NFL draft position preview: Mendoza highlights top-heavy quarterback class
Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy-winning, national champion, LinkedIn-posting quarterback of Indiana, headlines a top-heavy class of quarterbacks at this year's NFL draft.
This is the first in a series previewing position groups for the 2026 NFL draft. Today: quarterbacks.
All eyes are on Fernando Mendoza, who is all but guaranteed to go to the Las Vegas Raiders with the No. 1 pick in this year’s NFL draft. Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy-winning, national champion, LinkedIn-posting quarterback of Indiana, headlines a top-heavy class of quarterbacks.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza speaks during a news conference at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis on Feb. 27.
Julio Cortez, Associated Press
Mendoza has already announced that he intends to watch and celebrate the draft from his home in Miami, rather than head to Pittsburgh for the big moment. Family-oriented and down-to-earth, the Heisman winner dedicated his award to his mother, Elsa.
It’s not the deepest class. Draft analysts have about 10 quarterbacks, give or take, with draftable grades on them.
But as always, even for teams like the Buffalo Bills that are very much set at quarterback, it is important to monitor the quarterback draft class. These play-callers can shift the entire tenor of the draft, as teams in desperate need of a QB1 – or in later rounds, a QB of the future – move around to get their guy.
Overall position ranking: 3/10.
Bills' view. There’s not much to this. The Buffalo Bills have their quarterback, Josh Allen, locked up and locked in. Allen, who turns 30 next month, is joined in the Buffalo quarterback room by friends and backups Kyle Allen and Shane Buechele. So, the Bills have their guy, and they have their guys for practice. At some point, they could consider drafting Allen’s backup instead of tending to that through free agency, but there are enough needs on the roster right now that they can let quarterbacks pass by.
Bills' need ranking: 1/10.
The best. Mendoza. He may not start immediately for the Raiders. Las Vegas brought in veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to help ease the transition for Mendoza to the pros. But the Raiders will eventually pivot to Mendoza as the face of a franchise in need of a reboot. Mendoza’s 41 touchdown passes last season led college football, and he certainly made his mark on Indiana in his lone season there.
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson runs a drill at the NFL scouting combine on Feb. 28 in Indianapolis.
Michael Conroy, Associated Press
Names to know. Ty Simpson. Garrett Nussmeier. Mendoza is likely the lone first-round quarterback selected, unless Simpson somehow moves up. Hey, a need is a need, right? Simpson, an Alabama product, has limited time on task as a starter, with just one season at the helm under his belt. He faced a revolving door at offensive coordinator, which could have impacted Simpson, the son of a football coach. Still, in 15 games as the starter last season, he threw for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, and five interceptions.
Nussmeier, meanwhile, was a two-year starter at LSU. He is the son of New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, giving him plenty of NFL connections. As a player himself, his 2025 campaign wasn’t up to the standards of his strong 2024 season. He played just nine games last season, missing time with an abdominal injury. In those games, Nussmeier threw for 1,927 yards, 12 touchdowns, and five interceptions.
Intriguing. Carson Beck. Any athlete in any sport will want some plays back, but for the 24-year-old Beck, the choices are obvious. His final play at the University of Georgia, where he spent five years, was a turnover. And his final play at the University of Miami – the final play of his college career, and the third-to-last play of the College Football Playoff national championship game – was an interception. Beck and Miami watched as Mendoza and the Hoosiers celebrated instead, winning 27-21. He had 30 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in his final college campaign. With a strong baseball background, Beck could continue to improve his decision-making, but when he has time, he shows flashes of strong play.
Sleeper. Mark Gronowski. The offensive MVP of the East-West Shrine Bowl, Gronowski is a dual-threat quarterback who set school records at Iowa last season for rushing yards by a quarterback (545) and touchdowns (16). He began his college career at South Dakota State, where he won two FCS national championship games in three appearances. Highly intelligent, Gronowski’s undergraduate studies were in mechanical engineering, and he followed that up with a master’s in engineering management.
Top 10
Name, school, height, weight1. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana, 6-5, 236
2. Ty Simpson, Alabama, 6-1, 211
3. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU, 6-2, 203
4. Drew Allar, Penn State, 6-5, 228
5. Carson Beck, Miami, 6-5, 233
6. Cole Payton, North Dakota State, 6-3, 232
7. Cade Klubnik, Clemson, 6-2, 207
8. Taylen Green, Arkansas, 6-6, 227
9. Luke Altmyer, Illinois, 6-2, 210
10. Sawyer Robertson, Baylor, 6-4, 216