{"id":17163,"date":"2026-03-24T07:09:29","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T07:09:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/?p=17163"},"modified":"2026-03-24T07:09:33","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T07:09:33","slug":"2026-nfl-draft-preview-quarterbacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/2026-nfl-draft-preview-quarterbacks","title":{"rendered":"2026 NFL Draft Preview: Fernando Mendoza or Bust at the Critical Quarterback Position"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>With <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/nfl-2026-free-agency-awards\">free agency<\/a> essentially in the books, that means it\u2019s time for the 2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/a.-football\">NFL<\/a> Draft previews, starting with the quarterback position where Heisman Trophy winner <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/a.-football\/player\/fernando-mendoza-173280\">Fernando Mendoza<\/a> is a heavy favorite to go No. 1 in the draft to the Las Vegas Raiders after leading the Indiana Hoosiers to an undefeated season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But if you thought the 2025 draft was light on the quarterback position after the alleged No. 2 prospect, Shedeur Sanders, fell to the Browns in the fifth round, then 2026 looks even lighter as Mendoza could end up being the only first-round signal caller. At least 2025 had Jaxson Dart go to the Giants at No. 25.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One reason this 2026 quarterback class looks underwhelming is that Arch Manning decided to return to Texas instead of declaring early for the NFL. So, maybe he\u2019ll be part of a stronger group for 2027, but if you need a quarterback right now <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/predicting-nfl-starting-quarterbacks-2026\">as some teams<\/a> like the Cardinals and Jets do, then you might be out of luck in this draft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What else happened? It was a disappointing 2025 college football season for some of the quarterbacks expected to raise their NFL stock such as Clemson\u2019s Cade Klubnik, and it\u2019s not like Vanderbilt\u2019s Diego Pavia is getting any taller.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alas, we had to find some other quarterbacks to talk about for this year. Using the prospect rankings from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nflmockdraftdatabase.com\/big-boards\/2026\/consensus-big-board-2026?pos=QB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NFL Mock Draft Database<\/a>, we are going to look at the top five quarterbacks this year, how their skills might translate to the NFL, and which team would be the best landing spot for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table of Contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li><a href=\"#1-fernando-mendoza-indiana-no-1-overall-prospect\">1. Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) \u2013 No. 1 Overall Prospect<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#2-ty-simpson-alabama-no-35-overall-prospect\">2. Ty Simpson (Alabama) \u2013 No. 35 Overall Prospect<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#3-garrett-nussmeier-lsu-no-80-overall-prospect\">3. Garrett Nussmeier (LSU) \u2013 No. 80 Overall Prospect<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#4-carson-beck-miami-no-118-overall-prospect\">4. Carson Beck (Miami) \u2013 No. 118 Overall Prospect<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#5-drew-allar-penn-state-no-119-overall-prospect\">5. Drew Allar (Penn State) \u2013 No. 119 Overall Prospect<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/26DraftQB-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"2026 NFL Draft - Quarterbacks (Fernando Mendoza)\" class=\"wp-image-17186\" style=\"width:800px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/26DraftQB-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/26DraftQB-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/26DraftQB-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/26DraftQB.jpg 1248w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-fernando-mendoza-indiana-no-1-overall-prospect\">1. Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) \u2013 No. 1 Overall Prospect<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Everyone has a take on Fernando Mendoza, and I\u2019m fond of the one that basically says he\u2019s a no-brainer No. 1 overall pick in what\u2019s being viewed as a weak 2026 draft class, but he probably wouldn\u2019t get No. 1 in most drafts in history. That\u2019s fair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the Heisman Trophy winner kind of came out of nowhere this past season after he transferred from Cal to Indiana and led the Hoosiers to an unthinkable 16-0 championship season. He took down Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game, and that sealed his Heisman Trophy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 16 games, Mendoza finished 2025 with 72.0% completions, 220.9 passing yards per game, 9.3 yards per attempt, 41 touchdown passes, 6 interceptions, and he rushed for 276 yards and 7 touchdowns, including this memorable call on fourth down against the Hurricanes in the championship game:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">FERNANDO. MENDOZA.