This is one of the weaker quarterback classes of the last few years. Only one quarterback earned a first-round grade. It will be interesting to see how the NFL views the class. Will it turn out like 2022, when a similarly weak (weaker overall) class saw the class drop further than generally projected en masse? Or will teams take earlier chances on talented but flawed prospects with the hope of finding something worth a second contract?

1. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

Handily the top QB in the class, the Heisman winner proved his big-game mettle in leading an upstart Indiana team to a national championship in his only year with the Hoosiers. Mendoza’s game film at Cal was promising but needed growth, and he did just that in 2025. Sharp, accurate, and pretenaturally poised in the manner of Joe Burrow, Mendoza consistently maximizes his slightly above-average physical tools. 

Mendoza won’t threaten defenses as a runner, but he’s not immobile. His blend of zip and touch on passes all over the field doesn’t wane much when forced off his initial spot. There are a few throws where Mendoza got bailed out by his receivers, but his willingness to trust their talent is part of why he’s the consummate leader. 

He will be the first player selected, though Mendoza “only” ranks fourth overall on my big board. Mendoza compares to the Pro Bowl version of Jared Goff crossed with peak Matt Schaub.

2. Ty Simpson, Alabama

The first half of Simpson’s lone season at the helm for the Crimson Tide made the senior look like a viable candidate to be QB1. Then the schedule toughened, defenses got savvy to Simpson’s ways, and a series of minor injuries starkly exposed his inexperience and deficiencies as a quarterback. 

Small-framed and blessed with only average athleticism and arm strength, Simpson thrived early with his rhythmic passing, excellent touch and right balance of caution and aggression. Alabama asked him to do a lot of NFL-style reads and throws, and Simpson proved quite capable. Defenses figured out Simpson’s propensity to stare down his target and to hold the ball too long, and the inexperienced passer struggled to adjust. How you feel about Simpson likely ties directly to how you feel about his ability to show he can adapt, and do so at a higher level against much more savvy defenses. 

I don’t have a great deal of confidence in that working out well, in part because of the somewhat fragile frame and Simpson’s relative inability to avoid big hits. But with football seasoning and the right fit (think Bo Nix in Denver), Simpson does have potential as a starter. He’s not as high-end as Nix, but looks higher than the eerily similar (as a prospect) Kenny Pickett, or a less athletic J.J. McCarthy. It’s easy to see a healthy Simpson lasting a long time as a good No. 2 with spot-starting potential--and that’s his NFL floor.

3. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

Nussmeier will not be for everyone, that needs to be said off the bat. He’s smaller than desired (6-1/202) and his arm strength and zip on the ball are average.Some of that might be attributable to an oblique injury that dampened his senior year at LSU, but Nussmeier will never be guilty of having a rocket launcher of a right arm. 

He wins by being precise on anticipatory throws, masterful pre-snap reads and command of the offense. Nussmeier can threaten enough with his legs that his passing game works outside the pocket--when the body is healthy--and can light it up. He’s almost never caught off-guard by blitzes or coverage looks off the snap. Alas, he’s got something of the Baker Mayfield gene to him; Nussmeier will rarely settle for the 3-yard checkdown when he thinks he can hit the 22-yard square in between two closing safeties. He doesn’t have the arm for that, and that will only be worsened in the NFL. 

Like Mayfield has shown at times in his NFL career, harnessing that without completely willing it out of Nussmeier could really work. That’s why I’m not out on Nussmeier. It’s a lightning ride, but if it strikes, Nussmeier has the makeup to be an effective NFL starter. His grade ranks him 102nd in the class, to give an idea of how likely I think Nussmeier’s lightning will strike.

4. Carson Beck, Miami

Beck successfully rebounded from Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow, an injury that ended his long Georgia career, to find a magical season at Miami. A poised leadership presence, Beck offers nice size (6-foot-5, 233) and very impressive accuracy on short and intermediate throws. Pocket mechanics are excellent, with a quick release that can strike anticipatory throws well. 

I like how Beck improved how he handles pressure in his year at Miami. When he’s in his rhythm, Beck is capable of gnawing all the marrow off what the defense gives him. Patient, efficient, ruthless. He lacks athleticism and escapability, and throwing outside the structure of the offense is not Beck’s strong suit. The elbow surgery robbed Beck of some needed velocity on deeper and tight-window throws, though he’s still got enough to hit designed marks. 

Like Jacoby Brissett, Beck can last a long time in the NFL as a high-end backup capable of starting half a year if needed. Drafting him to be more than that probably involves too much risk, even if it’s not implausible that Beck emerges as more than that.

5. Cole Payton, North Dakota State

Lottery ticket alert! Scratch off at your own risk, however. That’s Payton. The dual-threat lefty from the FCS showed a ton of potential in his one year as a starter for the mighty Bison. 

The long story short: Payton appears to think he’s Josh Allen 2.0. And that shows at times. The fearless presence, the willingness to take shots and challenge defenses, run over LBs when he takes off, outstanding downfield ball placement--it’s all straight out of Allen. 

