Fans love mock drafts. New York Jets backers also love complaining about mock drafts.
The truth, as always, probably falls somewhere in the middle. No projection released before an event should be treated as gospel. That’s even more true when the projection comes more than a year early.
Mocks can still serve a purpose. They help identify team needs, highlight emerging prospects, and offer a glimpse into how evaluators view the next wave of talent entering the league. That is what made a recent way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft from our friends at Draft Wire particularly interesting.
It’s doubly so for Jets fans.
In the projection, DW had the Jets selecting third overall and using that pick on Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore.
The selection says as much about the Jets as it does about Moore. By placing New York third overall, DW is essentially projecting another disappointing season. More importantly, it is suggesting the organization could once again find itself searching for a long-term answer at quarterback and addressing it with Moore:
“The Jets continue to scramble for a quarterback but land a future star here with Dante Moore, who is one of the most electric players in the country.”
Whether that prediction proves accurate remains to be seen. The Jets are hoping Geno Smith can stabilize the position and help guide the franchise toward relevance at QB in 2026.
The Jets also have two other first-round picks in this way-too-early 2027 mock. Oklahoma Sooners defensive tackle David Stone is the selection at 12, and Georgia Bulldogs safety K.J. Bolden is the choice at 15.
As stated, Stone “doesn’t fit the typical mold of an inside/outside defensive lineman, but he can dominate from anywhere on the defensive line.”
The highlight here, however, is Smith. If he performs well, conversations about drafting a quarterback could become unnecessary. If he struggles, however, New York may enter the 2027 draft cycle with quarterback as its top priority.
Why Dante Moore matters
Moore is hardly an unknown prospect. Many draft observers believed he possessed enough talent to generate first-round buzz long before discussions about the 2027 draft began. Some even argued he could have been a top-10 selection had he entered the draft process earlier. That makes him a fascinating player to monitor over the next year.
History shows that prospects who remain in school often experience one of two outcomes. Some use the additional development time to elevate their stock and strengthen their case as elite prospects. Others face relentless scrutiny as every throw, mechanical flaw, and perceived weakness becomes magnified under the microscope of the draft process.
For now, Moore remains a prospect rather than a solution. Still, the projection offers an interesting snapshot of where outsiders believe the Jets stand.
While New York hopes Geno Smith can provide stability at quarterback, way-too-early mock drafts are already exploring what comes next. Whether Moore eventually becomes part of that conversation is impossible to know. What is clear, however, is that his name is one Jets fans may want to remember.
Jets Wire will continue to provide updates throughout the 2026 offseason.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Jets land their QB of the future in way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft
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