For a majority of the pre-draft process, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has been the runaway favorite to be the top overall pick in April.

It leaves New York Jets fans frustrated. After a dismal 2025 campaign that saw them finish dead last in all passing statistics, their standing wasn’t quite bad enough to land the top overall pick and a chance at drafting the Heisman winner.

But is Mendoza really the true, clear-cut top quarterback of this class?

As the draft process nears the end of March, that question is being challenged by top analysts around the league.

Some think Alabama’s Ty Simpson has shown more than anyone realizes.

Top analysts shift QB views

Over the last few weeks, several prominent NFL draft analysts, like Greg Cosell and Bucky Brooks, have openly stated their doubts regarding Mendoza’s abilities as the top quarterback of a draft class.

They aren’t the only ones.

Appearing on ESPN’s “Get Up” on Monday morning, former NFL quarterback and current league analyst Dan Orlovsky openly stated that it isn’t Mendoza who is the top signal-caller this year.

“I think Ty Simpson is QB one,” Orlovsky said on ESPN on Monday. “I think Ty Simpson is the best quarterback in this class. I think when you look at the body of work and what was asked of these two quarterbacks [Simpson and Fernando Mendoza], you have to start with the question, who needed to do more to carry their football team to play well? Ty Simpson. And it’s not close between those two quarterbacks who took more games over throughout the course of the season. Ty Simpson, it’s not even close.”

Across 15 games in his first year as a college starter, Simpson completed 64.5% of his passes for 3,567 yards (7.5 per attempt), 28 touchdowns, and five interceptions. While his Crimson Tide roster was blown out by Mendoza’s Hoosiers during the College Football Playoff, much of the film on the one-year starter showed a player with excellent pocket awareness who was let down by drops and poor blocking by his teammates.

Some NFL scouts have told Jets X-Factor that they believe Simpson is a clear lock to go in the first round in April.

Is that enough to make more teams around the league jump on the bandwagon of people who believe the Alabama starter should be worthy of a higher status than Mendoza.

Probably not, but perhaps it could entice the Jets to target Simpson.

Jets draft breakdown

No matter the growing consensus that Simpson is a better player than many fans and analysts are giving him credit for, it appears to be a lock that the Las Vegas Raiders will take Mendoza with the top overall pick.

His play in the clutch, as well as being a very accurate thrower, is enough for the Silver and Black to make the call.

What happens with Simpson and the Jets, though, remains in question.

New York has two first-round picks in 2026, the second overall and the 16th overall, to potentially use on a quarterback. The Jets traded for Geno Smith this offseason to be their penciled-in starting quarterback, but are expected to select a quarterback at some point in April to be their signal caller of the future.

There are many reasons why the Jets should be interested in Simpson should he be available with the 16th pick. Despite only playing a single season as the starter, Simpson showed the kind of pocket mobility and arm talent that would make him a commodity for quarterback-needy teams.

Most quarterbacks selected in the first round, though, have multiple years of starting experience. The fact that Simpson is walking into the NFL with only 15 starts means that he will probably need to sit for some time with whoever drafts him.

As is always the case, though, the Jets’ decision should be simple.

If they fall in love with Simpson’s intangibles, they should do everything in their power to draft him. If they are even a little unsure, the team is better served moving forward with an eye toward 2027.

It shouldn’t be taken lightly, though, that there are many NFL scouts and analysts who are a lot higher on Simpson than the consensus.