2026 NFL draft: Should the Jets look into picking QB Carson Beck?

With the NFL Draft a little over two weeks away, the big debate surrounding the New York Jets is whether they will select their quarterback of the future in 2026 or wait until the 2027 draft where they’ll have three first-round picks and their pick of a much stronger quarterback class. Despite the Las Vegas Raiders signing Kurt Cousins to a contract worth up to $20 million for this season and could be worth $172 million over five years, they will most likely select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the number one overall pick. The Jets acquired Geno Smith to be their starting quarterback for this season and, outside of Mendoza, there isn't a quarterback worthy of the number two overall pick.

Some draft analysts have the Jets selecting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with their other first-rounder, #16 overall. But, it's unknown how much interest they have in a quarterback who only made 15 starts in his college career. After Mendoza and Simpson, it really is anyone's guess where the rest of the quarterbacks in this draft will be selected.

But, in a recent CBS Sports mock draft done by Ryan Wilson and former Tennessee Titans GM Ran Carthon, a surprising name surfaced for the Jets with one of their two second-round picks…. University of Miami Quarterback Carson Beck. Beck has been rising up draft boards and ESPN's Mel Kiper listed him as his third best quarterback available behind Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson.

But, it's tough to gauge what that actually means for a 2026 quarterback class that is not considered strong and with plenty of teams looking towards the 2027, where the quarterbacks available are much better. Like most of the quarterbacks in this draft, Beck has plenty of potential. He threw for close to 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns during his only season with the Hurricanes.