A new report points to a "developmental" QB prospect the New York Jets are keeping a close eye on as a potential late-round pick in the NFL Draft.
The Jets QB situation has been a mess for over a decade. Since 2012, they have had countless different players under center, and the organization has used a lot of premium draft picks in an attempt to find a long-term fix for the position. The situation will remain the same in 2026 also.
A year ago, the Jets made a splash in free agency by signing former Chicago Bears starting QB Justin Fields. He was an unmitigated disaster that was finally dealt to the Kansas City Chiefs last month. This offseason, the team brought back former second-round pick Geno Smith in hopes of recapturing the form that made him a two-time Pro Bowler with the Seattle Seahawks.
This step is yet another solution to a problem that needs a permanent solution. Jets fans would like them to use a pick on a quarterback from this year's draft class later this month. However, the signal-caller class is weak. So if they used the pick on a QB this month, it would be in their best interest to take a Day 3 project that they can develop from.
Are the NY Jets taking a hard stance on drafting Drew Allar?
Well, according to ESPN Jets insider Rich Cimini, it looks like the team has an interesting option in mind. "Fourth [round]," Cimini wrote when asked when the team might select a QB. "Keep an eye on Drew Allar (Penn State), who recently had a private workout at the Jets' facility. He is a developmental prospect with big size (6-foot-5, 228 pounds) and arm strength.
Allard bypassed entry into last year's NFL Draft to try to lead Penn State to a national championship last season. Unfortunately, the Nittany Lions were, arguably, the biggest disappointment in college football last year. They started the season 3–3, and head coach James Franklin was fired in October.
To make matters worse, the Ohio native suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 6. So he didn't get a chance to improve his draft stock or give evaluators more tape to evaluate. However, entering the 2025 season, many football experts thought Allar had Round 1 potential due to his size and arm strength.