<br><br>THE PLAY OF A LIFETIME \u203c\ufe0f <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/g3o5nNNslr\">pic.twitter.com\/g3o5nNNslr<\/a><\/p>&mdash; ESPN (@espn) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/espn\/status\/2013456653866201453?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">January 20, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Almost as famous as that touchdown run was Mendoza\u2019s post-game interview after dethroning Ohio State\u2019s No. 1 defense where he went through a variety of emotions and facial expressions, captivating a nation that was largely getting introduced to him with this video:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">&quot;THE HOOSIERS ARE FLIPPIN&#39; CHAMPS!&quot;<br><br>The Fernando Mendoza postgame interview on Fox after Indiana takes down Ohio State. \ud83c\udfc8\ud83c\udfc6\ud83c\udf99\ufe0f <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/CFB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#CFB<\/a>  <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/BigTenChampionship?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#BigTenChampionship<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/eEQKFRRAsa\">pic.twitter.com\/eEQKFRRAsa<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qtLvwsAfTz\">https:\/\/t.co\/qtLvwsAfTz<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/awfulannouncing\/status\/1997524019923615809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">December 7, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Then he did it again after winning the natty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">FERNANDO MENDOZA WAS UNHINGED IN HIS POST-GAME INTERVIEW.<br><br>\u201cIF THEY NEED ME TO TAKE SHOTS &#8211; IN THE FRONT OR THE BACK.\u201d<br><br>\u201cI\u2019LL DIE FOR MY TEAM\u201d<br><br>\ud83d\udc80\ud83d\udc80\ud83d\udc80<br> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/b4tZLKZYbZ\">pic.twitter.com\/b4tZLKZYbZ<\/a><\/p>&mdash; MLFootball (@MLFootball) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MLFootball\/status\/2013468143616745885?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">January 20, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Yeah, there is a little Tim Tebow cult of personality at play with Mendoza here that may rub some the wrong way. But if you look at this interview he did when he was 13 years old, you instantly recognize this kid didn\u2019t just go to Indiana and adopt a character to play. This is just who he is and who he\u2019s going to be, and his teammates seem to love it and play hard for him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Since it\u2019s blowing up on TikTok &amp; IG, here\u2019s my interview with Fernando Mendoza from 2017. We were both 13-years-old. Time flies! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/5HJf4R7hu1\">pic.twitter.com\/5HJf4R7hu1<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Benjamin Cure (@BenjaminCureTV) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BenjaminCureTV\/status\/2015127736147128587?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">January 24, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, he threw 11 more touchdowns than he had in his two seasons at Cal combined, so you wonder how much of this was natural progression vs. system inflation (RPOs) with much better coaching around him. But from a physical standpoint, Mendoza has that prototypical size (6\u20195\u201d) and frame with enough arm strength and mobility to justify his draft position this year.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Something I liked about Mendoza in 2025 is that in games where he either made a mistake or had to win the game late, he came through each time against Iowa, Oregon, and Penn State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Indiana?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#Indiana<\/a> QB Fernando Mendoza was BIG time in CRUNCH time vs <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/PSU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#PSU<\/a> but this is a consistent theme:<br><br>\u2611\ufe0f Pick 6 vs Oregon then led them on GW TD on next drive<br><br>\u2611\ufe0f Late INT vs Iowa but threw GW TD vs Cover 0 on 3rd-and-10 to win<br><br>\u2611\ufe0f &#39;24 rivalry game vs Stanford threw GW TD on 3rd &amp; 11 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/I3i6I52waS\">pic.twitter.com\/I3i6I52waS<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Fran Duffy (@FDuffyNFL) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FDuffyNFL\/status\/1987527594313474358?