Las Vegas Raiders Set To Pick Indiana's Fernando Mendoza First In 2026 NFL Draft

The 2026 NFL Draft quarterback class is led by Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and national champion.

“The 2026 NFL draftclass will test the patience of all but one quarterback-needy team”

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ESPN's QBASE 2.0 projections rank Mendoza as the top prospect, noting his 3,535 passing yards and 41 touchdowns in 2025.

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There is a steep drop-off after Mendoza, with ESPN placing Ty Simpson at No. 37 and Garrett Nussmeier at No. 87.

Ty Simpson of Alabama is the second-ranked quarterback on NFL Mocks, described as the most natural passer in the draft.

ESPN cautions that Simpson is a true one-year starter and stands alongside names like Mitchell Trubisky and Trey Lance.

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Garrett Nussmeier of LSU is ranked third by NFL Mocks and projected in the third round by ESPN.

Mendoza will not attend the draft in Pittsburgh, choosing instead to share the experience with his family in Miami.

“The 2026 NFL draft class will test the patience of all but one quarterback-needy team”

ESPN

The draft will feature a large Big Ten presence, with five Ohio State Buckeyes attending.

The Guardian quotes Clean Clothes Campaign spokesperson Ineke Zeldenrust saying the audit system is fundamentally broken.

Teams like the Jets, Cardinals, Browns and Steelers all have varying degrees of quarterback uncertainty.

Miami GM Jon-Eric Sullivan said, We will draft quarterbacks every year, if not every other year because I think you have to.

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The Guardian notes that the factory had been audited by Hessen's compliance team in March.