With several of the big names off the board in free agency, the next step in the NFL offseason takes place later this month with the 2026 NFL Draft, spanning from April 23 to April 25 in Pittsburgh.
As is the case in most drafts, many NFL teams will attempt to find their franchise quarterback.
Below, we’ll break down the best QB prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft class with a ranking, as well as analysis on where they could end up. Use PrizePicks Team Picks to make predictions on draft outcomes, now available in 35 states.
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2026 NFL Draft QB Rankings: Top 10 QBs
It's a talented QB class, leading to a little bit of everything in this top 10 ranking.
- Fernando Mendoza (Indiana)
- Ty Simpson (Alabama)
- Garrett Nussmeier (LSU)
- Carson Beck (Miami)
- Cole Payton (North Dakota State)
- Drew Allar (Penn State)
- Luke Altmyer (Illinois)
- Taylen Green (Arkansas)
- Cade Klubnik (Clemson)
- Sawyer Robertson (Baylor)
Best QB Prospects in 2026 NFL Draft: Top 5 Breakdown
Let's peel back a ranking of the top five QB prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, including PrizePicks Team Picks payouts for potential draft outcomes.
Payouts are live as of writing and are subject to change.
1. Fernando Mendoza (Indiana)
Measurements: 6-foot-5, 225 pounds
No. 1 Overall Pick Payout: 33.33x No | N/A Yes
Fernando Mendoza seems to be the consensus pick to be selected at the top of the 2026 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. He's scheduled to have a pre-draft visit with Raiders brass on Tuesday, but it could be somewhat of a formality.
Mendoza took the college football world by storm this past season, as he led Indiana to a College Football Playoff National Championship and a 16-0 campaign. In his lone season in Bloomington, the junior signal-caller completed 72.0% of his passes for 3,535 yards to go along with an FBS-best 41 TDs and just 6 INTs.
The 2025 Heisman Trophy winner wasn’t affected by the bright lights throughout Indiana’s national title run. His decision-making is one of his biggest strengths and should translate well to the NFL level.
While Mendoza benefited from an elite running game, he thrived in the red zone, tossing an FBS-high 27 TDs there with no INTs.
Mendoza may not be confused for a dual-threat, but he has no problem tucking the ball when he needs to. In fact, no clearer example can be found than when he ripped off a 12-yard TD run on 4th-and-5 in the fourth quarter of the National Championship against Miami.
Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak has made it clear that he prefers a rookie QB to soak up the system before taking over as the starter. With Las Vegas signing veteran Kirk Cousins last week, Mendoza may have the option to do just that if he's the pick at No. 1.
2. Ty Simpson (Alabama)
Measurements: 6-foot-2, 208 pounds
Second QB Drafted Payout: 5.26x No | 1.01x Yes
Mendoza might end up being the only QB selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. However, if there's another prospect who could hear his name called on Thursday night in Pittsburgh, it may be Alabama’s Ty Simpson.
Overall, Simpson had a strong performance in his junior season as the Crimson Tide’s QB. He completed 64.5% of his passes for 3,567 yards in addition to 28 TDs to just 5 INTs.
Simpson has no problem remaining calm in the pocket in the face of pressure and can climb if he needs to. It also doesn’t hurt that he has fairly solid arm strength that helps him sling the ball down the field.
Simpson really thrived early in SEC play when Alabama faced a daunting schedule that included No. 5 Georgia, No. 16 Vanderbilt, No. 14 Missouri, and No. 11 Tennessee. The junior led the Crimson Tide to a 4-0 mark in those contests while tossing 9 TDs compared to just 1 INT.
At times, Simpson does attempt to extend plays with his legs when he should throw the ball away or potentially even take a sack. Better decision-making could be a reason that he falls out of the first round.
3. Garrett Nussmeier (LSU)
Measurements: 6-foot-1, 205 pounds
Third QB Drafted Payout: 1.4x No | 1.58x Yes
Entering the season, Garrett Nussmeier was viewed as one of the top Heisman Trophy candidates and looked poised to take the next step after a strong 2024 campaign. However, the LSU QB didn’t quite have the success that many envisioned, and his draft stock took a hit as a result.
