No position in the NFL is as important as the quarterback.
Perhaps that's why Fernando Mendoza has been the foregone conclusion for months to be the No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. In fact, this year will almost certainly mark the fourth straight year a quarterback goes first overall, and the 22nd time in the last 29 drafts since Peyton Manning went No. 1 in 1998.
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Of course, this year's class has a drastic fall-off after Mendoza, making the Las Vegas Raiders' draft position even more valuable. However, with an immediate need at quarterback, the Raiders are heavily expected to select Mendoza rather than sell the pick.
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is the favorite to be the second signal-caller selected, but it's unknown if he will be selected in Round 1 or become a Day 2 selection. After that, it's anyone's guess, with LSU's Garrett Nussmeier, Arkansas' Taylen Green and Miami's Carson Beck behind the Crimson Tide quarterback.
Here's a look at the quarterbacks selected in the 2026 NFL Draft:
Quarterbacks headline early evaluations for the 2026 NFL Draft as teams begin sorting the best available prospects at the position.See the college quarterbacks drawing attention as draft boards take shape ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.Above, Fernando Mendoza of the Indiana Hoosiers reacts after a touchdown against the Oregon Ducks during the fourth quarter of the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 09, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Ty Simpson of the Alabama Crimson Tide scrambles during the first quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at Rose Bowl Stadium on January 01, 2026, in Pasadena, California.
Garrett Nussmeier of the LSU Tigers drops back to pass against the Baylor Bears during the first half in the Kinder's Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium on December 31, 2024, in Houston, Texas.
Cade Klubnik of the Clemson Tigers warms up during the first half of a football game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium on November 29, 2025, in Columbia, South Carolina.
Drew Allar of the Penn State Nittany Lions reacts after a touchdown against the UCLA Bruins during the fourth quarter at Rose Bowl Stadium on October 04, 2025, in Pasadena, California.
Miami's Carson Beck throws during the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.
Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Taylen Green passes during the third quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
Colorado Buffaloes linebacker LaVonta Bentley #20 tackles North Dakota State Bison quarterback Cole Payton #9 in the first half at Folsom Field.
Luke Altmyer of the Illinois Fighting Illini throws a pass against the Western Illinois Leathernecks during the first half at Memorial Stadium on August 29, 2025, in Champaign, Illinois.
Diego Pavia of the Vanderbilt Commodores makes adjustments prior to the snap during the second quarter of the game against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on November 01, 2025, in Austin, Texas.
1 / 10See the top quarterbacks available in the 2026 NFL DraftQuarterbacks headline early evaluations for the 2026 NFL Draft as teams begin sorting the best available prospects at the position.See the college quarterbacks drawing attention as draft boards take shape ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.Above, Fernando Mendoza of the Indiana Hoosiers reacts after a touchdown against the Oregon Ducks during the fourth quarter of the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 09, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Quarterbacks headline early evaluations for the 2026 NFL Draft as teams begin sorting the best available prospects at the position.See the college quarterbacks drawing attention as draft boards take shape ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.Above, Fernando Mendoza of the Indiana Hoosiers reacts after a touchdown against the Oregon Ducks during the fourth quarter of the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 09, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Ty Simpson of the Alabama Crimson Tide scrambles during the first quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at Rose Bowl Stadium on January 01, 2026, in Pasadena, California.
Garrett Nussmeier of the LSU Tigers drops back to pass against the Baylor Bears during the first half in the Kinder's Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium on December 31, 2024, in Houston, Texas.