Congratulations to Indiana on winning the national championship and capping off an unbelievable season. It hurts me to say that a little bit as a Purdue grad, but Fernando Mendoza is the real deal (more on him in a minute) and this was an unprecedented program turnaround that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. With the college football season over and the Senior Bowl next week, it’s time to officially unveil my updated position rankings for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Today I’m ranking my top 10 quarterbacks. I wanted to wait until after the Playoff finished so we could see all these players finish out their seasons, and so we’d get final declaration decisions from the underclassmen playing in the college postseason. More than any other position, how quarterbacks respond when the lights are brightest is a key part of their evaluation.

Unfortunately, this is not a great class, and it might be even worse than last year’s. I was high on this group’s potential over the summer, but most of the guys we were looking to take a jump either didn’t or returned to school (or both). As a result, this class is pretty thin outside of the top guy, and the odds are low that we get more than one passer taken in the first round.

If you’d like to check out my other updated position rankings, you can do so below:

• Running Backs
• Wide Receivers
• Tight Ends
• Offensive Tackles
• Interior Offensive Linemen
• Edge Rushers
• Defensive Tackles
• Linebackers
• Cornerbacks
• Safeties

1: Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

A three-star recruit from Miami, Mendoza got a late offer from Cal after previously committing to Yale. He redshirted in 2022 and was buried on the depth chart initially before taking over as the starter midway through his redshirt freshman season. In 2024, he had 3,004 passing yards and 16 touchdowns to six interceptions and was one of the top transfer portal quarterbacks available. He committed to the Hoosiers and became one of the most dynamic players in college football, winning the Heisman Trophy and leading Indiana to an undefeated season and national championship with 3,535 passing yards and 41 touchdowns to just six interceptions, completing 72.0 percent of his passes. Mendoza added 276 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.

Standing at 6-5, 225 pounds, Mendoza is built like a prototypical NFL passer. He is pinpoint accurate to all three levels of the field, hitting receivers in stride with superb ball placement that helps them gain yards after the catch and naturally leads them away from coverage. He devastates defenses with his timing and anticipation, throwing receivers open and hitting them just out of their breaks before the defense can react. With the ability to make every NFL throw, Mendoza threatens the entire field on each snap, forcing defenses to account for his ability to create big plays. His best trait might be his ability to read defenses, as he always has answers for what the defense is trying to do and he consistently attacks the right spots.

Under pressure, Mendoza thrives, with great pocket mobility and route awareness. He can make some impressive throws on the move, keeping his eyes downfield and evading pressure without resorting to immediately tucking and running. Defenders bounce off his big frame, and he can muscle through sacks to gain positive yards out of broken plays. He isn’t a dynamic open-field runner, but he plays with toughness and has a few moves, always gaining more yards than you’d expect given his average speed. Pressure doesn’t faze Mendoza, and he thrives in hostile environments and championship moments, rising to the occasion with steady play and clutch throws.

Mendoza didn’t have the passing volume in college you typically see from No. 1 overall picks, and a lot of Indiana’s offense was predicated on screens, quick slants and the occasional go balls. On occasion, he’ll run himself into pressure, and he tends to take avoidable sacks rather than throwing the ball away. His arm talent is more good than great by NFL standards, and he’s more of a touch passer on deep balls rather than someone who can consistently rip it 50 yards up the seam.

The obvious choice for the top quarterback in this class, the gap between Mendoza and my QB2 is wider than the gap between Cam Ward and the field was last year. He’s proven himself every step of the way for the Hoosiers, getting better as the season goes on and answering every question scouts had. In a normal quarterback class, he might go closer to No. 10 overall than No. 1, but I don’t want to doubt this kid anymore. Mendoza’s keen awareness, toughness and football intelligence makes him an endearing choice to make the face of your franchise.

