The New York Jets were the biggest players of the 2025 NFL trade deadline. They shocked the football world, then dealt another blow, thrusting fans through the stages of grief and opening the door to long-term optimism.
Cornerback Sauce Gardner was traded to the Indianapolis Colts for two first-round picks and Adonai Mitchell. Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams will get a fresh start with the Dallas Cowboys, adding Mazi Smith, a 2026 second and a 2027 first-round pick to New York's arsenal.
This is a teardown of epic proportions. It resets the timeline and gives fans insight into the front office's priorities. April has come early, and these next two drafts will define the next half-decade of football in East Rutherford.
The Jets have made their bed. It's time to sleep in it.
MORE: NFL trade deadline winners and losers 2025
New York Jets two-round mock draft
Round 1, Pick 3: Fernando Mendoza, Quarterback, Indiana
Until New York trades out of this selection, it will be expected to take a quarterback. It might take another trade to get up to 1.01, but the Jets will almost certainly add a passer in April.
Mendoza entered the year with first-round hype and has propelled himself to new heights at Indiana. He has been aggressive without being reckless, stretching the field with dazzling efficiency and keeping the ball out of harm's way. He has the arm talent to become a franchise quarterback and is using his athleticism enough to extend plays.
There will be debates about Mendoza's upside and whether he can cross the line from good to great. Still, he has redefined the conversation about his stock and will get the chance to lead a franchise into the future.
These deals don't matter unless New York hits on a quarterback. Mendoza has done everything in his power to earn that opportunity.
MORE: Explaining why the Jets didn't trade Breece Hall
Round 1, Pick 32 (via IND): Denzel Boston, Wide Receiver, Washington
It's not a coincidence that the Jets added Mitchell and John Metchie III in recent weeks. The receivers behind Garrett Wilson are among the worst starters in the sport, and a proper complement is necessary.
Adding a quality receiver opposite Wilson would amplify the star and insulate the offense so that Allen Lazard-level players don't crack the starting lineup. Boston has the physicality to win above the rim downfield and strong separation skills underneath. He beats press well, and while he isn't an elite athlete, he checks enough boxes to earn early investment.
Boston would be a Day 1 starter in this offense. Calls for a proper supporting cast will be immediate upon Mendoza's arrival, further emphasizing the roster's depravity on the perimeter.
Round 2, Pick 35: Chase Bisontis, Guard, Texas A&M
The biggest bright spot on this offense lives up front, where the additions of Armand Membou and Josh Myers have elevated the unit. Even after Alijah Vera-Tucker's injury, this unit has thrived (even if Justin Fields tends to mitigate its impact).
However, Vera-Tucker is a pending free agent. So are Myers and veteran guard John Simpson. New York may have to cut costs by letting some linemen loose, creating a need for another guard.
Bisontis is excellent in pass protection, headlining his case for the top guard in the class. Next season's offense will likely run through its ground game, but keeping a prospective quarterback upright is paramount.
MORE: Why Jets' pair of deadline blockbuster trades are great for New York's future
Round 2, Pick 46 (via DAL): Julian Neal, Cornerback, Arkansas
Neal, defined by his run defense and ball production, is everything Gardner isn't. Gardner garnered a massive haul because of his shutdown skills, but this pick is a stylistic change that could help fill those shoes.
Brandon Stephens and Azareye'h Thomas are New York's boundary corners for the foreseeable future; neither is locked into a starting role next season. Neal is an option that would add potency to a defense that has yet to intercept a pass in 2025.
More Jets news:
- Grading the Sauce Gardner trade to Colts
- Why the Jets traded Quinnen Williams to Cowboys
- Ranking every 2025 NFL trade deadline deal
- Jets' final trade revealed an hour after 2025 NFL deadline passed