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">November 9, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In a draft with no other clear quarterback choice in the first round, and without any Reggie White\/Lawrence Taylor\/Jerry Rice type of prospects sitting out there, I see why the hype for Mendoza going No. 1 is there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was all so unthinkable a year ago, but here we are one undefeated Heisman Trophy and championship season later with the No. 1 pick in the draft likely going to a quarterback for the Hoosiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Best Fit \u2013 Las Vegas Raiders (No. 1 Pick)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The sportsbooks are already giving Mendoza -20000 odds to go No. 1, presumably to the Raiders, in this draft, so that feels like it\u2019s close to a done deal with four weeks to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But why wouldn\u2019t you just go for it if you\u2019re the Raiders? They traded Geno Smith to the Jets after accomplishing the mission of getting the No. 1 pick. The Raiders have Aidan O\u2019Connell on their roster, so yeah, I\u2019d say they need a quarterback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Plus, you give new coach Klint Kubiak someone to build around from Day 1 in a division with Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, and Bo Nix. Kubiak had less than six months in Seattle to prepare an offense that ended up winning the Super Bowl in his first year after the team signed Sam Darnold last March, and he had to get Jaxon Smith-Njigba up to par after the team traded D.K. Metcalf to Pittsburgh. He got that done in one season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We know from Indiana that Mendoza can do as he\u2019s told and improve if he\u2019s getting good coaching. If Kubiak is the right hire, then he should make something out of Mendoza with those elements of the Shanahan\/Kubiak offense that are usually so successful in inflating quarterback\u2019s statistics. That means bootlegs to use his mobility, play-action passes to set up big plays, and hopefully an improved running game in Vegas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They have Ashton Jeanty at running back and Brock Bowers at tight end. The wide receivers have some work to do, but those are elite prospects at running back and tight end for Kubiak and Mendoza to play with this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Going to a division (and conference, really) with so many established quarterbacks is a tough draw for sure. But if Mendoza is ever going to live up to the hype that comes with the No. 1 overall pick, he\u2019ll have his moments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the Raiders are ever going to turn things around with no playoff wins since the 2002 AFC Championship Game, then it has to be this pick that marks the turning point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides, after JaMarcus Russell set the bar so low for No. 1 overall picks by the Raiders <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/years\/2007\/draft.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">in 2007<\/a>, Mendoza can\u2019t possibly be worse than that. But like Tim Tebow, it\u2019s going to be difficult for Mendoza to surpass the heights of his college career in the pros. The 2025 Hoosiers (100-to-1 odds before the season) are up there with the 1999 Rams as far as improbable champions go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Guess we\u2019ll find out how much of that was coach Curt Cignetti (Google him; he wins) being a genius, and how much was Mendoza being a special quarterback prospect just in need of the right environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sin City doesn\u2019t seem like the greatest personality fit for Mendoza, who comes off as someone who didn\u2019t see an R-rated movie until college. But showing up to work in a Kubiak offense with Tom Brady a minority owner? Ain\u2019t that a kick in the head?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>If this is just the beginning<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>My life is gonna be beautiful<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-ty-simpson-alabama-no-35-overall-prospect\">2. Ty Simpson (Alabama) \u2013 No. 35 Overall Prospect<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Every NFL draft needs a polarizing quarterback prospect and that player for 2026 is Alabama\u2019s Ty Simpson. Some people think he\u2019s worth a high-first round pick (top 12), and some wouldn\u2019t touch him anywhere close to the first round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Dan Orlovsky believes Ty Simpson is the top quarterback in this draft\u2014ranking him ahead of Fernando Mendoza.<br><br>Do we agree with Dan? \ud83e\uddd0 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/T8yNVwbFI4\">pic.twitter.com\/T8yNVwbFI4<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Bussin&#39; With The Boys (@BussinWTB) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BussinWTB\/status\/2036106232273006877?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">March 23, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">.