Ty Simpson should not be the Jets' top QB option in 2026 NFL Draft

If the internet is to be believed — and, come on, when is the internet wrong? — then Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Alabama’s Ty Simpson will be the first two quarterbacks selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Barring one of the most shocking trades involving a No. 1 pick that we’ll see in our lifetime, the New York Jets won’t have a chance to take Mendoza. For all intents and purposes, he belongs to the Raiders.

Simpson, meanwhile, is ESPN’s new favorite quarterback. Naturally, if you’re a topic of discussion on “First Take,” that means you’re likely a common target of the Jets in mock drafts.

Whether Simpson will go within the top 20 picks or early in the second round, though, remains to be seen. Rather than take the risk on Simpson, I personally would rather the Jets hold off and gamble on Miami’s Carson Beck.

What to know about Miami quarterback Carson Beck

If it feels like Beck was in college forever, you’re not misremembering things. The 6-foot-5, 233-pound Beck debuted at Georgia in 2020, stuck around despite the rising popularity of the transfer portal, and finally got his chance in 2023. After two years leading the Bulldogs, Beck ended his college career at Miami and led the Hurricanes to the national championship game.

In some ways, Beck is a throwback to a seemingly forgotten age of quarterbacks. What Beck lacks in speed and playmaking ability as a rusher, he more than makes up for in arm strength and vision in the pocket.

The problem, as NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein noted in a pre-draft scouting report, is possible after-effects from 2024 right elbow surgery. Zierlein said that Beck’s arm talent and velocity appeared “diminished” last season, though he nonetheless posted a 72.4% completion percentage, 3,813 yards, and a 30-12 TD-INT ratio.

However, those numbers are slightly inflated because, unlike in the NFL, postseason numbers count toward a player’s overall stats. Beck’s passing yardage might look high, but his 238.3 yards per game was his lowest in three years as a starter.

Although Beck’s yards per attempt rose from 7.8 to 8.2, it was still down from the 9.5 YPA he posted two years earlier.

“Beck’s decision-making showed more maturity in his final college season, but pressure can pull him back into old habits,” Zierlein wrote. “He spins a catchable ball with a compact release, but spotty accuracy leads to pass breakups and a lower conversion rate on tight-window throws.”

Despite the issues, Carson Beck makes too much sense for the Jets

My most significant issue with Simpson is the lack of experience. He only started 15 games at Alabama, and forcing a draft pick on a quarterback with a limited sample size is extremely dangerous, even if they’ll be sitting as a rookie.

Beck and Simpson both turn 24 next fall, so neither exactly has age working in their favor. Considering the Jets’ many needs, it might make more sense to use their first four selections on skill players and circle back to quarterback either in the third round or on Day 3.

Unless disaster strikes, Geno Smith is going to start in Week 1. Aaron Glenn recently said as much, not that there should have been any confusion.

Given the situation and context, the safest play is for the Jets to draft Beck and hope his heavy college workload helps him develop at the pro level. Admittedly, it’s not the most attractive move, but the Jets don’t need to be splashy, especially not as they hope to end their latest rebuild.