On Saturday, the third day of the 2024 NFL Draft, former Florida State football star quarterback Jordan Travis finally entered the professional ranks. With the 171st pick, The New York Jets swooped in on Travis, making him the first quarterback taken via the draft since trading for four-time MVP signal-caller Aaron Rodgers in 2023.
Earlier this offseason, the New York Jets decided to part ways with former first-round pick and quarterback Zach Wilson, trading him to the Denver Broncos for a swap of late-round selections in the 2025 NFL draft. With New York all but admitting the Wilson experiment failed miserably, the team entered this weekend’s league draft with a lack of depth and certainty behind Aaron Rodgers at quarterback.
Florida State Football QB Jordan Travis: College Career
Jordan Travis, a three-star recruit per 247Sports, started his college career with the Lousiville Cardinals in 2018. After one season with Louisville, Travis entered the transfer portal, landing with the Florida State Seminoles. Travis played sparingly through his first two seasons, including splitting time with fellow passer James Blackman during the COVID-19-impacted 2020 season. The six-foot-one, 201-pound signal-caller took on a more significant role in 2021, accumulating 1,539 yards, 15 touchdowns, and six interceptions across ten games. However, the Florida native took massive strides forward during the 2022 campaign.
With the No. 171 pick in the fifth round, the Jets drafted Florida St. QB Jordan Travis.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 27, 2024
Travis, a dual-threat quarterback entering his fifth college season, shined in 2022, throwing for 3,214 yards, 24 touchdowns, and five picks. He also ran for 417 yards and seven touchdowns, with Florida State football posting their best record since 2016. Travis returned in 2023, his fifth with the Seminoles, posting Heisman-caliber numbers in the early going. He started the season with 1,483 passing yards and 17 total touchdowns against one interception across the team’s first six games.
Travis led FSU to a 10-0 record before suffering a brutal, season-ending leg injury in a late-season contest against North Alabama. He finished the year with 2,756 passing yards and 20 touchdowns against two picks. Travis earned 2023 ACC Player of the Year and Heisman votes despite the abrupt end to his college career.
Travis: NFL Profile
If not for a grueling season-ending leg injury, Florida State football quarterback Jordan Travis could have gone much earlier than the fifth round in the 2024 NFL draft. However, the timing and severity of the injury not only killed Florida State’s College Football Playoff chances but impacted his draft grade. Per NFL Draft Buzz, the Heisman-caliber quarterback entered the 2024 NFL draft as the ninth-ranked quarterback. Travis possesses elite speed despite placing on the lower end in terms of height and weight among fellow passers.
NFL Draft Buzz praises Travis for his ability to improvise under pressure and for possessing elite footwork and throwing mechanics. Travis can also push the ball downfield as a running threat and exploit defensive schemes with the right matchup. Travis’ weaknesses remain in decision-making, explicitly forcing passes downfield and pocket pressure.
New York Jets: QB Depth Chart
With Zach Wilson no longer a member of the New York Jets, former Florida State football star Jordan Travis can slot in as the second quarterback on the team. Four-time MVP and superstar Aaron Rodgers remains the starter in New York. Rodgers enters the 2024 season after suffering a devastating Achilles tear in the first quarter of last year’s first game. When healthy, Rodgers remains one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history.
The Jets also inked veteran journeyman Tyrod Taylor this offseason. Taylor made five starts for the New York Giants last year, posting a 2-3 record and throwing for five touchdowns against three picks. He completed 64% of his passes.
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