2026 Nfl Mock Draft Jets Trade Up For Fernando Mendoza Vikings Land

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Jan 10, 2026, 4:42 PM

2026 nfl mock draft jets trade up for fernando mendoza vikings land

On The McShay Show, renowned draft analyst Todd McShay released his latest mock draft, predicting the Jets will use the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to select Heisman Trophy–winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza out of Indiana. McShay projected the Las Vegas Raiders to select Oregon quarterback Dante Moore with the first overall pick, leaving the Jets in position to land Mendoza. Widely viewed as the top prospect on most draft boards, Mendoza slipping to New York would represent an ideal scenario for the franchise. Although McShay projects Moore to be the first overall selection, he had plenty of praise for Mendoza. “I love a guy who can run, I love a guy who has a lot of juice on the ball, and I love a guy who’s tough as [expletive] nails.”

McShay also highlighted Mendoza’s development this season at Indiana after transferring from California. There are only a few weeks left in what’s been a chaotic and unpredictable NFL regular season. As the playoff picture comes into sharper focus, a growing number of teams have already been forced to pivot toward the NFL Draft — a list that now, astonishingly, includes the Kansas City Chiefs. Using the updated draft order, here’s how the first round could shape up when April rolls around. Projected trade: New York Giants send No. 1 overall pick to New York Jets for No.

5 pick, No. 37 pick, a 2027 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick. The Jets package their No. 7 overall pick, one of their three first-round selections in 2027 and a pair of second-round picks to move up and secure a potential franchise quarterback in Mendoza. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner currently ranks fifth among FBS quarterbacks in PFF grade (90.5), while his 33 passing touchdowns lead the nation. He draws comparisons to Jared Goff — a quarterback this Jets coaching staff knows well, with several members having previously worked with Goff in Detroit.

The Las Vegas Raiders are officially on the clock and the first 18 slots for the 2026 NFL draft are set. The Jets follow the Raiders, and both teams are in desperate need of a franchise quarterback. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Oregon’s Dante Moore are the top two quarterbacks in this class (as of now), with Alabama’s Ty Simpson also likely to garner consideration in the first round. My best guess is Simpson returns to school for more seasoning. He may even transfer to Tennessee, which is closer to home and was his original plan before Nick Saban came calling for the Crimson Tide in early 2021. I’m also thinking this means Moore ends up declaring after the Ducks’ season ends, considering he’s almost guaranteed to be selected within the first two picks.

No team owns a longer playoff drought than the New York Jets, who have not reached the postseason since 2010, and that stretch can be explained by poor roster building, especially the ongoing struggle... After yet another failed experiment, the Jets are expected to select their quarterback of the future in the 2026 draft, aiming once again to reclaim relevance in the conference while their division rivals establish... The Jets now have one of the most dysfunctional situations in the NFL, and that became clear across the league this season at the trade deadline, when the team moved its two best defenders,... With those trades, the Jets stacked multiple draft picks for the coming years, now holding two first-round selections in 2026 and three in 2027, giving the team plenty of options for the seasons ahead. That starts in 2026, and Ayden Stroupe’s projection in his three-round mock draft is that Fernando Mendoza will be the team’s next big swing. “The Jets capitalize on a favorable draft board and secure their quarterback of the future.

Fernando Mendoza’s poise, accuracy, and feel for timing-based concepts fit perfectly with New York’s offensive personnel. He consistently delivers with anticipation and works through reads calmly, traits that often translate quickly to the next level,” Stroupe wrote. The New York Jets hold more draft ammunition than any team in football, but one new projection suggests they might need nearly all of it to land their quarterback of the future in the... In a recent ESPN mock draft, Matt Miller mapped out an aggressive scenario in which the Jets would package both of their 2026 first-round picks — including the one acquired in the Sauce Gardner... 1 and select Indiana star Fernando Mendoza. That's a hefty price to pay, seeing as the projection has the Jets moving up just three spots.

We’re still five months away from the 2026 NFL Draft, and plenty can (and will) change. But the logic behind the move is obvious. Justin Fields has been benched, Tyrod Taylor is a short-term solution, and general manager Darren Mougey didn't stockpile five first-round picks across 2026 and 2027 just to watch someone else take the top quarterback... Still, moving up just three spots for Mendoza would be an outrageous swing at football’s most important position. The 2026 NFL Draft order is now set for the non-playoff teams at the end of the 2025 regular season. Outside of the Falcons and Colts, who have traded their first-round picks, 16 teams know for sure when they are picking first on April 23.

From the growing obvious choice at the top based on need and talent to the teams who just missed the postseason, here's the latest look at Sporting News' projections also with the College Football... MORE: Ranking NFL playoff teams 1-14 based on Super Bowl 60 chances Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana (6-5, 225 pounds) The New York Giants and the New York Jets may share a stadium, but proximity has not led to many trades between the city rivals over the years. Sure, there was the swap of defensive tackle Leonard Williams back in 2019 and Hall of Fame head coach Bill Parcells famously took both clubs to the postseason. But otherwise, the two clubs have largely treated each other as just another occasional out-of-conference opponent.

The cold shoulder could melt this spring, however, with the Giants seemingly poised to "earn" a top-three selection and the Jets both desperate for a spark at quarterback and flush with draft picks. Their projected trade — along with a certain Heisman Trophy finalist — is where our latest mock draft begins. The Jets traded their two best players — cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams – to kick-start a roster rebuild midway through this season. Now, the club has two first-round picks in 2026 and three more in 2027, giving general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn the draft capital to do whatever they want. Sure, the club could opt to wait until 2027 to draft a quarterback — as next year’s class appears richer than this one — but with no guarantee that either will have a job... The Jets need only look to Drake Maye and the New England Patriots atop their own AFC East division to be reminded how quickly a franchise can be turned around with a stellar young...

Mendoza isn’t the no-brainer franchise quarterback that sometimes leads off a draft class, but his prototypical size, mobility, lightning-quick release and leadership make him this year’s surest thing at the game’s most important position. Fernando Mendoza and top-seeded Indiana will take on Alabama in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Michael Reaves / Getty Images The race for the NFL’s worst record has a firm leader heading into the final lap. At 2-14 with one game left (versus the Chiefs), the Raiders are the current favorites to land the No. 1 pick for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Four three-win teams remain right behind Las Vegas: the Giants (versus Dallas in Week 18), Jets (at Buffalo), Titans (at Jacksonville) and Cardinals (at Rams). While we wait for the final non-playoff teams to settle into place, here’s a look at how the first 18 picks of this year’s draft — everything up until the postseason cutline — could... Once again, the Raiders need an awful lot, but they’ve kicked the QB can down the road long enough.

2026 Nfl Mock Draft Jets Trade Up For Fernando Mendoza Vikings Land

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