Sometimes you have to risk it to get the biscuit.
ESPN’s Matt Miller predicted that the New York Jets would do exactly that in his latest mock draft. With the 44th overall pick in the second round, he projected that Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson would fall into the laps of the green and white.
“Simpson doesn’t have a Round 1 grade on my board, and I couldn’t find a single team that would give him one during conversations at the Senior Bowl. But with four picks in the first two rounds, the Jets can afford to roll the dice on him as a second-rounder with starter upside. Simpson’s lack of size and arm strength could ultimately push him down the board, but his poise and processing skills are NFL-level,” Miller wrote.
The only two quarterbacks that appeared in Miller’s two-round mock draft were Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, who went No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders and Simpson to the Jets in round two.
Some Serious Simpson NFL Draft Buzz
Simpson, 23, is considered the second-best quarterback available in the 2026 NFL draft.
There has been a wide range of opinions on where he could go in April. However, the latest draft buzz has the arrow pointing up coming out of the Senior Bowl
“I expect teams to be much higher on Ty Simpson in this process than they were on Jaxson Dart last year. The other conversation you run into is I don’t know if Ty Simpson makes it to [pick] 16 [overall] by the time April rolls around. I would not be surprised if you see him go to one of these teams in the backend of the top-10. Maybe even as high as the [Cleveland] Browns [with the 6th overall pick],” NFL draft analyst Drew Beatty told me on “Boy Green Daily” on Monday, February 2.
Beatty told me something he found out down at the Senior Bowl was that Simpson was dealing with some “pretty significant injuries” down the stretch of the season.
“Which explains some of the random drop off in tape. So I think that is some important context. He had some pretty nasty injuries that he was playing through … I would feel very comfortable taking him [at pick 16]. I think he is the best processor in this class. The arm is fine by NFL standards. He is a great athlete. The pocket is impressive. I just think the mental tools are plenty to bet on him being a first-round guy in this class. If a team took him top 10, I’m not sure I could really hate it that much,” Beatty explained to me on the podcast.
The Rest of the Miller 2-Round Jets Mock Draft Results
With the 2nd pick in the draft, Miller had the Jets selecting Ohio State defender Arvell Reese.
“After ranking 31st in sacks this season (26), New York needs a primary pass rusher who will scare offenses. Even though the previous regime spent first-round picks on Jermaine Johnson (2022) and Will McDonald IV (2023), the Jets need a better outside pass rush,” Miller wrote.
“Reese split time at linebacker and edge rusher. He is built in the Micah Parsons/Abdul Carter mold, with elite speed and powerful hands off the edge and high potential once he settles in as a full-time edge rusher,” Miller added.
With the No. 16 overall pick, Miller predicted the Jets would add USC wide receiver Makai Lemon. Then, with the 33rd pick, he predicted the Jets would go back to the defensive side of the ball with Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald.
Jets Predicted to ‘Roll the Dice’ on 23-Year-Old QB