2026 NFL Draft: After Fernando Mendoza, Where Will the Top QB Prospects Land?

Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza has long been the projected No. 1 overall pick, which is owned by the Las Vegas Raiders. But where will the other top quarterback prospects land in the 2026 NFL Draft? Here are my predictions for five of the top passers not named Mendoza: Ty Simpson (Alabama): New York Jets 2025 stats (15 games): 64.5% completion rate for 3,567 yards and 28 TDs with 5 INTsMeasurables: 6-foot-1, 211 pounds Jets coach Aaron Glenn has already committed to veteran Geno Smith as his 2026 starter. That would allow Simpson to take somewhat of a redshirt year as a rookie, even if he’s a first-round pick, to develop and grasp an NFL offense (barring injury or significant struggles by Smith). It’s the best-case scenario for the former Alabama standout, who started just 15 games in college. With Smith under contract for just a year, that would enable a smooth transition to Simpson in 2027. Garrett Nussmeier (LSU): Arizona Cardinals 2025 stats (9 games): 67.4% completion rate for 1,927 yards and 12 TDs with 5 INTsMeasurables: 6-foot-2, 203 pounds Let’s assume the Cardinals stay at No. 3 overall. They’d have to accept the possibility that Ty Simpson won’t be around at the top of the second round, where they have the 34th overall pick. In that case, Nussmeier makes sense for Arizona in the third or fourth round. The investment there isn’t so big that you couldn’t pivot off him quickly if he doesn’t pan out as a challenger to journeymen quarterbacks Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew in 2026. Nussmeier’s tape in 2024, when he played a full season and ranked fifth in the FBS in passing yards, would give the Cardinals reason to be hopeful. Carson Beck (Miami): Green Bay Packers 2025 stats (16 games): 72.4% completion rate for 3,813 yards and 30 TDs with 12 INTs Measurables: 6-foot-5, 233 pounds After losing Malik Willis in free agency, the Packers need a No. 2 quarterback they can trust in case something were to happen to starter Jordan Love, who hasn’t played a full 17-game season since 2023. Cue Beck, who turns 24 in November, was a three-year college starter (two seasons at Georgia, one at Miami) and could be a Day 3 pick. He played in an SEC Championship Game and four College Football Playoff games over the past two years, making him as seasoned of a rookie quarterback as you can ask for. The Packers’ current backups are veteran Desmond Ridder and 2025 draft pick Kyle McCord, neither of whom appeared in a game last season. Drew Allar (Penn State): Los Angeles Rams 2025 stats (6 games): 64.8% completion rate for 1,100 yards and 8 TDs with 3 INTsMeasurables: 6-foot-5, 228 pounds The Rams are essentially going year-by-year with reigning MVP Matthew Stafford and would like a veteran No. 2 behind him, but they’d benefit from having a young quarterback they can develop too. Stetson Bennett, a former fourth-round pick, hasn’t made a regular season appearance in three NFL seasons, so that boat may have sailed. Allar was inconsistent in his three years as Penn State’s starter, but he possesses great size and can make every throw, which could allow Sean McVay to see a long-term vision with him. [2026 NFL Draft Confidential: Unfiltered Scouting Takes On Top 5 QBs] Taylen Green (Arkansas): Washington Commanders 2025 stats (12 games): 60.7% completion rate for 2,714 yards and 19 TDs with 11 INTs; 139 carries for 777 yards and 8 TDsMeasurables: 6-foot-6, 227 pounds The Commanders have their young franchise quarterback in Jayden Daniels and one of the league’s best backups in Marcus Mariota, but the long and rangy Green makes sense as a potential QB3. He was a dual-threat quarterback at the college level with his incredible athleticism (4.37-second 40-yard dash, 43½-inch vertical), a skill set that fits the offense that Washington has built around Daniels.