<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MelKiperESPN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@MelKiperESPN<\/a> projects Ty Simpson to go to the Jets as the No. 16 pick in the NFL Draft \u270d\ufe0f <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/spTVY19poF\">pic.twitter.com\/spTVY19poF<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Get Up (@GetUpESPN) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GetUpESPN\/status\/2013979431568539972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">January 21, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I have evaluated every snap Ty Simpson has taken as a starter at Alabama and I landed on a 3rd round value. Anything higher will catapult him into being a bust. What he put on film there doesn\u2019t support any higher NFL valuation or level of expectation: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/cIPJfOmT1Q\">https:\/\/t.co\/cIPJfOmT1Q<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/AMzFix1U2Q\">https:\/\/t.co\/AMzFix1U2Q<\/a><\/p>&mdash; FIRST ROUND MOCK (@firstroundmock) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/firstroundmock\/status\/2030705600913420390?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">March 8, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, that\u2019s ESPN\u2019s Dan Orlovsky starting the bandwagon for Simpson as QB1 over Mendoza, and his reasoning sure sounds similar to one of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/nfl-mvp-vote-how-to-value-modern-quarterback\">his MVP arguments he\u2019s used the last few years<\/a>. The problem is I\u2019m not sure his NFL MVP arguments are a valid way to dictate who should be the first quarterback drafted into the league.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Ty Simpson is QB1 of this year\u2019s draft class over Fernando Mendoza, per <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/danorlovsky7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@danorlovsky7<\/a>.<br><br>\u201cI think Ty Simpson is QB1. You have to start with the question, who needed to do more to carry their football team to play well? Ty Simpson and it\u2019s not close between those two quarterbacks.\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/nlQ6U7FNSr\">pic.twitter.com\/nlQ6U7FNSr<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Football Forever (@fballforeverhq) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/fballforeverhq\/status\/2036125190652882985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">March 23, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\u201cI think Ty Simpson is the best quarterback in this class.\u201d<br><br>\u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/danorlovsky7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@danorlovsky7<\/a> makes a strong claim ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft \u2b07\ufe0f <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Kgj0Z9Rgtc\">pic.twitter.com\/Kgj0Z9Rgtc<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Get Up (@GetUpESPN) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GetUpESPN\/status\/2036059386146165198?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">March 23, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Orlovsky is referring to the lack of running game the Crimson Tide had in 2025 as none of their top backs averaged 4.0 yards per carry, which is quite poor in the SEC in 2025. They only averaged 104.1 yards per game and 3.4 yards per carry as a team. Simpson was routinely throwing for over 200 yards and multiple touchdowns until a late-season slump where he may not have been as healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s the skinny on Simpson. He\u2019s a coach\u2019s son (football in the blood) who joined Alabama in 2022 when Nick Saban was still the coach, but he didn\u2019t become the starter until 2025, throwing 50 total passes in 2022-24.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a first-year starter, he had a nice season with 28 touchdowns to 5 interceptions. Though, if you compare his numbers to some of the seasons his Alabama predecessors who were drafted into the NFL had, Simpson looks more pedestrian:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>2025 Ty Simpson<\/strong>: 64.5% complete, 7.5 YPA, 237.8 passing yards per game, 28 TD, 5 INT<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>2024 Jalen Milroe<\/strong>: 64.3% complete, 8.9 YPA, 218.8 passing yards per game, 36 TD (20 rushing), 11 INT<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>2023 Jalen Milroe<\/strong>: 65.8% complete, 10.0 YPA, 218.0 passing yards per game, 35 TD (23 passing), 6 INT<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>2022 Bryce Young<\/strong>: 64.5% complete, 8.8 YPA, 277.3 passing yards per game, 32 TD, 5 INT<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>2021 Bryce Young<\/strong>: 66.9% complete, 8.9 YPA, 324.8 passing yards per game, 47 TD, 7 INT<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>2020 Mac Jones<\/strong>: 77.4% complete, 11.2 YPA, 346.2 passing yards per game, 41 TD, 4 INT<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>2019 Tua Tagovailoa<\/strong>: 71.4% complete, 11.3 YPA, 315.6 passing yards per game, 33 TD, 3 INT<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>At 6\u20191\u201d, Simpson would be on the shorter side of starting NFL quarterbacks, but he\u2019s still bigger than the likes of Kyler Murray and Bryce Young. His arm isn\u2019t super strong but it\u2019s good enough for the pros. He\u2019s not very fast but he could be capable of running for the occasional first down or at least scrambling out of harm\u2019s way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>But it does come back to only having that one year of starting experience, which is usually a huge negative for projecting NFL success, especially when Simpson already turns 24 in December. He\u2019ll be an older rookie.