Jermaine Johnson helped convince NY Jets to draft Jordan Travis

The NY Jets have high hopes for former Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis, who the team selected in the fifth round of this year's NFL Draft.

The Jets made their interest in Travis clear in the lead-up to the 2024 NFL Draft, bringing the reigning ACC Player of the Year in for a top-30 visit. As it turns out, they may have been influenced by a certain former Florida State alumnus.

Jets defensive end Jermaine Johnson did his best to persuade his team to draft his former teammate at FSU, even going as far as to text head coach Robert Saleh in an effort to convince him.

Johnson shared a text message exchange with Saleh from April 19 to his Instagram on Monday. The text included a message from Johnson that read "We need Jordan Travis."

Less than two weeks later, the Jets followed through on Johnson's request, drafting his former teammate in the fifth round. Now, the two former Seminoles teammates are reunited in Florham Park.

Jordan Travis is the NY Jets' new quarterback project

Johnson and Travis crossed paths during the 2021 season after the former transferred from Georgia. That was the year that Travis really began to make an impact as a starter for Florida State.

Two years later, Travis was leading his Florida State team to an undefeated record as a likely Heisman finalist before a serious leg injury prematurely ended his college career. That same injury could sideline Travis for part of the 2024 season.

Nonetheless, the Jets have high expectations for Travis, who will begin the year as the team's No. 3 quarterback behind Aaron Rodgers and Tyrod Taylor. That's a pretty impressive veteran duo to learn from.

The Jets hope that Travis can continue his development as their third-string quarterback with the possibility that he could even become Rodgers' replacement in a couple of years.

That might be a stretch for the 2024 Day 3 pick, but at the very least, the hope is that he can develop into a cheap and affordable backup. There are reasons to believe Travis could make some noise at the NFL level.

What he lacks in size and overall arm talent he makes up for with athleticism, creation ability, and a high football IQ. Scouts have raved about Travis's mental makeup and leadership abilities, and it helps his case that he's continued to improve in each year of his football career.

If Joe Douglas squints really hard, he might be able to see shades of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, albeit a smaller version of the former Oklahoma standout.

The Jets believe their new developmental quarterback has a chance to put together a really good NFL career, and they can thank his former college teammate for helping solidify their decision.