NY Jets select high-profile Aaron Rodgers successor in recent ESPN mock draft

As unclear as the NY Jets quarterback picture is for 2025, their long-term picture is even blurrier. Right now, it's an empty frame.

While new general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn (and hopefully not Brick or Woody) mull over their options at QB this season, they have to keep a keen eye on what that position will look like over the next three to five years. They both certainly hope to last that long, and Aaron Rodgers does not have that many years left.

So if it is Rodgers that they decide to proceed with, the next puzzle to solve is what's next after that. According to ESPN's Matt Miller's latest mock draft, the next man-up might surprise you.

With the 42nd overall pick — the 10th pick of the second round — Miller projects Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers to be drafted by the Jets. Given the scarcity of quarterbacks in both the draft and free agency this year, it might make more sense than you think.

Quinn Ewers to the Jets isn't a crazy idea

I'm not here to say this is the direction the Jets should go in. I'm not here to endorse Quinn Ewers as an NFL prospect either. I'm not qualified to make that call. And thankfully, with professional football folks at the helm now, the owner who is emphatically not qualified is also not making that call.

If the Jets move on from Rodgers, they will likely end up relying on a bridge option for the year. That could be Tyrod Taylor, it could be Justin Fields, or it could be a number of other options. If not, maybe they make a play at a higher-end long-term QB option in the first round.

But if they decide to retain Rodgers, adding some future security behind him wouldn’t be a bad move. Even if he has another season left, it’s hard to imagine he has much more than that. So why not give a talented young quarterback the chance to learn from one of the all-time greats for a year?

Despite his past reputation for being standoffish and cold, Rodgers has recently shown more openness to mentorship, as seen in his relationships with Jordan Love and Zach Wilson. With retirement looming, I’d bet he’d gladly take a young Padawan under his wing in his final season.

Ewers spent three seasons as Texas' starting quarterback after transferring from Ohio State. During his time in Austin, he was a Heisman finalist, led the Longhorns to multiple conference titles, and earned MVP honors in the 2023 Big 12 Championship Game while setting the record for most passing yards in a Big 12 title game.

Ewers was an excellent college quarterback, offering a dual-threat ability with both his arm and legs. While he’s not Lamar Jackson, he definitely fits the mold of a modern NFL quarterback.

Most importantly, Ewers has proven he can perform at the highest level of college football in big moments. While he never delivered a national championship to the Burnt Orange, he led them to the College Football Playoff twice — no small feat.

This wouldn’t be a pick the Jets make with complete confidence that Ewers is their future — that’s not typically what a second-round quarterback represents. He’s a C+ to B-level prospect with a good head on his shoulders, a track record of success, and the value of a cheap second-round price tag.

Not to mention, if drafted by the Jets, he may have the most overqualified teacher there's ever been.

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