Mendoza leads a thin but interesting class. Here's every QB worth knowing.
Updated February 20, 2026
Class overview: This is widely considered a one-quarterback-in-the-top-10 draft. Fernando Mendoza is the clear QB1 and a likely #1 overall pick. After him, there's a cluster of Day 2 quarterbacks with starter upside — Ty Simpson, Garrett Nussmeier, and Carson Beck — followed by developmental arms on Day 3. Teams desperate for a franchise QB may need to overpay to trade up for Mendoza or wait for the 2027 class.
Mendoza is exactly what modern NFL offenses want. He's a precise, efficient pocket passer who excels in quick-game concepts, RPOs, and timing routes while maintaining the arm talent to push the ball downfield on play-action shots. His 2025 season was dominant — 72% completion, 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns, 6 interceptions — while leading Indiana to a national championship.
At 6-5 with a strong arm and advanced processing, Mendoza is the most pro-ready quarterback in the class. His weaknesses are relatively minor: he can be slow to escape the pocket under pressure, and his time to throw is occasionally too long for a pocket quarterback. But his accuracy, decision-making, and pocket presence are legitimate first-overall-pick traits.
Key traits: Arm strength (above average), accuracy (elite), pocket presence (elite), processing speed (above average), mobility (average).
Simpson is one of the more fascinating prospects in recent memory — a first-year starter who showed elite command through his initial games before the reality of SEC competition tested his consistency. He's an escape artist in the pocket with good lower-body fundamentals and a compact throwing base. His size (6-2, 208) is on the smaller end for NFL quarterbacks, but his ability to sift through pressure and create from a strong, balanced base is impressive.
The question with Simpson is sample size. He doesn't have multiple seasons of starting tape, which makes projection harder. But the tools and instincts are clearly there.
Key traits: Arm strength (average), accuracy (above average), pocket presence (above average), processing speed (developing), mobility (elite).
Nussmeier's 2025 season was derailed by an abdominal injury that limited him to roughly half a season, but his 2024 tape and Senior Bowl performance confirmed the talent: 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns as a junior with a powerful arm that has no problem going vertical. He spent years behind Jayden Daniels learning Brian Kelly's pro-style system, and the NFL preparation shows.
The injury-shortened 2025 creates a discount. Teams that watched his 2024 film know this is a potential starting-caliber quarterback who might be available in the second or third round. Every team that needs a quarterback but can't get Mendoza should be looking here.
Key traits: Arm strength (elite), accuracy (above average), pocket presence (above average), processing speed (average), mobility (below average).
Beck transferred from Georgia to Miami and showed improvement under the Hurricanes' coaching staff — 72% completion, 3,813 yards, 30 touchdowns. He has a power arm, NFL size, and showed improved poise and composure compared to his time in Athens. The concerns are well-documented: he can struggle under pressure, and his 12 interceptions show that decision-making remains inconsistent.
Beck has the physical tools of a starting NFL quarterback. Whether he can put it all together consistently is the gamble teams will be evaluating through the draft process.
Key traits: Arm strength (above average), accuracy (average), pocket presence (average), processing speed (average), mobility (below average).
Allar has elite size and has flashed ability across his Penn State career, but a season-ending leg injury in October 2025 limited his final tape to a handful of games. When healthy, he completed 67% with 24 touchdowns in 2024. He needs development with his footwork and field vision, but the raw physical tools — especially at 6-5, 235 — make him an intriguing developmental option for a team willing to be patient.
Key traits: Arm strength (above average), accuracy (average), pocket presence (developing), processing speed (developing), mobility (average).
Behind the top 5, there are several quarterbacks who could hear their names on Day 3 or earn roster spots as undrafted free agents. Cade Klubnik (Clemson) is a smart, compact passer who doesn't have elite arm talent but plays within structure. Cole Payton (North Dakota State) is the wild card — an inexperienced one-year starter who threw 16 touchdowns and ran for 13 more, offering dual-threat upside with a wide range of outcomes. Luke Altmyer (Illinois) improved his completion percentage to a career-high 67.4% in 2025 and offers enough athleticism to make plays outside the pocket.
Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt) may be the most fun prospect in the class regardless of draft position — arguably the greatest quarterback in Commodores history, but at 5-9 and under 200 pounds, his NFL path is steep. His competitive fire is undeniable and should at least earn him a shot in camp.
With only 1-2 first-round quarterbacks, the 2026 draft is going to be defined by defensive talent and the offensive line. Teams picking in the top 10 who don't need a QB will have their pick of elite edge rushers, cornerbacks, and tackles. Teams that do need a QB face a tough choice: pay a premium to trade up for Mendoza, or gamble on Simpson/Nussmeier in Round 2.
In Big Board Lab's mock draft simulator, you can test these scenarios yourself. The AI GMs model real team needs — the Raiders are virtually locked in on Mendoza at #1 — so you'll see how the QB-needy teams actually behave when the class is this thin. Do the Browns trade up? Does a team reach for Simpson in the teens? Run it and find out.
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