After throwing for 4,052 yards and 29 TDs in 2024, Nussmeier completed 67.4% of his passes for 3,567 yards to go along with only 12 passing TDs and 5 INTs as a senior. He dealt with some tendonitis in his knee, among other injuries, and was limited to just nine games.
It certainly wasn’t an ideal season for LSU, as the school fired head coach Brian Kelly in late October and the scheme didn’t exactly do Nussmeier any favors.
After all, the Tigers ranked 122nd in the country with just 102.1 rushing yards per game, which allowed teams to key on Nussmeier and the passing attack. Nussmeier averaged 6.4 air yards per target in 2025, which ranked 130th in the FBS.
Nussmeier did prove to be healthy during Senior Bowl week and performed well at the Scouting Combine in February. While he may not be a first-round pick, a team willing to take a chance on the potential could be rewarded down the road.
4. Carson Beck (Miami)
Measurements: 6-foot-4, 233 pounds
Fourth QB Drafted Payout: 1.04x No | 3.03x Yes
Carson Beck dealt with quite a bit of adversity late in the 2024 season and ultimately ended up transferring to Miami for his final collegiate campaign. It was a move that may have boosted his draft stock after it was at an all-time low.
Beck suffered a UCL injury during the 2024 SEC Championship Game against Texas and was replaced by QB Gunner Stockton. The veteran signal-caller originally announced his intentions to enter the 2025 NFL Draft but ultimately entered the transfer portal and wound up at Miami.
In his one season in South Florida, Beck completed 72.4% of his passes for 3,813 yards in addition to 30 TDs and 12 INTs.
Beck definitely had a bounce-back campaign in which he was much more consistent as a pocket passer and ran Miami’s offense with precision, finishing fourth in the nation in both completion percentage and passing yards.
A great deal of the question marks surrounding Beck have to do with his decision-making. While he had a strong showing in his lone season at Miami, he did toss 18 INTs during his two seasons as Georgia’s starting signal-caller, including many in big moments.
Beck benefitted from playing behind an elite offensive line at Miami. If he goes to a team that isn’t strong in the trenches, that senior success may not translate to the next level.
5. Cole Payton (North Dakota State)
Measurements: 6-foot-3, 232 pounds
Fourth QB Drafted Payout: N/A No | 5.26x Yes
North Dakota State has produced some highly touted QB prospects in the past in the form of Carson Wentz and Trey Lance. Now, Cole Payton is expected to be the next former Bison field general with a perceived high ceiling.
After missing eight games in 2024 with a shoulder injury, Payton finally logged a full season in 2025. As a senior, Payton completed 72.0% of his passes for 2,719 yards to go along with 16 TDs and just 4 INTs. Payton also rushed for 777 yards (5.7 yards per carry) and added 13 more TDs on the ground.
Payton is one of the very few dual-threat QBs in the class. He possesses the ability to extend plays with his legs and has no problem throwing on the run. He had the third-fastest 40-yard dash time (4.56) among QBs behind Arkansas’ Taylen Green (4.36) and Georgia Tech’s Haynes King (4.46).
Payton’s frame also allows him to stand in the pocket and take a fair amount of punishment from the defense.
The Bison QB does have a tendency to hang onto the ball too long. With the amount of speed he has in his arsenal, Payton will need to make quicker decisions at the NFL level if he wants to be successful.
Payton’s athleticism may be attractive to several NFL franchises and could result in him being selected on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft.
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Make 2026 NFL Draft Predictions on PrizePicks
No matter what your favorite team needs in the 2026 NFL Draft, you can call your shot on outcomes for various franchises and players.
On PrizePicks Team Picks, the possibilities are endless. You can make predictions on specific 2026 NFL Draft picks, team selections, position groups, and more. Additionally, the NFL tab is already open with Super Bowl LXI winner picks available.
Keep it right here with the Playbook for continued NFL predictions, picks, news, and analysis all year long.