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the many absurd things about the Chicago Bears drafting Mitch Trubisky with the No. 2 pick in the 2017 draft ahead of Patrick Mahomes (No. 10) and [redacted] (No. 12 for Houston) was that Trubisky only had one year as a starter at North Carolina. There was a huge gap in experience and production between him and the actual top quarterbacks that year, yet Chicago ignored that and pad for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The problem with inexperience is that the lack of reps has Simpson further behind in his progression as a quarterback than he\u2019d have if he was a four-year starter and very experienced like Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix had going into the NFL in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s why you see some point to issues for Simpson that can be corrected with more experience like knowing when to get rid of the ball instead of taking a bad sack, or when you don\u2019t need to leave a clean pocket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Ty Simpson panics and rolls out, but his pocket is perfectly clean <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/TnFJAgNOqc\">pic.twitter.com\/TnFJAgNOqc<\/a><\/p>&mdash; LandonTengwall (@LandonTengwall) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LandonTengwall\/status\/2006837673412145658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">January 1, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">*Nothing will send Ty Simpson to the bench faster in the NFL than his tendency to just throw it up for grabs under pressure. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/DABNACSsS8\">pic.twitter.com\/DABNACSsS8<\/a><\/p>&mdash; FIRST ROUND MOCK (@firstroundmock) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/firstroundmock\/status\/2035555860890456334?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">March 22, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But while Simpson didn\u2019t throw many picks in 2025, I do see a lot of gunslinger in him, and that\u2019s going to make him a double-edged sword in the NFL. Sometimes he\u2019ll be rewarded with a big play, and sometimes it\u2019s going to be a bad turnover. You just have to live with it and hope he understands how to gamble more responsibly as time goes on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">This is ABSURD!!<br><br>Ty Simpson gets unblocked A-Gap Pressure and backpedals out of it to throw the Cross. Insane! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/UjYxGffUJk\">pic.twitter.com\/UjYxGffUJk<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CoachDanCasey\/status\/1994944329132265798?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">November 30, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Nah this was a dime by Ty Simpson on 4th and 8 game on the line <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/lx0UMy4Em7\">pic.twitter.com\/lx0UMy4Em7<\/a><\/p>&mdash; John (@iam_johnw) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iam_johnw\/status\/1977087704912597415?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">October 11, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But Simpson is certainly a polarizing figure that someone is likely going to make their problem (or solution) before the end of Night 2 of the draft. I doubt he\u2019ll fall as far as Shedeur Sanders did since no one is going to be worried about the media circus or getting calls from his dad, who is only coaching the UT Martin Skyhawks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Best Fit \u2013 New York Jets (No. 33 or No. 44 Pick)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You could say there\u2019s been buyer\u2019s remorse around the league for taking Alabama quarterbacks who had flashier statistics than Simpson did. Tagovailoa, Mac Jones, and Bryce Young have combined for zero playoff wins. The Dolphins just cut Tua at a cost of almost $100M in dead cap, and Young hasn\u2019t quite earned a hefty extension in Carolina just yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One could say Simpson is the weakest prospect from Alabama in some time, though he is a more traditional drop-back passer with consistent mechanics than Jalen Milroe, who went in the third round to Seattle last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But I think for a team that needs a quarterback like Pittsburgh, don\u2019t make that Kenny Pickett-sized mistake with the No. 21 pick and reach for Simpson. It\u2019s likely not going to be the difference maker you need for a long-term solution. You might as well give Will Howard (Ohio State) a shot to replace Aaron Rodgers if you\u2019re going to go that route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s why I think Simpson falls to the second round unless someone decides to come up and take him late like the Giants did when they got Jaxson Dart at No. 25 last year. Getting that fifth-year option on a quarterback contract is a nice bonus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the Jets hold the first pick of the second