2: Ty Simpson, Alabama

A five-star recruit from Tennessee, Simpson redshirted in 2022 before losing the quarterback battle to Jalen Milroe in 2023. After two seasons spent as Milroe’s backup, he earned the starting spot as a redshirt junior in 2025, posting 3,567 passing yards with 28 touchdowns to five interceptions, completing 64.5 percent of his passes and adding two rushing scores. Simpson was named second-team All-SEC after the season and chose to forgo his final season of collegiate eligibility to enter the draft.

Checking in at 6-2, 208 pounds, Simpson wins by playing smarter than everyone around him. He can dissect defenses when kept clean, manipulating safeties with his eyes and dicing up downfield coverage. With a compact, quick release, he fires the ball with great anticipation and timing, hitting receivers just out of their breaks and beating the coverage to the spot. Simpson is great at recognizing blitzes and coverage rolls pre-snap, adjusting plays at the line as needed and crushing zone schemes by throwing into the empty voids he reads before they appear.

Simpson climbs the pocket well and protects the football when throwing, rarely taking unnecessary risks while still pushing the ball down the field. His ball placement is a major plus, leading his receivers away from big hits and protecting them from lurking defenders. He’s accurate to all three levels of the field and this stands out most on deep passes, dropping the ball right into his receivers’ arms with consistency, beating even tight downfield coverage.

Under pressure, Simpson really struggles. He’s not very mobile and loses focus when forced to navigate muddy pockets, taking big hits and avoidable sacks. He’s a bit loose with the ball in the pocket, risking putting it on the turf when he takes those hits. Even when he gets a pass off, his accuracy plummets, and he doesn’t have the arm strength to succeed on the move or from his back foot. For as good as Simpson is when able to play under control, he panics under pressure far too often.

In my opinion, Simpson is a classic second-round quarterback. Given the weak class he’s in, some team may want to take a shot on him late in the first, but he’s not someone who projects as an NFL-ready starter. He’ll want some time to mature behind a capable veteran, but if he can improve his play under pressure, his accuracy and ability to read defenses will play at the NFL level.

3: Carson Beck, Miami

A four-star recruit from Jacksonville, Beck originally started at Georgia, spending two years backing up Stetson Bennett before taking over as the starter in 2023. He put together a promising 2023 campaign, earning second-team All-SEC with 3,941 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions, adding four rushing touchdowns and completing 72.4 percent of his passes. Those numbers dropped to 3,485 passing yards and 28 touchdowns to 12 interceptions in 2024, completing 64.7 percent of his passes. In 2025, he flirted with declaring for the NFL but ultimately transferred to the Hurricanes, leading them to the national title game with 3,813 passing yards and 30 touchdowns to 12 interceptions, completing 72.4 percent of his passes and earning third-team All-ACC honors.

Measuring at 6-4, 200 pounds, Beck is a maestro in the pocket. He navigates pressure in the pocket well, stepping up and dodging the rush with subtle movements and keeping his eyes downfield. When kept clean, he’s a machine, dicing up defenses over the middle of the field with exceptional anticipation and timing on in-breaking routes. He routinely hits receivers right out of their breaks, leading them away from coverage and creating chunk plays snap after snap. Beck is at his best when he hits a couple of throws in a row, gaining a rhythm and keeping the offense humming with surgical drives that result in touchdowns time after time.

Beck stands tall in the pocket and delivers tough throws, not afraid to take a hit while maintaining proper mechanics despite pressure. He’s got a rocket arm and can really throw it, threatening deep and to the opposite sideline with long throws that defenses struggle to contain. Accuracy is a major plus for Beck, as he can hit the tightest windows and create open receivers where other quarterbacks simply wouldn’t attempt and couldn’t hit even if they tried.

An older prospect, we pretty much know what Beck is at this point. He has some ability to create out of structure, but he struggles when faced with pressure, leading to poor decisions with the ball and big, avoidable sacks. He’s a gunslinger in every sense of the word, attempting throws he probably shouldn’t and having a higher turnover rate than most, though he did clean this up to an extent at Miami. Beck’s accuracy under pressure wavers considerably and he becomes erratic when he doesn’t have a stable throwing platform.

