Key Takeaways:
– New York Jets may elect Shedeur Sanders as their long-standing solution to quarterback after the retirement of Aaron Rodgers.
– Analyst, Dane Brugler, has singled out Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders for the No. 22 pick in the first round.
– Sanders’ stats from his career highlight his potential as the team’s next quarterback.
– General Manager Joe Douglas has expressed a wish for the New York Jets to become a “quarterback factory.”
The Crown to Rodgers’ Throne
With Aaron Rodgers, the New York Jets’ QB1, turning 40, the team is reportedly on the lookout for the legendary quarterback’s successor. Dane Brugler from The Athletic has pointed towards a potential long-term answer for the Jet’s quarterback quandary in his latest 2025 NFL mock draft. Brugler has projected that Shedeur Sanders, the breakout Colorado QB, would make a concrete addition as a Jet with the No. 22 overall first-round pick.
Details on Shedeur Sanders
Shedeur Sanders, son of celebrated Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion “Prime Time” Sanders, has accumulated a solid track record. Starting his career at Jackson State in 2021-22, he transferred to Colorado in 2023. At 22, he stands at 6-foot-2 and sports a build of 215 pounds. In the previous year alone, Sanders hit a career-best completion percentage of 69.3% with his passes, recorded an impressive 3,230 passing yards, and established a 27-to-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
That said, Sanders still has to establish a robust show of decision-making skills. In his explanatory notes on the projected pick, Brugler said, “The talent is clear, but he must show consistency with his decision-making this fall if he’s going to be a top-25 pick.”.
The Historical Perspective
The Jets have selected a quarterback only four times in the first round of the NFL draft since 1992. If Rodgers follows through with his publicly expressed ambition to play multiple seasons for the Jets, the team could benefit from a smooth transition period where the newly-recruited Sanders is developed instead of being thrown into the fray as the immediate starter.
In his early 2025 projection, Brugler also saw three quarterbacks, including Sanders, making it into the first round draft picks.
Jets’ Backup Passer: Jordan Travis
While the buzz around Shedeur Sanders builds, the Jets already have a promising young player in their ranks. Jordan Travis was picked up in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL draft, eliciting praise for his leadership and promising qualities. However, some analysts believe that Travis’ role may be best suited as a backup passer, pointing to his “physical limitations” as potential constraints for ascending to a full-time starting position.
The Jets are already exploring a long-term investment in Travis as a backup passer, as developing quarterbacks are seen as a highly valuable commodity. The General Manager of the Jets, Joe Douglas, used his pre-draft press interview to express his vision of the Jets as a “quarterback factory”.
In conclusion, with Aaron Rodgers nearing retirement, the New York Jets find themselves at the crossroads of a new era. As they sketch their long-term quarterback strategies, exciting new prospects like Shedeur Sanders are on the horizon, closely watched by analysts and fans alike.