ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. talks potential of Jets trading up to draft QB

The New York Jets made headlines this past week with the announcement that veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers would not return to the team in 2025.

Rodgers will leave the organization after winning five games over two years. Consequently, this opened up a big question for the Jets organization: Who will be the team’s starting quarterback going forward?

They could go in a few different directions. They could trade for or sign a veteran QB, they could draft a rookie signal caller, or they could do both. No matter what they do, they need to address it quickly over the next couple months.

Newly-hired general manager Darren Mougey has a lot to consider.

ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. presented an outside-the-box option for the Jets, speaking about the possibility of the team trading up to take a QB early in April’s NFL Draft. His scenario has the Jets moving up from their seventh overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars’ fifth overall pick to select Shadeur Sanders out of Colorado. The trade would leapfrog the QB-needy Las Vegas Raiders who own the sixth spot.

Sanders started his career with two years at Jackson State College, an FCS program. He transferred to the University of Colorado and played under his father, head coach Deion Sanders, for his final two college years.

His 2024 season was his best yet. He completed 74% of his passes for 4,134 yards, and threw 37 touchdowns to 10 interceptions.