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NFL mock draft 2026: Where Ty Simpson, top QBs could land
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- NFL mock draft 2026: Where Ty Simpson, top QBs could land
The 2026 NFL Draft isn't considered to be particularly strong at quarterback. That still won't prevent teams from spending draft capital on signal-callers.
At least 11 quarterbacks have been selected in each of the last three editions of the NFL draft. The 2025 NFL Draft – which was considered to be similarly weak at the position – saw 13 players at the position come off the board, as teams spent nine Day 3 picks on quarterbacks.
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Something similar could happen in 2026. While there is a dearth of early-round talent at the position, there are a handful of potential-packed prospects who teams will take a swing on during the latter half of the draft.
Where could the top quarterback prospects be selected in the 2026 NFL Draft? Here's a quarterback-only mock draft as the draft's top signal-callers prepare to work out at the NFL combine.
NFL mock draft 2026: Projecting all QB landing spots
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
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Team: Las Vegas Raiders
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Pick: No. 1 overall, first round
This pick can probably be written in pen now. It's a forgone conclusion the Raiders will select Mendoza – the reigning Heisman Trophy winner who led Indiana to an undefeated season and a national championship – with the top overall selection.
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Mendoza completed 72% of his passes for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns and six interceptions in his lone season with the Hoosiers. His accuracy, field-reading skills and ability to effectively navigate the pocket have earned him Joe Burrow comparisons .
Ty Simpson , Alabama
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Team: Los Angeles Rams
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Pick: No. 29 overall, first round
Simpson has a wide draft range, as he could end up being a top-five pick but could also slip to the end of the first round. This scenario would represent his floor, and it would feature quarterback-needy teams like the New York Jets , Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers passing on him.
Simpson wouldn't complain about this landing spot. He would get a chance to learn behind reigning MVP Matthew Stafford and establish himself as the long-term successor for the 38-year-old in Sean McVay's quarterback-friendly offense.
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Simpson completed 64.5% of his passes for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns and five interceptions in his lone season as a full-time starter at Alabama. He will need time to gain more experience and iron out his consistency issues, but his combination of accuracy and ball placement, along with his ability to navigate and manipulate the pocket, should allow him to develop into a solid NFL starter, at the very least.
2026 NFL MOCK DRAFT: Projecting first round heading into combine workouts
Garrett Nussmeier , LSU
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Team: New York Jets
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Pick: No. 44 overall, second round
Nussmeier is the clubhouse leader to be the third quarterback taken in the 2026 NFL Draft. It's just a matter of whether teams will view him as a second-round selection or if his combination of turnover and injury issues will push him into the latter half of Day 2.
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The Jets may be willing to take Nussmeier here, given that the 44th selection is the team's fourth and they presently have a big-time need at quarterback. New York may add a veteran signal-caller with Aaron Glenn set to face a hot seat in 2026, but pairing that veteran with a younger, higher-upside quarterback like Nussmeier would make sense.
Nussmeier completed 67.4% of his passes for 1,927 yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions across nine games for LSU last season. He has a solid arm, good anticipation and NFL bloodlines as the son of New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier.
Carson Beck , Miami (FL)
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Team: Miami Dolphins
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Pick: No. 90 overall, third round
The Dolphins are in a tough spot at quarterback, as they will have to take a massive dead-cap hit if they release Tua Tagovailoa during the 2026 NFL offseason. That may leave them looking for a cheap option at quarterback, and drafting someone to compete with 2025 seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers may be the squad's ideal solution.
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Beck is an experienced, sixth-year quarterback who started 43 games with Georgia and Miami. He threw for at least 3,485 yards in each of his final three seasons and capped his career by completing 72.4% of his passes for 3,813 yards, 30 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in his lone season with the Hurricanes.
Beck seemed to possess merely average arm strength in 2025, his first season since having surgery on the UCL in his throwing elbow. He has prototypical size (6-4, 220 pounds) and throws with good touch and anticipation, but struggles under pressure, coupled with concerns about his arm strength, may render him more of a high-end backup than a long-term starter.
WHAT'S NEXT FOR TUA? Trade chances, landing spots, more
Cade Klubnik , Clemson
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Team: Arizona Cardinals
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Pick: No. 104 overall, fourth round
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The Cardinals appear to be heading toward a split with Kyler Murray . That could lead them to target a quarterback early in the draft, but they could also rely on a stopgap like Jacoby Brissett or Jimmy Garoppolo – with whom new coach Mike LaFleur is familiar – or another young free agent like Malik Willis to lead the team.
Regardless of what happens, Arizona may be best served to target a mid-round quarterback as it looks to build up the rest of its roster. Klubnik was once considered a potential first-round pick but was inconsistent in his final season at Clemson. The three-year starter has great arm talent and mobility but will need to improve his field-reading capabilities at the next level.
Klubnik completed 65.6% of his passes for 2,943 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions his final year at Clemson.
Drew Allar , Penn State
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Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
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Pick: No. 121 overall, fourth round
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It's sounding more and more like Aaron Rodgers will return to the Steelers for an additional season. That still shouldn't stop Pittsburgh from using one of its league-high 12 draft picks on a potential successor with upside.
Allar would qualify, as the 21-year-old was a touted recruit who earned first-round buzz at times while at Penn State. The 6-5, 235-pound quarterback has prototypical size and excellent arm talent but was having an up-and-down senior campaign before suffering a season-ending ankle injury after six games.
Allar completed 64.8% of his passes for 1,110 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions in his final season at Penn State. He would represent an intriguing dart throw for Pittsburgh and would battle 2024 sixth-round pick Will Howard for the right to be the team's quarterback of the future.
Cole Payton, North Dakota State
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Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
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Pick: No. 164 overall, fifth round
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The Jaguars could stand to add a developmental quarterback behind Trevor Lawrence and experienced backup Nick Mullens . Payton enjoyed a strong performance at the Senior Bowl, as the lefthander demonstrated the dual-threat capabilities that allowed him to find success in his lone season as a starter at North Dakota State.
Payton completed 72% of his passes for 2,719 yards, 16 touchdowns and four interceptions while running for 777 yards and 13 scores on 136 carries. What he lacks in arm strength, he makes up for with his touch passing skills and mobility, which could be enough to make him a solid NFL backup.
Taylen Green , Arkansas
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Team: Green Bay Packers
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Pick: No. 199 overall, sixth round
Green was a four-year starter at Boise State and Arkansas and has tantalizing tools. The 6-6, 230-pounder possesses a cannon arm and elite mobility for his size but had mechanical issues and struggled with turnovers throughout his college career.
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The Packers could use a high-upside backup behind Jordan Love with Malik Willis set to hit free agency. Pairing Green with a proven, offensive-minded coach like Matt LaFleur could pay dividends.
Sawyer Robertson , Baylor
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Team: Detroit Lions
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Pick: No. 203 overall, sixth round
Jared Goff is the only quarterback the Lions presently have under contract next season. That could lead the team to explore adding a draft pick to the mix after the Hendon Hooker experiment failed.
Robertson has a pro-caliber arm but showed inconsistent accuracy and ball placement across his two years as a starter at Baylor. He completed 60.3% of his passes for 3,681 yards, 31 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2025.
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Luke Altmyer, Illinois
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Team: Buffalo Bills
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Pick: No. 220 overall, seventh round
Josh Allen 's backup, Mitch Trubisky , is set to be a free agent in 2026. If he doesn't return, the Bills could add another quarterback to their depth chart to jockey with Shane Buechele for position behind Allen.
Altmyer was a three-year starter at Illinois who lacks elite traits but was steady in Bret Bielema's pro-style offense. The 6-1, 210-pound quarterback completed 67.4% of his passes for 3,007 yards, 22 touchdowns and five interceptions in his final college season.
Diego Pavia , Vanderbilt
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Team: Carolina Panthers
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Pick: No. 235 overall, seventh round
Pavia was the Heisman Trophy runner-up in 2025, as he completed 70.6% of his passes for 3,539 yards, 29 touchdowns and eight interceptions while adding 862 yards and 10 scores on the ground. He showed great toughness while turning Vanderbilt from an afterthought into a legitimate SEC contender, but his small frame – 5-9, 198 pounds – will likely limit him to a backup role in the NFL.
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The Panthers could have an interest in developing Pavia behind Bryce Young , who is one of the NFL's smallest quarterbacks at 5-10, 204 pounds. Andy Dalton is the lone other quarterback on Carolina's roster, so Pavia would fill the team's need for depth.
Jalon Daniels , Kansas
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Team: Baltimore Ravens
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Pick: No. 252 overall, seventh round
The Ravens could stand to add young depth behind Lamar Jackson with Tyler Huntley set to be a free agent and Cooper Rush struggling as the team's backup last season.
Daniels spent six seasons at Kansas and enjoyed his best season in 2025, completing 62.1% of his passes for 2,531 yards, 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions while adding 404 yards and four scores on the ground. The 23-year-old's best trait is his mobility, but perhaps he can turn into a backup-caliber passer with some time to develop behind Jackson.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL mock draft: Projecting landing spots for top QBs in 2026
