An in-depth look at NY Jets rookie quarterback Jordan Travis

With the 171st pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the NY Jets select Jordan Travis, quarterback, Florida State University.

After drafting an offensive weapon in Braelon Allen who will have an immediate impact this season, the Jets turned their attention toward the future with hopes that they picked the franchise’s future play caller.

What can Jets fans expect from Jordan Travis? Let’s take a deeper look into his collegiate career, expert comparisons, and more.

Jordan Travis' measurables and achievements

After stepping into the starting role mid-season in 2020, Jordan Travis became the all-time total offense leader at FSU with 10,554 yards. He also holds records in rush yards for a quarterback (1,910), rush touchdowns for a quarterback (31), and total number of touchdowns (96).

Travis also shares the same number of passing touchdowns as Jameis Winston, who was able to achieve this feat in just two years. In the Seminoles' last home game of the year, Travis suffered a serious lower leg injury which ended his season.

It was a season in which the College Football playoffs was a real possibility and Travis had his sights set on the Heisman trophy as FSU was 12-0 before his injury. The Seminoles had wins against top college football programs such as LSU, Clemson, and Miami, but were left out of the playoffs due to Travis' injury.

All this illustrates just how important Jordan Travis was to FSU. In 2023, he threw for 20 touchdowns and added seven more on the ground. He accomplished this while only throwing two interceptions and had zero fumbles lost. These stats helped him earn ACC Player of the Year.

Jordan Travis' NFL Combine and prospect ratings

As a part of NFL.com’s draft coverage, they assign prospect grades to each player at the combine. Jordan Travis was assigned a grade of 5.89, translating to the talent level of an average backup.

He was unable to compete in the combine due to his injury, but any potential combine performances were unlikely to alter his draft stock. Being 24 years old and playing five years’ worth of college football, Travis has provided enough tape for evaluators to understand his skills and limitations.

Scouts note Travis’ mobility and ability to throw on the run as some of his strongest skills, which truly defines him as a dual-threat quarterback. As such, he has demonstrated pocket presence and knows when to leave it and create plays downfield. He also can speed up his release when necessary.

There are two major red flags for Travis: significant injury history and modest arm strength. Travis suffered a season-ending leg fracture and was in a walking boot for nearly four months.

The Jets got a good look at Travis when they hosted him for a visit this past April. The injury doesn’t seem to be a concern for Joe Douglas, and he won't be rushed back into action as he will most likely be inactive to start the season as QB3.

His arm strength is a little more concerning, as that is typically a trait that cannot be taught or improved once in the NFL. He does have very good accuracy, which combined with his legs can help mitigate any lack of arm talent.

Scouts also note Jordan Travis has difficulty with pre-snap and post-snap reads, struggling to get through his progressions in a timely fashion.

Luckily for the Jets, reading defenses and going through progressions is something that the coaches can work with him on and help him improve. And given the status of the current quarterback room with Tyrod Taylor and Aaron Rodgers in front of him, Travis should have plenty of opportunities to sit back and watch.

The goal for Jordan Travis over these next few years is to sit, watch and learn. There is zero pressure, and he gets to learn from Rodgers and Taylor.

Unfortunately, the Jets have a poor track record when it comes to developing quarterbacks, but most of those QBs were taken in early rounds and thrown into the starter role very early in their careers. Travis will be given time to develop and hopefully defy the odds to become an NFL-caliber starter.

Jordan Travis' player comparisons

NFL.com did not provide a player comparison for Travis, but Bleacher Report compared him to Trace McSorley. Not the strongest of endorsements, and it certainly raises eyebrows amongst Jets fans.

For a hint of optimism, Jets fans can look at quarterbacks taken on day 3 or later in the draft that are currently slated to start this upcoming season. The top two quarterbacks in QBR for the 2023 season were Brock Purdy (seventh round, pick no. 262) and Dak Prescott (fourth round, pick no. 135), who received prospect grades of 5.57 and 5.90, respectively.

The only other Day 3 pick current starting quarterback is Kirk Cousins, who was drafted in the fourth round at pick No. 102 and was given a prospect grade of 5.60.

Travis falls right beneath Prescott with a 5.89 score. For comparison's sake, McSorley was given a prospect score of 5.40, significantly below those of the quarterbacks above.

Jets fans can expect Jordan Travis to fall somewhere between Trace McSorley and Dak Prescott, meaning we have no idea what he will turn out to be. That said, Joe Douglas and his front office staff believe in him, and that could be enough for some Jets fans to be excited about their potential future franchise quarterback.