The New York Jets are in dire need of a quarterback.
A rotation of Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor, and Brady Cook has not led to sustained success in 2025, to little surprise. Armed with five first-round picks over the next two years, it's obvious the Jets will use at least one of those picks on a quarterback.
But what if they fall in love with a specific trigger man in the pre-draft process, and find themselves too far back in the first round to land their guy?
ESPN mock draft has the Jets trading up to No. 1 for Fernando Mendoza
In ESPN analyst Field Yates' latest mock draft, he has the Jets falling head over heels for Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, and swinging a massive trade with the New York Giants to move up to No. 1 overall.
"In this mock draft trade, the Jets would send both of their first-round picks (Nos. 7 and 18) and a Day 2 pick to the Giants for the top selection," wrote Yates.
"The Jets are currently 27th in QBR (40.5), needing a long-term answer for coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey to cement themselves within the organization."
"Mendoza has had a remarkable season at Indiana, showing off excellent accuracy and a powerful right arm to pair with much improved pocket awareness and sack avoidance after two seasons at Cal."
While the cost of moving up to No. 1 is nothing to sneeze at, having a franchise quarterback is priceless, and Mendoza has the potential to be one.
The Jets have several holes across their roster, but quarterback is arguably the biggest one.
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