Kyle Crabbs’ final 2026 NFL Draft quarterback rankings offer a steep cliff behind Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza - where is the right window of value in the rest of the class?
We’ve finally made it to the end of the rainbow, my friends. The 2026 NFL Draft
is nearly here. And to put my opinions fully on the record, I’ve finalized my full thoughts and opinions about this year’s class for prospect rankings and an overall big board. Here, I’ll go over my final 2026 NFL Draft quarterback rankings.
It’s a little messy out there. If you need a quarterback and you’re not named the Las Vegas Raiders
, it gets dicy quick. Here are my 2026 NFL Draft quarterback rankings in full.
1. Fernando Mendoza
, Indiana Hoosiers: 83.50/100 (First Round Grade)
Well, at least we’ve got Fernando. I appreciate Mendoza’s intangibles, his size and toughness, his touch, and accuracy the most. There will obviously be a transition period as he works an NFL offense versus the responsibilities at Indiana - I believe this very fact is a lot of the “lost in translation” comments regarding him versus Simpson. But if you need a quarterback at the top of the draft, this is your guy. Guy ahead, Las Vegas
.
2. Ty Simpson , Alabama Crimson Tide: 77.00/100 (Second Round Grade)
There is, indeed, an intersection where I’d like the chance to draft Ty-Simpson. It wouldn’t be in the top-50 though. Before that, the investment and the expectations start to subconsciously nudge a team into playing him early, which I’m not sure is the best recipe for success. Simpson is a sharp guy who can handle a lot of pre-snap work. He’s got quick twitch, more so than Mendoza. I just don’t see the ability to drive the ball to a degree that’s beyond “sufficient” and his intermittent misses were alarming. Add in some limits pushing the ball downfield and the one year of starting experience and Simpson is a tough sell for me early.
3. Cole Payton
, North Dakota State Bison: 75.50/100 (Third Round Grade)
The third passer of my 2026 NFL Draft quarterback rankings is a lefty one-year starter at North Dakota State. If that doesn’t paint the picture of the class, I don’t know what will. For the record, I do like Payton quite a bit as a compelling developmental quarterback. I view (and graded him) similarly to Jalen Milroe
from Alabama last year. I think both guys have similar strengths and builds, although Payton did his damage in the FCS.
| 4. |
Penn State |
73.50 (RD4) |
|
| 5. |
LSU |
72.00 (RD4) |
|
| 6. |
Arkansas |
72.00 (RD4) |
|
| 7. |
Miami (FL) |
71.00 (RD5) |
|
| 8. |
Kansas |
71.00 (RD5) |
|
| 9. |
Clemson |
70.50 (RD5) |
|
| 10. |
Baylor |
69.00 (RD6) |
|
| 11. |
Georgia Tech |
69.00 (RD6) |
|
| 12. |
Luke Altmyer |
Illinois |
68.50 (RD7) |
| 13. |
Joey Aguilar |
68.50 (RD7) |
|
| 14. |
Miller Moss |
Louisville |
66.50 (UDFA) |
| 15. |
Texas Tech |
66.00 (UDFA) |
|
| 16. |
Vanderbilt |
65.00 (UDFA) |
The fourth round tier of Allar, Nussmeier, and Green feels like the sweet spot for this year after Mendoza. That is, of course, if you can actually get them in the fourth round. Allar and Green both have elite size, big arms and notable tools to try to develop. Green as a prolific athlete, Allar as a pocket passer. Nussmeier is sandwiched in the middle and I fear he’s destined for the “career backup” trajectory in part because of his size and modest arm strength.
After that trio, it’s dealer’s choice. If you want an athlete who never took the next step, Jalon Daniels and Cade Klubnik could be options for you. If you want a gadget football player who happens to play quarterback, Haynes King could do the “ Taysom Hill
experience”. Carson Beck feels like the tweener between the two groups - he commandeered the Canes to a runner-up finish this past season and the first years of his career at Georgia was trending well. But that was with Brock Boyers, Ladd McConkey
, and more.
In all, these 2026 NFL Draft quarterback rankings underscore scarcity at the top. And the question, as it is every year, will be how much teams reach lower than they should for positional need.
NFL Draft
Destin Adams April 15, 2026
