Jets linked to former Heisman Trophy candidate QB in 2026 NFL draft

It’s no secret the New York Jets will be targeting a quarterback in the 2026 NFL draft, but which one they could be eyeing still remains a mystery.

The team has been heavily linked to Alabama’s Ty Simpson, who could go anywhere from pick No. 16 to the early second round.

But multiple analysts have speculated the Arizona Cardinals could trade back into the last few picks of the first round to grab Simpson before he falls to the top of Round 2.

If Simpson is out of the picture, the Jets could pivot to another signal-caller, and John Breech of CBS Sports believes Garrett Nussmeier could be their target.

“The Jets might consider Simpson with an earlier pick, but if they pass on the Alabama quarterback, then it would make sense to grab a QB here,” Breech wrote. “Nussmeier seems like a potential good fit for Frank Reich’s offense. The Jets traded for Geno Smith this offseason, so Nussmeier would likely spend his first year in New York on the bench.

“Smith is only under contract through the 2026 season, so if the Jets end up with Nussmeier (or any other quarterback), he will likely be given every opportunity to win the job in 2027, if not earlier. The Jets have four of the first 44 picks in the draft, and they can use those high picks to fill the biggest holes on their roster before grabbing Nussmeier with the third overall pick in the fourth round.”

Up until he got injured, Nussmeier was a Heisman hopeful last season. He threw for 1,927 yards, 12 touchdowns, and five interceptions in nine games before giving way to Michael Van Buren.

It was revealed this week that the source of Nussmeier’s injury last season was a cyst found on his spine that caused the oblique injury that derailed his season.

“Former LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier underwent tests at the NFL combine that revealed a cyst on his spine — the root cause of the persistent oblique pain that derailed his 2025 season,” NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero posted on X.

“The cyst was pressing on a nerve, causing discomfort in Nussmeier’s oblique. He has been asymptomatic since just prior to the Senior Bowl and all throughout the draft process; if that changes down the road, Nussmeier could undergo a minimally invasive procedure and miss just 2-3 weeks while stitches heal.”