchise quarterback.
Sarratt offers a larger frame at 6-foot-2 and 213 pounds. He has been a model of efficiency in Indiana’s offense this season, catching an absurd 62 of his 81 targets (76.5%) for 802 yards and 15 touchdowns. The Hoosiers have generated a 136.4 passer rating when targeting him.
The biggest strength offered by Sarratt is his reliability as a big-bodied target in the short passing game. In 2025, he’s caught seven touchdowns on short passes (0-9 air yards), three more than any other receiver in the nation. Sarratt’s 141.3 passer rating when targeted on short passes is the best mark among Power Four receivers.
Even if just one of Lemon and Sarratt pans out, the Jets will be set at wide receiver for the long haul. Double-dipping with two wideouts in the top 33 picks will give the Jets a very good chance of at least landing one stud to pair with the star they already have.
The pick: Elijah Sarratt, WR, Indiana
Trade with Houston Texans
The Jets have the 44th overall pick via the Dallas Cowboys, but after that, they are not slated to pick again until the 103rd overall pick, coming early in the fourth round. This is due to the loss of their third-round pick, which was sent to the Las Vegas Raiders in the Davante Adams trade.
Looking to bridge the gap between their next two picks, the Jets execute a trade-down move with the Houston Texans to get back into the third round.
New York sends Nos. 44 and 103 to Houston in exchange for Nos. 59 (second round) and 69 (third round). This is a nearly even deal on the classic trade value chart, with the Jets receiving 555 points and the Texans receiving 548 points.
Round 2, Pick 59
Turning their focus back to the defense, the Jets target a defensive back after landing a blue-chip edge rusher in the first round.
New York selects USC safety Kamari Ramsey, a redshirt junior with three years of starting experience in the Trojans’ defense. Ramsey has concerns as a tackler and against the run, but he is a gifted coverage defender who can man-match against tight ends and line up in the slot.
The pick: Kamari Ramsey, S, USC
Round 3, Pick 69
While the Jets may pivot from drafting a quarterback in the first round, it does not mean they should take the position off the table entirely.
Throwing darts at quarterbacks after the first round is a worthwhile endeavor. Quite a few of the league’s projected Week 1 starters in 2017 will be former non-first-round picks, including Jalen Hurts (second round), Tyler Shough (second round), Dak Prescott (fourth round), and Brock Purdy (seventh round).
After jumping back into the third round via their trade-down with Houston, the Jets roll the dice on LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier.
Nussmeier is coming off a disappointing season at LSU, but in the third round, his ceiling is worth the cost. As recently as Oct. 3, Nussmeier was the third-ranked overall prospect on the consensus big board at NFL Mock Draft Database.
His stock plummeted after a poor mid-season stretch, which culminated in his benching late in the year. Nussmeier had also spent the entire season playing through an abdominal injury that he suffered in August, which he re-aggravated in a November practice. That contributed to his benching, although Nussmeier had already been taken out of LSU’s previous game before the re-aggravation.
In the 2024 season, his first as a starter after three years on the Tigers’ bench, Nussmeier caught the eyes of scouts with his incredible arm talent. Nussmeier hurled a whopping total of 25 “big-time throws” (per PFF) on deep passes (20+ air yards), tying him with future Giants first-round pick Jaxson Dart for the fourth-most among Power Four quarterbacks. Two spots ahead of them was future first-overall pick Cam Ward.
With a penchant for “wow” throws, Nussmeier’s ceiling as a passer is evident. In 2025, though, significant questions arose about Nussmeier’s ability to handle pressure (his 19% pressure-to-sack rate placed 49th out of 71 qualified Power Four quarterbacks) and his durability with a small frame (he is listed at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds).
Nussmeier doesn’t have a high chance of working out in the NFL, but if he hits, he could hit big. That makes him an ideal third-round target for a team like the Jets that should still make a dart-throw at quarterback even if they do not go all-in.
The pick: Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU
Three-round Jets mock draft
Round 1, Pick 2: Rueben Bain, EDGE, Miami (FL)
Round 1, Pick 16: Makai Lemon, WR, USC
Round 2, Pick 33: Elijah Sarratt, WR, Indiana
Round 2, Pick 59: Kamari Ramsey, S, USC
Round 3, Pick 69: Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU