Much like last year, the preseason promise of NFL prospects at the quarterback position has not lived up to expectations, leaving scouts disappointed as the 2026 draft draws near. Several first-year starters have propped up the class, yet overall, there are concerns and many questions at the position. Here’s a breakdown of the top eight signal callers, as well as grades for the draftable and PFA prospects at the position.

Fernando Mendoza/Indiana: Hopes were high that Mendoza would develop his game under the coaching at Indiana, the best in the nation, and that’s exactly what happened. He’s an incredibly accurate passer with next-level physical skills as well as quarterback acumen who stays away from poor decisions or bad throws.

Mendoza was not asked to do much in the early going this season, but he played well in the victory over Oregon and was brilliant during the Hoosiers’ thrilling last-minute comeback at Penn State. He’s a large part of the reason Indiana is ranked second in the nation, and if Mendoza chooses to enter the draft, he’s expected to be the first quarterback selected. But be aware that not all next-level decision makers believe Mendoza is the “franchise quarterback” many are making him out to be.

Ty Simpson/Alabama: Before the season, few were talking about Simpson, a first-year starter who took over the starting job at Alabama from Jalen Milroe. Yet after a rough opening game against Florida State, Simpson has shown the skill and potential to be an early draft pick.

The redshirt junior is a terrific combination of intelligence and arm talent, capable of making accurate passes all over the field. Yet he’s a smaller quarterback who started just 12 games on the college level, which is cause for concern.

Dante Moore/Oregon: Another quarterback with a sparse body of work and average next-level size, Moore has been terrific this season and is building momentum in the scouting community. He’s an athletic RPO quarterback who beats opponents with his arm as well as his legs.

Though Moore has come through during some important moments this season, not everyone is convinced his skills will bring immediate success at the next level. The sense I’m getting from those in the know is that Moore will return to Oregon in 2026, as he’ll sign a massive NIL deal once the season concludes and is set up for success with the Ducks.

LaNorris Sellers/South Carolina: Sellers was my No. 1 quarterback prospect before the season, but his game has since regressed. He’s a great arm talent who can make all the throws and displays a lot of power running the ball. Yet Sellers has been inconsistent as a passer this season, making too many inaccurate or poor throws. He has not reacted well to pressure, runs in reverse trying to avoid sacks, and struggles moving the chains.

My own opinion is that Sellers needs to return to the college field for another season, but he must transfer out of South Carolina to a school with a proven quarterbacks coach. Tennessee immediately comes to mind for that. Others are not so sure and believe that if Sellers plays another season of college ball and stumbles, his draft stock will crater a la Drew Allar. A decision on where Sellers will be playing next season could be a long way off, as those close to him tell me that conversation has not even started.

John Mateer/Oklahoma: After transferring to OU from Washington State, Mateer has been masterful leading the Sooners’ offense and has the program on the cusp of the College Football Playoff. He’s won several important contests, coming through in the clutch, and he’s a smart, poised quarterback who makes plays in the pocket or on the move.

Mateer lacks classic size and has erratic accuracy, both of which are red flags. At this point, it would be surprising if he chose to enter the draft.

Arch Manning/Texas: Despite many predicting that he would be the first pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, Manning quickly fell out of favor after a tough start and was booed by Texas fans in the early going. Yet Manning, who started just two games a year ago, has shown consistent improvement as the season has progressed and gets better each week.

Manning possesses great physical skills, yet is unpolished in his mechanics, decision-making, and timing. He comes with great upside potential, but needs a ton of work on his game. Given the history of his famous uncles, it would be shocking if this Manning leaves college early and opts for the draft.

Garrett Nussmeier/LSU: Graded by NFL scouts as the top-rated senior quarterback prospect in the nation at the start of the season, Nussmeier has been up and down this year, much like the entire LSU program.

Garrett is poised, patient, and very tough, yet comes with an average arm and less-than-desirable size, and throws too many interceptions. It’s hard for me to envision Nussmeier as anything other than a backup quarterback on Sundays. 

Jayden Maiava/USC: From an arm talent point of view, Maiava grades with the best of them at this position. The junior possesses the arm strength to make all the passes, firing crossfield throws with speed and driving the ball downfield.

Accuracy is another issue, as though Maiava occasionally puts the ball on the money, all too often he delivers errant passes and misses targets altogether. The physical skills are apparent, but Maiava must round out his game.

QB Rankings for the 2026 NFL Draft