Ranking Every QB in the 2026 NFL Draft From Franchise to Bust
The 2026 NFL Draft is over, and there were 10 quarterbacks taken during the three-day event.
Thursday night kicked off with Fernando Mendoza being called as the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, and then the Los Angeles Rams pulled off the big shocker of the entire night by taking Ty Simpson with the No. 13 pick.
As we survey where each signal-caller landed, here are my way-too-early Nostradamus predictions on how each of these 2026 class QBs will wind up by the end of their careers.
1. Ty Simpson (Los Angeles Rams)
Although I fully believe Fernando Mendoza is currently the better prospect than Simpson and has far more experience, the difference in their landing spots is so drastic that it almost feels like the safer bet to take the Crimson Tide QB.
Simpson, a coach’s son, has clean mechanics, good mobility, and a rhythm with his short-to-intermediate throws that McVay loves to utilize. The Rams already have a top-three wideout in the game in Puka Nacua, who is still only 24, along with other young weapons across the board.
Sean McVay turned Jared Goff from a certified bust into an above-average starter; he revitalized Baker Mayfield’s career when it looked dead and buried; and he partnered with Matthew Stafford to win a Lombardi Trophy and an MVP.
Simpson is a good prospect, maybe even a very good one, but this is mostly a bet on McVay and the institution he’s built with the Rams over the past decade.
2. Fernando Mendoza (Las Vegas Raiders)
Mendoza can be great, but will the Raiders unlock that potential?
The Raiders haven’t won a playoff game in nearly a quarter-century and have been the punching bag in the AFC West for nearly two decades.
In a world where Las Vegas takes their time with Mendoza and doesn’t throw him to the wolves to try and sell tickets, he has what it takes to have a fruitful future and possibly be the man to bring the Raiders another Lombardi Trophy.
3. Cole Payton (Philadelphia Eagles)
There’s a gigantic drop-off following Simpson and Mendoza. And funnily enough, it’s the North Dakota State QB that comes in third.
Payton is a complete raw project, but Philly knows how to get the best out of quarterbacks. He has all the athletic tools to be a star in the league; if the Eagles can unlock him as a consistent passer, he might have the highest ceiling of any signal-caller in this class.
4. Garrett Nussmeier (Kansas City Chiefs)
The LSU Tiger was taken in the 7th round, and he might be the first rookie QB of this class to start a game. The Raiders might let Mendoza learn behind Cousins, whereas Patrick Mahomes might not be ready for week one, and Justin Fields isn’t an impossible obstacle to surpass for Nussmeier.
He has a big arm and the tools to be a starter in the league, but injuries are the biggest worry with him. While he might never be the Chiefs’ franchise guy, if he can impress when he gets his chances, don’t be shocked if he is a team’s No. 1 QB one day.
5. Drew Allar (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Allar will have his shot to possibly start for Pittsburgh this year, but it might be a long road for the Penn State QB to find his way to a starting job in the NFL. He has the size and everything on paper, but he’ll need to translate it to the field if he wants to be anything more than an above-average backup.
6. Cade Klubnik (New York Jets)
The Jets need a franchise quarterback. Could it be Klubnik?
Probably not. The issue with Klubnik is that if the Jets are as bad as they’re projected to be and the quarterback class for next year’s draft is as good as expected, he will be replaced immediately as the young guy the Jets are focusing on.
7. Carson Beck (Arizona Cardinals)
It feels bad to put the third QB taken off the board so far down the list, but it’s a similar situation with Klubnik.
The Cardinals are expected to be terrible next year. The 2027 NFL Draft QB class is expected to be awesome.
Arizona already showed eight years ago that they’ll draft a first-round QB in Josh Rosen and then toss him aside the next year for a shinier prospect. Beck needed to land somewhere he could build himself up, and that’s not Arizona.
8. Taylen Green (Cleveland Browns)
Well, Green is getting thrown into a QB room with Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel.
And if the Browns are bad again, as most expect, they’ll be another one of these teams hungry for the likes of an Arch Manning or Dante Moore.
9. Athan Kaliakmanis (Washington Commanders)
Maybe he can be a decent backup and randomly stay around the league for the next 15 years.
10. Behren Morton (New England Patriots)
Who knows, maybe in a few years we’ll be talking about how Morton was the heir of Tom Brady all along, and Drake Maye was actually the Drew Bledsoe.
2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
This story was originally published April 25, 2026 at 10:19 PM.