Jets' top draft target at No. 2 overall has become painfully obvious

2025 was a disaster for the New York Jets, full stop. Not much success was expected, yet somehow we got less than we even imagined. And first-year head coach Aaron Glenn, now that the season is mercifully in the rearview, has taken full responsibility for the calamity.

Sunday against the Bills, in a 35-8 throttling, plenty of weaknesses were on full display. But none surpassed the dark reality that is the state of the Jets' passing game. All 53 net passing yards they completed told a better story than my words ever could. It was hideous.

However, the aforementioned Glenn, along with general manager Darren Mougey, has every chance to turn that tide around with the favorable draft position they've been given. A Sunday filled with madness concluded with the Jets sitting at No. 2 behind the Las Vegas Raiders.

Everything is pointing in exactly one strikingly obvious direction. It couldn't be clearer. The Jets need a hero under center. And there might be one available.

Is it a bird? No. Is it a plane? No.

It's... well, it is a bird actually. It's a duck.

The Jets future is playing for a championship berth on friday night

It didn't matter what Tanner Engstrand did. Whether it was Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor, or Brady Cook, the Jets could not move the ball through the air. We knew this was likely going to be the case before the season, but I don't think anyone could have predicted just how bad it would get.

The Jets finished 30th in Pro Football Focus' (PFF) passing grade, with a putrid 51.1, ahead of only Minnesota and Cleveland. Justin Fields, who started the majority of games at quarterback, quite literally couldn't have been worse.

Fields never knew when to get rid of the ball. He didn't know when to hold onto the ball. He didn't know when someone was open, when to throw it away, or when to run. He was seemingly lost — a deer in headlights.

His 6.2 yards per attempt, 2.8% big-time throw rate, and 7.2 average depth of target were all career lows, in a career with plenty of lows already. Even his PFF rushing grade went way down.

He's registered grades as high as 91.5, and before this season, no lower than 72.3. But in 2025, with a 65.8 rushing grade, it became inarguable that Fields is no longer comfortable on a football field.

Cook and Taylor, unsurprisingly, failed to do much better. While Cook flashed some fun moments, he was a bad QB overall. The man who is going to throw the Jets back to glory is not within the Florham Park walls yet.

Luckily, according to several mock drafts and other media chatter, that man may be on the horizon.

Suck for the Duck!

Dante Moore, a unique pro prospect who shocked the football world with a breakout season in his first full year at Oregon, should be available on a silver platter for Mougey and Glenn. The reason is that only the Raiders stand in front of them, and it appears Las Vegas has all but decided the Heisman winner is their guy.

So, assuming Fernando Mendoza does get selected with the first overall pick, the presumptive No. 2 quarterback off the board will be available for the taking. And the team that will be on the clock (assuming the Jets don't trade the pick) is in desperate need of a great young signal-caller.

While there is a logical school of thought that says the Jets are better off waiting for a higher quality class next year, Moore's raw ability will be hard to pass up. He has solid size at 6-foot-3, a unique knack for buying himself time in the pocket, and an excellent ability to throw dimes on the run.

He's got downfield touch, a strong arm, and a mind for reading defenses and going through progressions. He's ready for a pro-style offense. Unlike many incoming rookie QBs, he didn't spend all his time with a beautifully written script.

No, he had to write one all his own. No one is handing him the answers to the test. He is coming up with them himself.

Who knows when the Jets will have the second overall pick again? Granted, they seem to live in this territory every year. But Giants fans will tell you, even the worst seasons don't always result in great draft position. You have to capitalize when you are there.

As we look forward to 2026, it's time to accept reality. Close your eyes, imagine the CBS theme song at 1:05 PM EST blaring on your TV, with Ian Eagle's voice painting the backdrop, and Dante Moore running onto the field in green and white.

While I believe in Moore, you might not. That isn't the point here, though. The point is, good or bad, for better or worse, this seems like a marriage that's likely to begin come April — until death do us part? Ok, not quite. But you get the point.

If it wasn't already clear that QB is the obvious move in the draft, Sunday's loss to Buffalo ensured its clarity without a shadow of a doubt. And the Raiders securing the first overall pick made the Jets' best option abundantly evident. The Jets have found their guy.

It's only a matter of time now.