The 'On The Clock' crew of Matt Williamson, Mike Prisuta and Max Starks take a look at the top prospects in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, which will be held in Pittsburgh in April. Today, they delve into the quarterback position.
Note: The opinions expressed here are their own and not those of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Matt's Take
Of course, you have heard this before and of course, it doesn't always hold up to be true: But next year is the draft for finding a franchise quarterback. It could truly be an elite group of signal callers entering the league. The group this year had a lot of hype leading into the 2025 college football season, but many of the top high-profile passers either didn't live up to expectations or decided to return to school for another season. Note: As of this writing there is a lot of uncertainly surrounding Trinidad Chambliss from Mississippi, but it seems more likely than not that he will return to school. Chambliss could challenge for the second quarterback taken if he does end up in this draft class, however.
Matt's Rankings
1. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana, 6-5, 225 lbs.- After a glorious National Championship run and Heisman award winning campaign, Mendoza stands alone in this class, and it would be a huge shocker if he wasn't the first pick overall. He isn't an elite mover, but it is tough to find major warts in Mendoza's game and his mental makeup is very impressive to go along with obvious traits as a passer.
2. Ty Simpson, Alabama, 6-2, 208 lbs.- Simpson isn't overwhelming from a physical standpoint and frankly, the end of his college career was far from spectacular. But his play to start the season rivaled what Mendoza put on tape. Simpson has a snappy release and navigates the pocket very well with the mind you'd expect from a son of a coach.
3. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU, 6-1, 205 lbs.- Nothing went well for LSU this season and that includes the play of Nussmeier for much of the year. But it was clear that Nussmeier was dealing with injury that greatly affected his play-and he rebounded quite well at the Senior Bowl. Nussmeier has an aggressive approach to the game that his teammates respect and looks to drive the ball down the field.
4. Cole Payton, North Dakota State, 6-3, 233 lbs.- Payton is a well-built dual threat quarterback that tore up lesser competition this past season. The lefty passer will need much more work in all areas of his game before he is ready to lead an NFL offense, but he also has tools that could eventually land him exactly in that role. Don't be surprised if Payton is successful starter a few years down the line. This is "my guy".
5. Drew Allar, Penn State, 6-5, 235 lbs. -Allar suffered a broken ankle early in the season after a very disappointing start for the Nittany Lions. But he does have 35 career starts under his belt and Allar has size and arm strength that you just can't teach. His mobility is just okay, as is his accuracy, but there are traits to build on with Allar.
Sleeper: Taylen Green, Arkansas, 6-6, 224 lbs. - The first things you notice with Green is his tremendous size, length, and huge strides as a runner that just eat up ground at a very rapid rate when he decides to take off and run. In a league that revolves around explosive plays, Green can provide those with both his arm and legs. However, Green's accuracy can fail him, he holds the ball way too long and hasn't proven to handle pressure well from the pocket.
Mike's Take
Evaluating quarterbacks has never been easy, but in the Transfer Portal Era it has potentially become an even more difficult proposition.
A long time ago players who transferred were at risk of being looked down upon.
Now, such players are seemingly everywhere.
Presumptive first overall pick Fernando Mendoza played two years at California and one at Indiana.
Carson Beck, another of the perceived top prospects at the quarterback position, spent five years at Georgia and one at Miami.
Of the 16 quarterbacks invited to the Combine, nine played at more than one NCAA institution.
Mike's Rankings
1. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana, 6-5, 225 lbs -No one ever drafts a player first overall on the basis of one play. But if anyone ever did, Mendoza's dash into the end zone with the national championship hanging in the balance against Miami, Fla. would qualify as such an impactful snap. Mendoza is a lot more than just that, obviously, but his package of desirable characteristics includes intangibles.
2. Ty Simpson, Alabama, 6-2, 208 lbs. -At midseason Simpson was perceived at the NFL level as one of the four best quarterback prospects available. The way things played out he might be No. 2 by default. With just 31 career games and 15 career starts under is belt Simpson lacks polish. And by the end of what was mostly an impressive 2025 campaign Simpson was limping to the finish line (he started but didn't finish Alabama's 38-3 loss to Indiana in the Rose Bowl due to a rib injury).
3. Carson Beck, Miami, 6-4, 225 lbs. -Beck also lost to Indiana with the aforementioned national title at stake. But unlike Simpson, Beck has played 55 career games for the Georgia Bulldogs and the Hurricanes. He excelled at times for both, but threw double-digit interceptions in each of the last two seasons (12 and 12). He's not a slam dunk, but he's done some attention-getting stuff.
4. Drew Allar, Penn State, 6-5, 235 lbs. -He has the size teams are looking for at the position. But Allar regressed in 2025 and lost to Oregon, UCLA and Northwestern in succession before missing the rest of the season due to injury. Assuming he checks out medically, Allar might wind up being a value pick for a team that's not in immediate need at the position and is willing to patiently emphasis the "development" aspect of the draft-and-develop equation.
5. Cole Payton, North Dakota State, 6-3, 233 lbs. -You want a dual threat? Payton's your guy. He completed 71.9 percent of his passes for 2,719 yards, with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions, and also rushed for 777 yards, averaged 5.7 yards per carry and scored 13 touchdowns on the ground. He's trying to follow Carson Wentz (second overall, Eagles, 2016), Easton Stick (fifth round, Chargers, 2019), Trey Lance (third overall, 49ers, 2021) and Cam Miller (sixth round, Raiders, 2025) from NDSU to the NFL. It can and has been done.
Sleeper: Joe Fagnano, Connecticut, 6-2, 223 lbs. - He's played at Maine and Connecticut, which is a little different than having played at Georgia and then Miami, Fla. But Fagnano threw 28 touchdown passes and one interception at Connecticut last season, and for 20 touchdowns with just four interceptions the season before that. His career totals in seven seasons are 94 TDs and 18 picks. If you need a QB and find someone better upon which to take a late-round flier, by all means take it. If not, Fagnano may end up being well worth such an investment.
Max's Take
The 2026 NFL Draft quarterback class is beginning to take shape, and for a franchises in the market for one, evaluating the next wave of signal-callers matters.
Max's Rankings
1. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana, 6-5, 225 lbs.- Will be the 1st QB taken in the Draft, but he needs a good OL to shine. The team who selects Mendoza must put protection at the top of the list after drafting him.
2. Ty Simpson, Alabama, 6-2, 208 lbs.– Simpson is a developmental player, meaning the ideal situation for him is to be able to sit behind a good QB and learn. While he shows promise, Simpson is not ready to be a Day 1.
3. Carson Beck, Miami, 6-4, 225 lbs. –Beck has the size, toughness, and Football IQto play on the next level, but his deep ball accuracy, and INT history are negatives that he'll need to overcome. He has shown the leadership, grit and skill to lead a team, so it's reasonable to believe that experience could carry over to the next level
4. Drew Allar, Penn State, 6-5, 235 lbs. –Allar has natural size and strength. He can make dynamic plays with his arm and legs and he possesses the mental capacity to understand an intricate playbook and perform.
5. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU, 6-1, 205 lbs.– Nussmeier is in my Top 5 because of his 2024 season, not his 2025 stats and results. He did have injury woes, questionable coaching (fired), and a hodge podge OL protecting him. However, the potential is there because of his arm talent, experience and pedigree. He's tough, but needs to learn how to manage pressure and be quicker on his release and recognition.
