The NY Jets should pass on taking a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft

The NY Jets will have a new starting quarterback in 2025. The team has already made the decision to move on from Aaron Rodgers after two disappointing seasons with the organization.

Given that the only two other quarterbacks currently under contract with the Jets are veteran journeyman Tyrod Taylor and 2024 fifth-round pick Jordan Travis, it's safe to say the team will add to their QB room this offseason.

One logical route could be the 2025 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, with the No. 7 overall pick in this year's draft, the Jets might not be in a position to land either of the top two QBs — Miami's Cam Ward and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders — without moving up.

That's not a route the Jets should seriously explore. In fact, the Jets would be wise to pass on drafting a quarterback altogether in the 2025 draft.

Why the NY Jets should not draft a quarterback

This year's draft class is considered to be one of the weaker quarterback classes we've seen in recent years. Most draft experts agree that Ward and Sanders would not be top-five (or even top-10) picks in most draft classes.

Ward at least has the upside to warrant a high selection. The Miami star is an excellent athlete with ample arm talent to potentially become a star quarterback at the NFL level. He remains a major work in progress, but the upside is there.

The same can't be said about Sanders. The Colorado product might be the most pro-ready quarterback in this class, but his lack of standout traits makes him a tough evaluation. Right now, he projects more as a Teddy Bridgewater-type prospect with concerns about his ability to operate within a pocket.

Barring a Jared Goff or Joe Burrow-like development leap at some point, Sanders will likely never be a top-10 quarterback in the NFL. He just doesn't have the athleticism or arm talent required for such a distinction.

Even if Sanders is available at pick No. 7, the Jets would probably be better off going in a different direction. You don't want to be drafting a quarterback without elite traits this high, and in most classes, Sanders wouldn't even be in consideration for a top-five pick.

The rest of this year's draft class similarly lacks that upside. Alabama's Jalen Milroe might be one of the only QBs this year who has the raw potential to be a top quarterback in the NFL, but he remains a massive developmental project. There's a much better chance that he never develops into a viable NFL QB.

Then there's Jaxson Dart of Ole Miss, one of the fastest-rising quarterback prospects in this year's draft. Although he shows intriguing traits, Dart projects best as a game manager at the next level, and that's only if he can overcome the limitations imposed by the limited Ole Miss offense he played in.

The remainder of the 2025 quarterback class primarily consists of players who project to be future NFL backups such as Syracuse's Kyle McCord and Ohio State's Will Howard. After all, Day 2 and 3 quarterback prospects are considered dart throws for a reason.

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Of the 82 quarterbacks drafted after Day 1 between 2010 and 2023, only five could reasonably be considered hits: Russell Wilson (75th overall, 2012), Kirk Cousins (102nd overall, 2012), Derek Carr (36th overall, 2014), Dak Prescott (135th overall, 2016), and Jalen Hurts (53rd overall, 2020).

The vast majority of Day 2 and 3 quarterbacks don't even make it as backups in the NFL. For every Dak Prescott, there are at least five James Morgans.

Unless the Jets find themselves in the extremely unlikely scenario where Ward falls to them at No. 7 overall, the team would be better off saving their draft capital to use on other positions with a much higher hit rate.

The Jets could turn to the 2026 NFL Draft — which is expected to be a better QB class — in search of their long-term quarterback solution. 2025 will be a reset year for the franchise under a new regime.

The Jets aren't finding their franchise quarterback in this year's draft. Let's not throw away any more draft picks.

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