The New York Jets cannot lose when it comes to the 2026 NFL draft, and the National Championship provides the clearest example of that.

Indiana’s thrilling 27-21 win over Miami for the school’s first national title capped off one of the most improbable seasons in sports history. The worst team in college football turned into the best almost overnight.

Outside the obvious takeaways of the Hoosiers completing one of the greatest seasons in college football history, plenty of college football’s top prospects played in their final game before heading to the NFL draft.

The good news for the Jets is that the 2026 class is a very talented group.

Even better news, the organization is going to come away with a transcendent player with the second overall pick — whether it’s a quarterback or not.

A franchise quarterback

After a 3-14 season, the Jets are solely in the business of drafting top prospects who can come in and make a positive impact. It doesn’t matter if that ends up being a quarterback, edge rusher, or off-ball linebacker.

The Jets need players.

If there’s any solace from Monday’s National Championship Game, though, the Jets are going to get exactly that no matter what happens.

In Indiana’s win, quarterback Fernando Mendoza continued to show why he is walking into April’s draft as the best signal-caller. He completed 16 of 27 passes for 186 yards. Mendoza also added key plays in the running game to move the Hoosiers’ offense.

Those numbers may not seem like anything to write home about, especially from a Heisman Trophy winner, but when the plays needed to be made to win the game, Mendoza made them. His 12-yard touchdown run, in which he dove into the end zone, showed a quarterback with the indescribable “it” factor — the kind of moxy that can change a franchise.

The only significant downside is that the Las Vegas Raiders will likely snag him with the No. 1 overall pick. That would leave the Jets without a sure-fire quarterback at No. 1.

However, as Monday’s game showed, that isn’t the worst thing either.

Jets’ best player available

As good as Mendoza is, he isn’t close to the perfect quarterback prospect. His inability to handle pressure effectively has plagued him throughout his college career.

That doesn’t mean he’s going to be a bust; it’s just the reason why people won’t throw the word “transcendent” around his name.

If the Raiders still end up picking him first, though, the Jets will be just fine. Why? Because the top players in this class aren’t at quarterback; they instead play defense.

Miami’s edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. was the best player on the field Monday. Bain recorded 2.5 sacks in the loss, but completely dominated what was an excellent Indiana offensive line all year.

It’s been that way all year for Bain, too. Close to 10 sacks on a defense that dominated top SEC competition through the college football playoff, there’s an argument to be made that Bain is the best non-quarterback in the class.

Remember, Bain plays a premium position that the Jets are most certainly seeking.

There are other great non-signal-callers in this class. Ohio State’s Arvell Reese is the kind of linebacker who can play off-ball or rush the passer at an elite rate. Texas Tech’s David Bailey is another stud defender to watch.

The reality is clear for the New York Jets this draft cycle. They will either come away with a franchise quarterback or the best non-signal-caller in the draft at a high position of value.

They really can’t lose. The National Title game only confirmed that.