To say was Aaron Rodgers with New York Jets it was a disappointment would be an understatement. Last year was disappointing due to the injury in Week 1. This year, Rodgers has not been the same quarterback who provided the Green Bay Packers for 15 years and won four MVP awards.

Now, after a 3-7 start, Jets fans have begun to take a look at the 2025 NFL Draft. According to TankathonThe Jets have the fifth overall pick. Most mock drafts have the team take a different player at that spot, such as Will Campbell or Tetairoa McMillan. Depending on how the scouting combine goes, the team could use the first pick on a quarterback like Shedeur Sanders, Cam Ward or Quinn Ewers.

Bleacher Reportt has a different take on the quarterback position. Instead of taking one of the top quarterbacks in the class to make an immediate impact, the Jets should take Will HowardTHE Ohio State starting defender.

The Bleacher Report he justifies himself as:

The Aaron Rodgers era in New York might not get the Jets a Super Bowl. Right now, it looks like it won’t even get them a playoff spot. But if it helps them have a decent quarterback game while they find and develop a successor, then the trade to get Rodgers will be somewhat of a success. Will Howard could be the type of quarterback worth developing. Here’s Dame Parson on what he brings to the table:

“Will Howard will check physical tapes for NFL teams. The combination of height, weight and arm strength will be positive signs in his draft profile. He is a plus-level athlete capable of making plays with his feet. Howard has the talent to attack every level of the defense. He has starting tools but is expected to start as a backup.”

Howard had a career year in Ohio State’s potent offense. Through nine games, Howard has led the second-ranked Buckeyes to an 8-1 record, falling just one point short of the current top-ranked team. Oregon the team on the road. He threw for 2,337 yards and a Big Ten-leading 22 touchdowns. Howard obliterates his previous best completion percentage while completing 74 percent of his passes this year.

Perhaps one of the biggest green flags of Howard’s game is his ability and willingness to take off and make plays as a runner. So far, Howard has racked up 122 yards and six touchdowns on 62 carries. While Ohio State didn’t use him the way Urban Meyer did with JT Barrett, it trusts Howard to carry the football, as evidenced by the game-winning drive at Penn State.

In his career, Howard was a good quarterback, not a great one. He’s having a renaissance year with the Buckeyes, but one question will hang over his head: Was Howard so good because he’s so good or because he was surrounded by one of the best rosters in college football?

Howard is a great game manager. He’s not the quarterback teams are going to lean on to come out and win the game like Rodgers was with the Packers. Howard is a distributor of the football and has shown an impressive ability to fit the ball into tight windows this year. He has an NFL-ready body and can keep defenses honest with his legs.

On the other hand, it has some shortcomings. Whether the power isn’t there or he just doesn’t trust his arm, Howard has historically been average with the deep ball. He’s having a better 20+ yard passing year this year, but he’s throwing to freaks of nature Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka. Additionally, while he has had an impressive pass completion season, he has at least one or two plays per game, leaving fans in disbelief. Whether he’s trying to force a pass into double coverage or throwing the ball back to avoid a tackle that bounces on his unaware receiver, Howard needs to get better at making decisions.

As of now, Howard is considered a late pick. If the Jets believe he can be the guy to replace Rodgers, they won’t have to use a premium pick to get him. Even then, is a late-round pick a better option than a top-five pick when it comes to quarterback? Probably not. Considering Rodgers has gotten his feelings hurt when his team uses a premium pick on a quarterback in the past, perhaps the Jets would try to avoid that.