round at No. 33, and that could be a landing spot for Simpson. They also hold the No. 44 pick, and the only team that might be interested in Simpson between 33 and 44 is Arizona at No. 34 if they aren\u2019t just trying to tank for Arch Manning in 2027 or whatever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Jets are giving Geno Smith another shot a decade after he last played for them. Why not maybe try to take a second shot at a Sam Darnold-type prospect in Simpson? Leave it up to the Jets to land a quarterback who has maybe a 2% chance of becoming an elite quarterback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-garrett-nussmeier-lsu-no-80-overall-prospect\">3. Garrett Nussmeier (LSU) \u2013 No. 80 Overall Prospect<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You can see the drop in quality as the third-ranked quarterback prospect is just the No. 80 overall prospect in LSU\u2019s Garrett Nussmeier. Let\u2019s count the ways he is similar to Ty Simpson from Alabama:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Both are the son of a coach as Doug Nussmeier, a former NFL quarterback himself, is the new offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Both are 6\u20191\u201d pocket passers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Both are on the older side for rookies as Nussmeier will turn 25 a week before Super Bowl 61 in February.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>College career completion percentage: Nussmeier (64.0%), Simpson (63.9%).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>College career yards per pass attempt: Nussmeier (7.5), Simpson (7.5).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Might as well be the Spider-Man pointing meme. Nussmeier spent five seasons at LSU where he was 15-7 as a starter with 22 of those starts in 2024-25, so he\u2019s at least got a little more than one season as the full-time starter under his belt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While I described Simpson as a gunslinger who doesn\u2019t turn it over a lot but takes questionable sacks, Nussmeier is a gunslinger who doesn\u2019t take many sacks but had 12 picks in 2024 alone, so he\u2019s not been as good at reading coverages and getting away with his gambles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Very much so. Advanced footwork and lower body mechanics, flexible arm, high football smarts\/IQ, accurately anticipates to spots, and he doesn\u2019t take sacks. <br><br>Needs to cut out the inopportune turnovers and LSU has to improve their run game this year. It was really bad in 2024. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/oY092YNaUo\">https:\/\/t.co\/oY092YNaUo<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/R1HkZogaPb\">pic.twitter.com\/R1HkZogaPb<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Jordan_Reid\/status\/1946184605574296011?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">July 18, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The only P4 quarterback prospects since 2012 to average &gt; 275.0 total ypg (removing sacks) and a pressure to sack rate &lt; 11.0% in their most productive college season. LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier likely to fall somewhere within this tier. With his statistically average ball\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/94OoN3ff98\">pic.twitter.com\/94OoN3ff98<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Adam Carter (@impactfbdata) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/impactfbdata\/status\/1979038508007166303?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">October 17, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">3 minutes and 30 seconds of <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/LSU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#LSU<\/a> QB Garrett Nussmeier\u2019s throws at Pro Day today. <br><br>Safe to say he\u2019s healthy again\ud83d\udc40 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/93i3jcQz5T\">pic.twitter.com\/93i3jcQz5T<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Tingle &amp; Co (@Tingle__Co) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Tingle__Co\/status\/2036150162230222895?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">March 23, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Best Fit \u2013 Dallas Cowboys (No. 92 Pick)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you throw in his advanced age and some durability concerns, Nussmeier projects as a third-round pick in the best-case scenario for him. For that matter, maybe the best case would be No. 73 to New Orleans in Round 3 to reunite with his dad, who is the new OC. That could be weird though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the Steeler, who hold three picks in the third round (No. 76, No. 85, No. 99) would be a possibility if they absolutely felt the need to throw a dart at the quarterback position in this draft. Likewise, the Dolphins have three picks clustered together (No. 87, No. 90, and No. 94) if they wanted some insurance behind Malik Willis and Quinn Ewers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But I like the pick for Dallas at No. 92 to get a backup behind Dak Prescott. Doug Nussmeier was on the Dallas coaching