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Former Giant Danny Kanell doesn't think Jets should 'reach' for QB with No. 16 pick

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson warms up before the Rose Bowl College... — Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson warms up before the Rose Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against Indiana on Jan. 1 in Pasadena, Calif. Credit: AP/Kyusung Gong

By Al Iannazzoneal.iannazzone@newsday.com Al_IannazzoneApril 10, 2026 5:00 am

Danny Kanell knows about playing quarterback and doing it in the New York area. He doesn’t think the Jets should “reach” for one in the draft.

Kanell, who played for the Giants from 1996 to 1998, believes the Jets would be doing just that if they took Alabama’s Ty Simpson with the No. 16 selection.

“He’s the second-best quarterback in the draft, but I think it is a reach to take him at 16 or really anywhere in the first round,” Kanell told Newsday in a phone interview. “I think he’s a second-rounder all day long. I also think that would be helpful for Ty Simpson.

“You brought Geno Smith in there to be the bridge quarterback who’s going to mentor a young quarterback, but you know how it goes, especially in New York,” added Kanell, a college football analyst for CBS Sports and Sirius XM. “There’s going to be an immense amount of pressure for Ty Simpson to play. If he’s a second-round pick, it’s a little bit easier to say we’re going to take the longer, patient road than it is with 16th overall.”

The Jets held a private workout and met with Simpson last month. His lack of experience could give them pause. Simpson started only 15 games for Alabama, all of them last season. He threw 28 touchdown passes and five interceptions.

“It’s always projections with all these draft players, so the bigger the sample size, you might feel a little better about it,” Jets general manager Darren Mougey said. “But we’ll still evaluate it.”

The Jets likely will take an edge rusher with the No. 2 pick, either Ohio State’s Arvell Reese or Texas Tech’s David Bailey. They also have picks 33 and 44 in the second round.

Kanell said the Jets should draft a receiver at 16 and consider Simpson at 33. He could see them filling other holes and waiting until Day 3 for a quarterback.

“This is a great year to have a lot of picks,” Kanell said. “It is a pretty deep class of really quality players. So I think that’s one where the Jets really should use some patience on the quarterback and maybe wait until the fourth or fifth round. This is the year that you don’t want to be reaching on the quarterbacks because the class overall is not very good.”

The Jets’ next franchise quarterback could arrive via next year’s draft. The quarterback class is better, and the Jets will have three first-round picks.

They have done extensive homework on this quarterback class, including Carson Beck (Miami), Garrett Nussmeier (LSU) and Drew Allar (Penn State). Kanell isn’t as high on Allar and Nussmeier and thinks Beck should be the Jets’ pick.

He’s 6-4 and more of a pocket quarterback, traits new Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich likes. Beck was projected to be a top five pick as a junior at Georgia before undergoing elbow surgery in 2024 and transferring to Miami.

“I would rather have a guy like Carson Beck in maybe the third or fourth round,” Kanell said. “He’s won everywhere he’s been. I know the injury is a concern, but that is a surgery that takes some time to come back from when you have that ulnar nerve that he’s come back from. I think he could be somebody.

“He’s got the frame. He’s got the size. He’s big, he’s physical, and I actually think his style of play is closer to Geno Smith’s, where he could watch a guy like Geno Smith and you don’t have to reach for him in the draft.”

The Jets shouldn’t have to reach for a receiver at 16. The top ones are Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson, USC’s Makai Lemon, Washington’s Denzel Boston and Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. Tate will be gone and perhaps Tyson and Lemon will be, too. If they are, Kanell likes Boston for the Jets.

“Even if they miss out on those top two or three guys,” Kanell said, “I still think there’s a quality player there.”

Kanell also mentioned a wild card in Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq. Kanell called Sadiq a “physical freak” and “Swiss army knife” and compared him to George Kittle.

“You could play him out at wide receiver,” Kanell said. “He’s athletic enough to do that. He is a walking mismatch for any linebacker that tries to cover him. I think that’s another area potentially they could go if you’re looking for an offensive weapon.”