Ironically, I’m higher on Beck relative to this class than I was relative to last year’s class. Like I said, we pretty much know who he is at this point, but I think he can be a high-level backup who can win NFL games with his arm, and that’s a player worth taking in the third round. If he could clean up his play under pressure, he’d have NFL starter potential even. Beck probably won’t string together enough good games in a row to make teams confident in him as their starter long-term, but he has serious upside as a backup that you just don’t typically see from quarterbacks in this range.

4: Drew Allar, Penn State

A five-star high school recruit from Ohio, Allar committed to the Nittany Lions with quite a bit of fanfare. After playing a backup role as a true freshman and turning in a solid first season as a starter in 2023, he broke out in 2024, racking up 3,327 yards and 24 touchdowns to go with 302 rushing yards and six touchdowns. He led Penn State to the Big Ten Championship Game and a win in the College Football Playoff, entering 2025 with considerable hype. Unfortunately, Allar got off to a slow start to his senior season before breaking his ankle six games in, ending his college career on a down note.

Standing at 6-5, 235 pounds, Allar has everything you could want in an NFL quarterback physically. With elite NFL arm talent, he can drive the ball deep down the field with a speed and punch that takes defensive backs by surprise, hitting receivers in stride 40 or 50 yards downfield on a rope. His delivery is easy and repeatable, with a picture-perfect release that maximizes his lower-body power without sacrificing accuracy. Despite his reputation, Allar is great on touch passes, layering throws over second-level defenders and lofting nice fades in the red zone. There isn’t a throw he can’t make or one you don’t want him attempting.

Throughout his collegiate career, Allar excelled at taking care of the football. He was always eager to push the ball down the field, but it never came at the expense of smart football plays and risk-averse play. Under pressure, he knows how to buy time and keep his eyes downfield, producing out of structure. He navigates the pocket well, finding throwing lanes and adjusting his arm angles on the fly to deliver passes. When kept clean, Allar is an accurate quarterback who makes complex, full-field reads and works through full progressions to make the right play.

Allar never quite lived up to his potential in college for two main reasons. His mechanics break down under pressure, leading to major accuracy issues. As much as he’s a playmaker out of structure, he becomes volatile when the pocket isn’t clean. His decision-making is usually still pretty good, it’s just that he becomes erratic with his ball placement, missing wide-open throws and badly under or overthrowing his targets. The other issue Allar has on tape is his anticipation, as at times he’s still waiting to see receivers come open before throwing to them.

I have a third-round grade on Allar, but he’s also the prospect I just can’t quit. He’s coming off a major injury and never put it all together in college, and he’s not without his flaws. In a group of very middling quarterback prospects in this range, Allar is the guy I’d bet on, though. He’s got the physical tools and has shown flashes of high-end play at times in his career.

5: Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss

A zero-star recruit from Michigan, Chambliss went to Division II’s Ferris State on a partial scholarship in 2021, redshirting initially before playing a backup role the next two seasons. In his first season as a starter in 2024, he accounted for 51 total touchdowns and led the Bulldogs to a Division II national title. Transferring to the Rebels in 2025, Chambliss was expected to be a backup at first but took over after just a few games. He threw for 3,937 yards and 22 touchdowns to three interceptions at a 66.1-percent clip. He added 527 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, earning second-team All-SEC recognition.

Measuring 6-1, 200 pounds, Chambliss is dynamic in the open field and has a cannon for an arm. He launches the ball downfield with great effectiveness, threatening every blade of grass and rocketing passes deep on a rope. He’s decisive with the football and navigates the pocket well, extending plays as needed but rarely holding onto the ball for too long. With one of the fastest time-to-throw averages in the class, he makes quick reads and gets the ball to his playmakers, running a highly efficient offense. Chambliss rises to the moment, stepping up in the biggest spots to make plays.

