The New York Jets have five first-round draft choices over the next two years.
Beat reporter Nick Faria of Jets X-Factor believes the team should use some of those assets to go get Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza after his gutsy performance versus Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game.
“I would give up multiple first-round picks to trade up and select Fernando Mendoza if I’m the Jets. When he has to make THE throw, he makes it. Every time. Unreal ball placement,” Faria posted on social media.
Mendoza, 22, completed 15-of-23 passes for 222 passing yards with one passing touchdown and one interception. He helped the Hoosiers upset the Buckeyes 13-10. Indiana finished the season with a 13-0 record and will hold the No. 1 overall seed in the College Football Playoff.
Top Social Media Reactions to Mendoza’s Performance
“Impressed with Fernando Mendoza. Overcame early adversity (INT, vicious hit, loss of top WR) and made some championship throws in the second half vs a premier defense. Alas, Jets would have to trade up to get him, reaching into that war chest of picks,” ESPN’s Rich Cimini explained.
ESPN radio host Ty Butler said, “Fernando Mendoza fighting off the same ol’ Jets demons by coming right back into the game after what looked like a serious injury in the biggest game of his life – draft him now!”
“HEISMENDOZA 🏆. Fernando Mendoza put up a legendary performance in the Big Ten Championship 😤,” the official FOX College Football account posted.
“Yeah I’ve seen enough. Darren Mougey, start planning that trade up to #1. Fernando Mendoza is that guy,” the Optimistic Jets fan account wrote.
Jets Are in the Perfect Position to Strike
If the 2026 NFL draft started now, the Jets would have a top-seven pick (before their game against the Miami Dolphins), per Tankathon.
That is good — but not good enough to select the top quarterback prospect in this upcoming class. For the Jets to land Mendoza, that would likely require a massive trade-up.
Thankfully, the green and white are in the best position to make that happen. They are armed with five first-round picks and three second-round picks over the next two years. The Jets could outbid any other team to move up — if and that’s a big if, they like Mendoza.
The Jets have seen Mendoza in person at least three times this college football season, per uSTADIUM.
Mendoza seems to have this clutch factor, and he performs when his team needs him most.
“And he’s done that a bunch of games he is clutch. This was a huge test for him and he can handle it and he’ll be able to handle New York if it happens,” the first female scout in Jets and NFL history, Connie Carberg, posted on social media.
This season, Mendoza has a 33 touchdown to six interception ratio, he has completed 68.5% of his passes, and has thrown for 2,980 passing yards.
Those 33 touchdown passes from Mendoza led all of college football this season, per ESPN.
The chances of the Jets landing the No. 1 overall pick are 1.9%, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini. That is before the result of the Week 14 Dolphins game.
That’s a fancy way of saying that it is extremely unlikely. So what Jets fans should be rooting for the rest of the way is the Tennessee Titans or the New York Giants finishing with the No. 1 overall pick.
Both teams already have their franchise quarterbacks and would be in a position to trade the top pick away. If a quarterback-needy team lands the No. 1 overall pick, it might not matter what the Jets offer because that team could take Mendoza for themselves.
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