Yesterday, the Seattle Seahawks were crowned champions of the 2026 Super Bowl after defeating the New England Patriots 29-13.
The season is over, so what is next? Preparations for the 2026 NFL Draft are already underway in Pittsburgh where we will discover the next generation of American football stars.
The draft order has been set as well, with the Las Vegas Raiders having the first pick, followed by the New York Jets and the Arizona Cardinals.
The undisputed first pick by everyone around the US is Fernando Mendoza, the 2025 Heisman and undefeated national champion. The 22-year-old from the University of Indiana shocked everyone this season by leading the Hoosiers to their first national championship in the program’s history.
The big question for the draft is who will be the second pick?
Jeremiyah Love, Ty Simpson and Arvell Reese (the latter being mentioned more than others) have been the names popping up in recent mock drafts.
But what do the Jets actually need? A good quarterback, defensive protection or someone who can run? The Jets have just had their worst season since 2020, ending with a 3-14 record and in need of a total makeover if they want to get somewhere next season.
Right now, what I think the Jets could use, regardless of a good player, is someone who knows how to boost morale. When a team lacks good spirits, its performance drops.
Several cases from last season alone show how badly a team can perform if its morale booster is absent.
Take the 49ers, for example, during the wild-card round of the playoffs, their star tight end, George Kittle, went down with an Achilles tear; they still managed to get the win, but he will be out of the field until September.
At their next game, the divisional round against the Seahawks, the 49ers couldn’t even score a touchdown; Kittle was not present in the field due to having surgery a couple of days before. You could see how bad the spirits were at the bench throughout the game.
The 32-year-old is well known across the NFL for his bubbly personality and optimistic nature, often regarded by his teammates as a light in the locker room.
Taking this into account, maybe the thing that the Jets are missing is someone with that same persona, who will bring a good energy to the organisation.
Ty Simpson might just be the guy for them. The Jets don’t have a franchise QB, and after the Zach Wilson fiasco, they might need to try again to get THAT player on the team.
The only question that truly remains is if the Jets are ready to commit 100% of their trust into a rookie QB again.