As a rusher, Chambliss has truly game-breaking speed, blazing past linebackers in the open field and routinely turning short gains into huge plays. He’s like a running back in space, chaining multiple moves together and making people miss in tight spaces. When scrambling, he looks to throw before he takes off running, buying time and going through his progressions. Chambliss excels at throwing on the run and making plays out of structure, and he never wavers in the face of pressure. He’s exceptional at taking care of the football, rarely fumbling or putting it in harm’s way.

An undersized passer, Chambliss does carry some durability concerns heading into the NFL, especially considering the types of hits he subjects himself to on a regular basis. His accuracy over the middle of the field is a bit hit-or-miss, and his consistency on anticipation and timing throws comes and goes. He’s more comfortable outside the pocket than in it, and he tends to abandon clean pockets prematurely. Chambliss isn’t the best touch passer in this class and he’ll occasionally throw with a little too much heat, or fail to properly layer a pass over the second-level defenders into open windows between the safeties.

A true playmaker with nerves of steel, I have a third-round grade on Chambliss. He’s an exciting college quarterback with a questionable fit at the next level, but he should have opportunities to continue developing his game. If he can get a little more consistent over the middle of the field, he could be a starter in the NFL. Even if he can’t, he already does a lot of things really well and avoids several common pitfalls of quarterback prospects with similar profiles. Chambliss is a fan favorite who may go a little lower in the draft than college football fans expect.

6: Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

A former four-star recruit from Louisiana who backed up Jayden Daniels, Nussmeier earned a starting role last year in his fourth year in the program. With 4,052 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, he garnered some draft buzz but was a projected second-round pick. Given that, he decided to return to school, putting up 1,927 passing yards and 12 touchdowns to five interceptions in nine games, playing through an abdominal injury that impacted his play and forced him to miss a few games.

At 6-1, 205 pounds, Nussmeier is a smaller quarterback who’s most comfortable operating from the pocket. He’s got a great arm, effortlessly hitting throws to the opposite sideline, deep in-cuts, or go balls with excellent velocity and distance. It’s not just power with him, either, as he’s got good touch on his throws, layering them in over linebackers and dropping the ball nicely between safeties and lurking coverage defenders. Nussmeier reads the field well, finding his reads and getting the ball out exceptionally quickly.

Nussmeier throws with good anticipation, particularly over the middle of the field. He attacks the seams with precision, leading his targets upfield for extra yards after the catch. Navigating the pocket well, he buys time to find his receivers and create plays when the initial read is blown up. Nussmeier can make throws on the move and maintain his mechanics to deliver accurate passes.

A big-game hunter, Nussmeier can get pretty cavalier with the football. He’s got a gunslinger reputation for a reason, always going for the knockout punch and often passing up easy yards for longer gains that may not be there. He tends to lock onto his primary read and force throws or scramble around without a plan when it isn’t there. Under pressure, Nussmeier struggles mightily, dirting passes when there are escape avenues and generally floundering. His decision-making becomes even more of an issue under pressure, as well.

I have a third-round grade on Nussmeier. He projects more as an NFL backup with starter potential rather than someone you’re drafting with the intention of making him the future of your franchise. I think his physical limitations combined with his inability to operate under pressure is a pretty tough combination of weaknesses to overcome, but he does play with the attitude and aggressiveness you want to see. There’s a world where Nussmeier improves his progression-reading skills and becomes a quality starter in this league.

7: Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt

A three-sport high school athlete and zero-star football recruit out of Albuquerque, Pavia began his collegiate career at New Mexico Military Institute, spending two years as their starting quarterback before transferring to New Mexico State. He won the Aggies’ quarterback battle in 2023 and had a monster year in 2024, winning Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year with 33 total touchdowns. Pavia followed his head coach to Vanderbilt and had a good first season in 2024 before dominating as a sixth-year senior in 2025, earning consensus first-team All-SEC recognition with 3,539 passing yards and 29 touchdowns to eight interceptions, completing passes at a 70.6-percent clip and adding 862 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.

