The New York Jets have their top quarterback in sight.
NFL analyst and insider Nate Tice revealed on the “Football 301” podcast that “I know the Jets are smitten with [Fernando] Mendoza. I know that.”
Dane Brugler of The Athletic, who was making an appearance on the podcast, responded, “They have the ammo.” He was referencing the Jets’ assets, which include five first-round picks and three second-round picks over the next two offseasons.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word Smitten means, “deeply affected with or struck by strong feelings of attraction, affection, or infatuation.”
Insider Reveals Mendoza’s NFL Draft Stock
“They said, going into the year, for the most part, people had him going in the second round, maybe top of the third. But right now, he’s clear-cut the top player in the draft. as far as if someone needs a quarterback,” NFL Insider Jay Glazer said on “FOX NFL Sunday”. “He’s the top quarterback prospect out there … Everyone likes his leadership, poise in the pocket, and he’s done such a great job to really elevate his status. A lot of teams said he’s the top player in this draft.”
If the Jets really want him, they will likely have to trade up to secure his services in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft.
Right now, the Jets would hold the No. 5 overall pick in the first round, per Tankathon. However, there are still three games remaining in the 2025 regular season that’ll help shape where they pick.
The good news is the Jets have the SOS [strength of schedule] tiebreaker (.536), or are tied with three of the four teams that are currently picking ahead of them. The only exception is the Cleveland Browns (.485).
The Jets could organically rise up the board with more losses, but they might inevitably have to trade up. The question is how far?
NFL Draft Insider Gives His Take on What Mendoza Can Be at the Next Level
“Mendoza is most likely going to be the top pick. I liked him coming into the year: I had a first-round grade on him, he was a top 20 guy, [but] I wasn’t ready to say number one because he doesn’t have the overwhelming physical traits that I normally want in a quarterback,” Brugler admitted on the “Football 301” podcast.
“You know, he’s like very to me, Jared Goff, like with the way he moves. Now he’s probably a little bit better of an athlete. It still looks awkward, but he is more mobile than you expect, and he can absolutely be someone who can get the yards if they’re there. The arm isn’t amazing, but it is good enough. It’s not a deterrent; it isn’t something that will hurt him, but you just wish it was a little bit better,” Brugler added.
The things Brugler loves about Mendoza include “the intelligence pre- and post-snap. He is so so good for this offense — it’s RPO heavy, you would think he has been in this offense for four years, not that he just showed up and he hasn’t been in this offense for a year.”
Mendoza, 22, transferred to Indiana after two years at California this past offseason.
“You just start to run out of reasons why can’t this guy be a high-level starter?” Brugler openly said.
Insider Destroys Draft Narrative About QBs — Mendoza
“I always say this when you talk about quarterbacks, like the goal is not to find the next Josh Allen. It’s just not realistic. That should not be the goal. The goal when drafting a quarterback is to find someone you think can be a top 12 to 14 quarterback in the league. If you feel like you can find one of those guys, that’s all you need to do,” Brugler explained on the “Football 301” pod.
“Then surround him with talent, coaching, and personnel, and you’re going to be fighting for the playoffs, and once you get into the playoffs like just win one game at a time, and eventually we will get to where we need to be. So do you think Mendoza can be a top 14 quarterback in the NFL? I certainly do at this point, and I think a lot of teams are going to come to that same conclusion, and that’s why he is going to go No. 1,” Brugler said emphatically.
Mendoza became the first Indiana player to win the Heisman this season. He finished with a 71.5% completion percentage, threw for 2,980 passing yards, had a 33 touchdown to six interception ratio.
The Hoosiers finished with a perfect 13-0 record, won the Big Ten championship game, and clinched the No. 1 overall seed in the College Football Playoffs.
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