Unfortunately for Payton, he doesn’t have Allen’s arm strength. Nor does the sturdily built Payton possess Allen’s ability to throw strikes off-platform, though that doesn’t stop him from trying. Payton’s footwork and inconsistent engagement of his right shoulder in the throwing motion need immediate overhaul. Draft him in the 5th round to a team with a good QB coach and no need to have him active on Sundays before 2027 and see if Payton cashes in as a lottery ticket. Or, begin the process of making him Taysom Hill 2.0.

6. Drew Allar, Penn State

Straight out of 1970s QB central casting in terms of size, arm and mentality, Allar checks quite a few boxes. Some of those boxes are still important in the modern NFL, but the newer boxes of today’s game remain largely sealed with Allar, at least to this point. 

Allar offers best-in-class arm strength. He can throw the ball to any point on the field, and often does so with nice touch. When given time and space to step into his throws, Allar very much reminds why he was the No. 1 QB coming out of high school. Confidence is sexy. 

Alas, Allar is often a fainting goat under pressure. Mechanics break down as sheer panic sets in. His eyes go awry. Allar’s need to step into the throw becomes a serious problem, a la Ryan Mallett as a ghost of Draft past. Overall, his touch and accuracy are inconsistent, resulting in too many missed “easy” throws, too. That he missed half of 2025 with a leg injury doesn’t help his grade, which slots in as a late-round flier with fairly sizeable upside. Aside from Mendoza, Allar is the most likely successful starting NFL QB in this class--which tells you how impactful his flaws are in the evaluation that he grades so lowly.

7. Luke Altmeyer, Illinois

A “gamer” of a quarterback who plays better than the sum of his tools, Altmeyer offers a lot of experience running a pro-style offense and making NFL-type anticipatory throws. Undersized and not blessed with dynamic athleticism or arm strength, Altmeyer wins with anticipation, accuracy, touch and a willingness to stand and deliver under pressure.

Altmeyer can hit all the throws in structure, and he doesn’t put the ball at risk often when things break down. He does have a slower, lower release than desired. Protecting himself needs to become more of a priority; Altmeyer took two of the biggest hits I’ve ever seen a quarterback endure, and he routinely gets roughed up as a byproduct of his patience in letting downfield routes develop. 

Altmeyer earns the final “draftable” grade of the class, and it’s commensurate with an end-of-Day 3 rating. He projects as a capable backup option who can spot-start, a la Case Keenum or Jake Browning.

8. Cade Klubnik, Clemson

Klubnik entered the season with the clear potential to emerge as my QB1 in this class, but his relatively impressive prior two-plus seasons as a starter faded quickly with a subpar 2025. Surrounded by less talent, Klubnik’s lack of premium arm talent and anticipatory urgency really showed across his tape. 

Over his four seasons at Clemson, Klubnik proved fairly impressive at some NFL staples like deep shots off play-action and hitting crossers in stride. He’s decently athletic and smart about knowing when to run and when to live for another play. Klubnik has a good-not-great arm, but his accuracy comes and goes. Pressure speeds him up too much and throws off his vision and his mechanics, very much in the way Mitchell Trubisky struggled during his Chicago years. 

It’s hard to throw in the towel on someone like Klubnik, once the top HS recruit in the country and a player who has a pretty solid foundation of talent. I feel like we’ve seen his best already, a la Matt Leinart as a prospect. Wouldn’t fault any team for seeing what they can do with Klubnik as a Day 3 pick, but I’d prefer it not be my team rolling those dice with a pick.

9. Taylen Green, Arkansas

Green’s historically epic athletic display at the Combine forces a recalibration of his potential. He’s an incredible athlete who sporadically sparked as a passer at Arkansas, and Boise State before that. 

The actual quarterback play is in need of serious refinement. Green is a “needs to see it” type of passer, and he doesn’t always see it on time. The outstanding arm strength and quick release help, but Green often struggles to get the ball when and where it needs to be on schedule. There are far too many “hero ball” plays that result negatively, with too many missed layups. Disciplined zone defenders and dropping LBs are constant problems for Green. 

He’s got very real potential as a short-yardage/goal-line package specialist who can play at QB or RB. Green is a nasty weapon in dual-threat situations, and his size and speed are something teams can’t replicate in practice as an option-style runner. While he hasn’t done it in college, I like the idea of Green being a No. 3 QB who also happens to be a return specialist; his vision, acceleration and tackle-breaking ability make that an intriguing possibility.

10. Behren Morton, Texas Tech

Morton put together some intriguing game tape when he was healthy, which unfortunately wasn't often enough during his five years in Lubbock. His short and intermediate game is polished and perfunctory. Morton has just enough arm talent to hit deeper routes, though he needs a clear place to step. 

His best quality is his patience in the pocket, and the 6-2, 220-pounder extends that when he uses his above-average athleticism to work outside the tackle box. Morton has a litany of injuries, some exacerbated by holding the ball too long at times. If healthy, he’d rank higher than 10th here, but the injury flags relegate him to UDFA/UFL status for me. 

The rest, in order:

• Jalon Daniels, Kansas
• Miller Moss, Louisville
• Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
• Joe Fagnano, UConn
• Athan Kaliakmanis, Rutgers
• Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt

More 2026 NFL Draft Positional Big Boards:
• Wide Receivers