Checking in at 6-0, 207 pounds, Pavia is decidedly undersized for the NFL. He makes up for it with exceptional mobility and pocket awareness, rarely taking sacks and thriving on the move and out of structure. Accurate to all three levels of the field, Pavia is devastating on deep throws, hitting his receivers in stride and dropping passes in the bucket to beat good coverage. When faced with pressure, he balances keeping his eyes downfield with taking off for easy yards, making smart decisions with the football and routinely making the correct reads quickly.

Pavia is dangerous as a runner, with genuine running back-level speed and the ability to make people miss in the open field. He throws with anticipation over the middle of the field, dicing up defenses and hitting receivers out of their breaks. When the lights are brightest, he steps up to the plate, performing at his best when the pressure is highest. Pavia is accurate to all three levels of the field and commands complete control of the offense, calling audibles at the line and recognizing defensive looks pre-snap to check into the right play.

With his size limitations, Pavia will have a tougher time making it in the NFL than bigger quarterbacks. His arm talent is lacking, with below-average arm strength for the pros and as such, he can be late on throws even when he makes the correct reads. Pavia doesn’t always go through his full progressions and tends to lock onto his primary target, though he got better at this in 2025.

I have a mid-round grade on Pavia despite all the things he does exceptionally well. Quarterbacks with his limitations routinely struggle in the NFL and he has an uphill battle to earn a starting chance. I like his decision-making, athleticism, and big-play ability, but his lack of arm strength and difficulty hitting progressions over the middle of the field is a tough combination. Pavia is an elite college quarterback who will have to land in the right situation to have a chance at the next level.

8: Luke Altmyer, Illinois

A four-star recruit from Mississippi, Altmyer began his collegiate career at Ole Miss, enrolling in 2020, redshirting initially before playing as a backup for the next two seasons. His trajectory changed when he transferred to the Fighting Illini in 2023, where he quickly settled in and started over the next three seasons. After two solid seasons from 2023-2024, Altmyer took the next step as a sixth-year senior, throwing for 3,007 yards and 22 touchdowns to five interceptions, completing 67.4 percent of his passes and adding 242 rushing yards and another five touchdowns.

At 6-2, 205 pounds, Altmyer isn’t built like a traditional NFL quarterback prospect. But his touch and ball placement on vertical passes is gorgeous to watch, dropping the ball into the bucket and beating excellent coverage. Ball placement in general is one of Altmyer’s strengths, as he consistently leads his receivers and delivers a catchable pass right where it needs to be. He throws with anticipation and timing, hitting receivers out of their breaks and beating the coverage to the spot. Altmyer’s shown the ability to hit NFL throws, such as deep seam passes and throws to the sideline from the opposite hash.

Altmyer can make some plays on the move, throwing with accuracy out of the pocket and dodging defenders in the backfield. He keeps the ball out of harm’s way and reads defenses exceptionally well, finding soft spots in zone coverage and identifying the mismatches in man. Altmyer keeps his head up in the pocket, clearing the trash and finding angles to deliver passes even when the pressure’s on.

Although his accuracy is a plus, Altmyer doesn’t have the arm strength to consistently threaten NFL defenses. His velocity plummets when attempting to drive the ball up the field or hit out routes, and those passes die on him near the catch point and allow defenders to get back into the play. His mechanics break down under pressure, losing his hallmark accuracy when he isn’t kept clean, and he struggles to break sacks against college defenders.

A solid mid-round pick, Altmyer projects as a backup at the NFL level. His combination of accuracy, experience, and intangibles will make him an appealing target for a team in need of a cost-controlled backup, and if he gets opportunities on the field he could earn more of them. Altmyer won’t wow fans on draft day, but he can be reliable in his role for years to come.

9: Cade Klubnik, Clemson

A former five-star recruit from Austin, Klubnik spent his freshman season as D.J. Uiagalelei’s backup before taking over as the starter in the ACC Championship Game and Orange Bowl. He’s started the three seasons since and took a major leap forward as a junior in 2024, when he put up 3,639 passing yards and 36 touchdowns to go with 463 rushing yards and another seven touchdowns. Klubnik took a step back as a senior, with 2,943 passing yards and 16 touchdowns to six interceptions.

