Jets’ QB of the future is quietly becoming glaringly obvious

The New York Jets have spent years, even decades, in quarterback purgatory. They’ve cycled through seemingly endless signal callers, unable to find one to carry the torch for the long haul. Whether it’s been failed draft picks or veteran disappointments, the Jets have had failure after failure under center.

While Justin Fields has certainly shown flashes of high-level play in his limited time in New York, there’s no guarantee he’ll hold the starting job in future seasons. If this team’s losing ways continue through the rest of 2025, it may be time to look back to the NFL Draft for a replacement.

Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza is emerging as a top candidate. The young quarterback has taken college football by storm this year, and he could end up doing the same for the Jets.

Jets might be able to fix their QB problems with Fernando Mendoza

Once again, the Jets are on pace to have an early selection in the upcoming draft. They’ve picked in the top ten as much as almost any team in recent years, but have consistently failed to dig themselves out of the hole.

Hopefully, next year will finally be different. Luckily for Jets fans, there are a few college quarterbacks expected to be early draft picks in 2026. If Fields isn’t able to secure a long-term spot atop the depth chart, Mendoza could be the answer.

Indiana’s quarterback has started his junior season as well as he could have hoped after transferring from Cal over the offseason. In five games, he’s racked up 16 passing touchdowns and over 1,200 passing yards. He has the Hoosiers off to a 5-0 start with key wins over multiple Big Ten opponents.

Mendoza carried his preseason hype through the first three games of the season, barreling through inferior out-of-conference teams. But the real tests began two weeks ago when Indiana faced top-ten-ranked Illinois.

He passed with flying colors, leading the Hoosiers to a 63-point outburst and putting himself on the map as a potential top-10 pick next April. He continued his form on Saturday with a tough win over Iowa. It’s still early in the season, but the young star is making a strong case to be the top quarterback drafted in 2026.

If the Jets have the chance to take him, they should strongly consider it. In addition to his arm talent, he’d be a strong fit in Tanner Engstrand’s offense. His game resembles Jared Goff’s in many ways, as he thrives in the pocket, making anticipatory throws at all levels of the field.

While the current dynamic of New York’s run-heavy offense is exciting, it’s limited by Fields’ inability to consistently conduct the unit. Mendoza, with time, could take this scheme to a new level.

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