staff in 2018-22 (tight ends and quarterbacks), so there\u2019s a family connection there and he could run a pro-style offense like the one used by Brian Schottenheimer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"4-carson-beck-miami-no-118-overall-prospect\">4. Carson Beck (Miami) \u2013 No. 118 Overall Prospect<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Few quarterbacks had a chance to raise their stock as much as Carson Beck in 2025 after he transferred from Georgia to the Miami Hurricanes. In a down year for college quarterbacks, Beck was the odds-on favorite for the Heisman Trophy until he had a disastrous night at home with four picks against Louisville in a 24-21 loss. He also struggled against SMU in an overtime loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the Hurricanes still made it to the national championship game after Beck had a clutch game-winning drive against Ole Miss in the semifinal. But with a chance to take down Indiana at the end of the title game, Beck did exactly what his detractors expected him to do: Threw a brutal season-ending pick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">CARSON BECK INTERCEPTION <br><br>INDIANA HAS WON THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP! <br> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/KifkLDZCgY\">pic.twitter.com\/KifkLDZCgY<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Fliff (@fliff) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/fliff\/status\/2013465779908292667?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">January 20, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Carson Beck has MURDERED any NFL Draft stock he ever had tonight. <br><br>Weak arm, bad decisions, HORRIBLE body language in the biggest game of his life<br> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/oRs9MTj6QO\">pic.twitter.com\/oRs9MTj6QO<\/a><\/p>&mdash; John Frascella (Football) (@NFLFrascella) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NFLFrascella\/status\/2013447705465323663?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">January 20, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Beck threw 12 interceptions in each of his final two seasons. With that said, he\u2019s still 37-6 as a starter and has prototypical size (almost 6\u20195\u201d) for the position that NFL scouts like. He can succeed behind a great offensive line and a loaded team, but he\u2019s unlikely ever going to be the difference maker to elevate a weak squad at the pro level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then there\u2019s that inevitability in crunch time that you just can\u2019t trust him to deliver. Also, like most of his classmates, he\u2019s on the older side, turning 24 in November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Best Fit \u2013 Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 124 Pick)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think you keep Beck in the state of Florida and let him go back up Trevor Lawrence in a Liam Coen offense where he can get better without having to start anytime soon. He\u2019s not starter material anytime soon in the NFL, so you give him time to develop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"5-drew-allar-penn-state-no-119-overall-prospect\">5. Drew Allar (Penn State) \u2013 No. 119 Overall Prospect<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Drew Allar was another quarterback who could have elevated his draft stock, but a season-ending ankle injury in October ended his final season at Penn State after just six games. He leaves there 26-9 as a starter with 61 touchdowns to 13 interceptions while also rushing for 732 yards and 12 touchdowns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Athletically, Allar is up there with the best of these prospects this year in that he has a big arm and can move. But the mental processing isn\u2019t as sharp, so you\u2019re likely looking at a quarterback who would have a better highlight reel than many but struggle to make the routine plays with good consistency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The idea of Drew Allar &gt; The player <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/NIc4nAN9sA\">https:\/\/t.co\/NIc4nAN9sA<\/a><\/p>&mdash; CFBNumbers (@CFBNumbers) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CFBNumbers\/status\/2034634945692332408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">March 19, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Drew Allar measured in at 6\u20195\u201d, 228lbs and has the BIGGEST ARM in the 2026 NFL Draft, and one of the biggest we\u2019ve ever seen<br><br>Footwork is inconsistent and the accuracy is bad, but the physical tools constitute an intriguing long-term project at QB <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/j9sxTFb608\">pic.twitter.com\/j9sxTFb608<\/a><\/p>&mdash; NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NFL_DF\/status\/2027790765682766003?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">February 28, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Drew Allar leaves me scratching my head sometimes <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/VChFy6tIzm\">pic.twitter.com\/VChFy6tIzm<\/a><\/p>&mdash; NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NFL_DF\/status\/2026132225213739220?