Standing at 6-2, 210 pounds, Klubnik is at his best throwing deep. He has the arm to get the ball where he wants it to go and can throw multiple styles of long balls with the appropriate velocity and touch. Back-shoulder fades, true go balls, posts, corner routes, he can hit them all with accuracy and touch, leading receivers to open grass and beating even good coverage. Klubnik gets the ball out quickly and is an accurate passer over the middle, hitting soft spots in zone coverage and making those throws with the appropriate timing as receivers come out of their breaks.

As a runner, Klubnik is legitimately fast and a decent athlete for the position. He can turn a short gain into a big run when he hits a crease, and that also carries over when he’s scrambling. Defenses are forced to account for him as a runner, which brings the offense all sorts of schematic advantages. In the pocket, he avoids the rush and doesn’t take bad sacks, getting the ball out quickly when his reads are there and often creating something out of nothing when they aren’t.

Decision-making is a weakness for Klubnik right now, as is accuracy under pressure. His mechanics waver when he doesn’t have a clean pocket and most of his turnovers come in those situations. For as good as he is throwing it deep, he doesn’t do it often enough, shying away from big plays more than you want to see from an NFL prospect. Klubnik isn’t great at going through his progressions and tends to wait just a beat too long on his primary target, leading to timing issues throughout the rest of the play. His accuracy drops on the “easy” throws and he misses layups far too often, as well.

Klubnik entered the year with decent hype, but no quarterback hurt their draft stock in 2025 more than he did. I have a late-round grade on him as he has a strong pedigree and has shown stretches of good play. But his frame is small for the NFL and he doesn’t do the easy things consistently. That will hamstring any offense he runs, and as such, I don’t see him as an option on Day 2.

10: Taylen Green, Arkansas

A three-star recruit from Texas, Green committed to Boise State out of high school and redshirted in 2021 before taking over as the starter the following season. That year, he had 2,042 passing yards and 14 touchdowns to six interceptions, adding 586 rushing yards and another 10 touchdowns, being named the Mountain West Freshman of the Year. In 2024, he transferred to Arkansas, throwing for 3,154 yards and 15 touchdowns to nine interceptions, adding 602 rushing yards and eight scores. As a fifth-year senior in 2025, he had 2,714 passing yards and 19 touchdowns to 11 interceptions, with 777 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.

At 6-6, 224 pounds, Green is hyper-athletic. He made Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List with a ridiculous size-speed combination, and that translates to the football field in multiple ways. His downfield accuracy stands out, threatening defenses vertically on every play, and he has the arm talent to force defenses to cover every area of the field on any given snap. He’s at his best in the RPO game, using his gravity as a rusher to hold the unblocked defender and force the linebackers to crash down, opening up throwing lanes behind them.

As a runner, Green routinely trucks defenders and runs through tackles, but he also has some wiggle to his game in the open field to make people miss in space. With his speed, he’s a legitimate threat to house longer runs, and when he scrambles, he gives defenses all sorts of headaches. Over the middle of the field, his passes arrive with the appropriate zip and velocity, beating defenders to the spot and threading the ball through some tight windows.

Despite his scrambling abilities, Green struggles as a passer under pressure, with his mechanics breaking down and accuracy varying wildly. Accuracy in general is not his strong suit, and he’s never had a season in college with his completion percentage meaningfully above 60 percent. Green doesn’t typically go through his full progression before choosing to run, missing open receivers by simply not looking to them, and he doesn’t throw well with timing or anticipation. He prefers to see a target open before letting the ball go.

Green is an intriguing late-round developmental quarterback option for teams looking to stash someone on the bench. He’s not ready for NFL backup duties right now, but with his combination of tools and athleticism, there might be something there. Other late-round quarterbacks are more ready now, but don’t carry Green’s upside. One wrinkle NFL teams will consider is his athleticism, and he could be a candidate to change positions down the road.