- The Jets are loading up in 2027: After trading away star players such as Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, New York now has three first-round picks in the 2027 NFL Draft, which looks like a potentially special class.
- Julian Sayin is set for QB1: The Ohio State signal-caller isn’t eligible to be picked until 2027, but he looks like the best quarterback in college football right now.
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The New York Jets made the most waves during the NFL trade deadline, trading a pair of superstar defenders in cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts and interior defender Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys. In return, the Jets received three first-round picks, a 2026 second-round pick, wide receiver Adonai Mitchell and defensive tackle Mazi Smith.
The centerpiece of New York’s return is, of course, the three first-round picks, but the fascinating wrinkle is that only one of them — acquired from the Colts — will come in 2026. That means the Jets now hold three first-round selections in the 2027 NFL Draft. And the Jets will get the Cowboys’ highest first-round pick in 2027, too, as Dallas currently owns two — its own and Green Bay’s from the Micah Parsons trade.
That’s an incredibly forward-thinking move by general manager Darren Mougey, as the 2027 draft class is already shaping up to be a potential all-timer.
New York’s three biggest needs — quarterback, wide receiver and cornerback — all align perfectly with the class’s strengths. Each position features a prospect who would likely be the first player drafted at his position if he were eligible for the 2026 class.
QB Julian Sayin, Ohio State
The current Heisman Trophy favorite is putting up accuracy numbers we’ve never seen before. Redshirt freshman Julian Sayin’s 80.7% completion rate doesn’t just lead all quarterbacks in college football this season — it would be the all-time record if it holds. His 86.1% adjusted completion rate and 93.2 PFF passing grade also lead the FBS.
Sayin may not have “elite” physical tools, but neither does Joe Burrow, and both win with exceptional ball placement and precision. If the Jets pass on a quarterback this year, Sayin will almost certainly be their top target in 2027.
WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
Sayin’s top weapon projects as one of the best wide receiver prospects we’ve ever seen. Jeremiah Smith entered Columbus as the highest-rated wide receiver recruit of all time and lived up to the hype immediately. As a true freshman, he was the most valuable receiver in the country according to PFF’s wins above average metric.
Now a sophomore, Smith owns an 88.0 PFF grade — second among all wide receivers in the nation, trailing only teammate Carnell Tate. At 6-foot-3 and 223 pounds, Smith combines elite athleticism with polished technique, making his refinement at just 19 years old all the more remarkable.
CB Leonard Moore, Notre Dame
Like Smith, Moore was an instant superstar as a true freshman. He finished the 2024 season as the third-most-valuable cornerback in the country according to PFF’s wins above average metric. The only two players ahead of him — Travis Hunter and Jahdae Barron — both became top-20 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Moore has been even better as a sophomore, leading all Power Four cornerbacks in PFF coverage grade (90.0). Notre Dame plays man coverage at one of the highest rates in the nation, and Moore thrives in those situations and has allowed just 39.7% of his targets in single coverage to be caught. He has the traits to be New York’s next true shutdown corner, following in the footsteps of Darrelle Revis and Sauce Gardner.
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