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">February 24, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\"><strong>Best Fit \u2013 Green Bay Packers (No. 120 Pick)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond those usual suspects in the fourth round (Jets, Cardinals, Dolphins, Steelers), I\u2019ll give you an intriguing idea: Kansas City with the 109th pick. You have Patrick Mahomes coming off the ACL, and they lost Gardner Minshew as his backup. That could be a fun developmental project for Andy Reid and company with Eric Bieniemy back as the offensive coordinator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But I\u2019m actually going with a playoff team in the Packers, who hold the No. 120 pick, as a replacement for Malik Willis now that he\u2019s gone to Miami. The Packers have been like a developmental quarterback farm for the rest of the NFL going back to the 90s, so maybe Matt LaFleur and company can shape up another talented prospect in Allar who is going to need a few years of seasoning before he\u2019s ready to start games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At least Allar is only 22 years old, a rarity in this quarterback class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Related Articles:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/nfl-teams-one-piece-away-from-super-bowl\">NFL Teams One Piece Away from the Super Bowl: The Player Who Put Them Over the Top, 1994-2025<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/nfl-2026-free-agency-awards\">NFL 2026 Free Agency Awards: Honoring the Best and Worst Moves of the Week<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/all-time-nfl-quarterback-draft\">The All-Time NFL Quarterback Draft (Picks 1-32): Which Great Does Your Franchise Choose?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/nfl-qb-drive-stats-2025\">NFL Quarterback Drive Stats 2025: The Forgotten Value of Patrick Mahomes and Daniel Jones<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/best-with-zero-championships-mcdavid-allen\">The Best to Never Do It: The Precedent Behind Josh Allen, Connor McDavid, Luka Doncic, and Aaron Judge Having Zero Championships in 2026<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/super-bowl-quarterback-tiers-darnold\">Ranking the 36 Super Bowl-Winning Quarterbacks into Tiers: Where Does Sam Darnold Fit?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/predicting-nfl-starting-quarterbacks-2026\">Predicting the NFL Starting Quarterbacks for the 2026 Season<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/nfl-mvp-vote-how-to-value-modern-quarterback\">After a Close NFL 2025 MVP Vote, What Do People Even Value in a Quarterback These Days?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/nfl-2025-lessons-super-bowl-61-odds\">Lessons from the 2025 NFL Season, 2026 Storylines, and the Early Super Bowl 61 Odds<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/sam-darnold-patriots-curse-metlife-stadium\">Sam Darnold, the Patriots, and the Curse of MetLife Stadium (A Super Bowl 60 Story)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/worst-super-bowl-teams-nfl-history\">The Worst Super Bowl Teams in NFL History: Are the 2025 Patriots in the Mix?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/2025-final-nfl-quarterback-rankings\">2025 Final NFL Quarterback Rankings: Matthew Stafford Is the MVP<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/patrick-mahomes-turns-30-best-there-is\">Patrick Mahomes Turns 30: The Best There Is, the Best There Was, the Best There Ever Will Be?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/2025-nfl-award-best-bets\">2025 NFL Award Nominees and Best Bets: Can We Get a Good and Logical MVP Race?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With free agency essentially in the books, that means it\u2019s time for the 2026 NFL Draft previews, starting with the quarterback position where Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza is a heavy favorite to go No. 1 in the draft to the Las Vegas Raiders after leading the Indiana Hoosiers to an undefeated season. But if &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":17186,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[4718,1072,4566,1365,4867,4420,4868,365,4865,678,420,1532,1882,1219,47,1143,1508,349,975,4866],"class_list":["post-17163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl","tag-4718","tag-alabama","tag-carson-beck","tag-draft","tag-drew-allar","tag-fernando-mendoza","tag-garrett-nussmeier","tag-heisman-trophy","tag-hoosiers","tag-indiana","tag-jets","tag-las-vegas","tag-lsu","tag-miami","tag-nfl","tag-nfl-draft","tag-quarterback","tag-raiders","tag-steelers","tag-ty-simpson","article_type-discover","article_type-news","entity_type-athlete","inspiration-365s-articles","inspiration-planned"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17163","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17163"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17163\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17191,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17163\/revisions\/17191"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17186"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}