2026 NFL Draft QB mock: Predicting landing spot for the top 10 quarterbacks
From Ty Simpson to Drew Allar to Carson Beck, here's where the top quarterbacks in the draft will land
By
John Breech
•
1 min read
It is officially NFL Draft week. If you're anything like me, you probably spent the past month reading through every mock draft on the internet, and let me just tell you, there are a lot of them.
I hope you have room for one more mock draft, because that's what we have right now, except this isn't going to be like those other mock drafts you've been reading: This is our annual QB mock draft.
We're only doing quarterbacks. We're going to take a look at the top 10 quarterbacks in the draft and predict their landing spot. If you're wondering how we decided the top 10 quarterbacks, we used our QB prospect rankings here at CBS Sports.
Here are the quarterbacks:
- Fernando Mendoza (Indiana)
- Ty Simpson (Alabama)
- Cole Payton (North Dakota State)
- Garrett Nussmeier (LSU)
- Cade Klubnik (Clemson)
- Drew Allar (Penn State)
- Carson Beck (Miami)
- Behren Morton (Texas Tech)
- Sawyer Robertson (Baylor)
- Taylen Green (Arkansas)
When it comes to the quarterback position, it's going to be an unpredictable draft. The Las Vegas Raiders are expected to take Mendoza with the first overall pick, but after that, no one seems to have any idea what's going to happen. Mendoza might be the only QB taken in the first round, but there's also a chance that Ty Simpson goes off the board.
If I've learned one thing about this QB class over the past few weeks, it's that no one seems to actually know anything about where anyone after Mendoza is going to go. That's why we decided to do a QB mock draft.
In 23 of the past 25 years, there have been at least 10 quarterbacks taken in the draft, including last year's 13 taken. With that in mind, let's get to our QB mock draft.
QB mock draft
Round 1, Pick 1
When it comes to quarterbacks, there is only one absolute lock in this draft. Mendoza to the Raiders. If the Raiders don't end up selecting Mendoza, it would go down as one of the biggest shockers in NFL Draft history.
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Round 2, Pick 34
The Cards have two quarterbacks on their roster in Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew, but both players are only under contract for the 2026 season. Also, the Cards haven't invested very much money in either player, with Brissett on the books for just $9.06 million (something he's not happy about) and Minshew set to make just $5.75 million. It seems pretty clear that the Cardinals seek their QB of the future in this draft. Because of that, it won't be surprising at all if Simpson ends up in Arizona. The Alabama quarterback is somewhat of a raw talent after starting just 15 games in his college career, but that makes him perfect for Arizona, where he can learn from two veterans during his rookie year.
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Round 4, Pick 103
The Jets might consider Simpson with an earlier pick, but if they pass on the Alabama quarterback, then it would make sense to grab a QB here. Nussmeier seems like a potential good fit for Frank Reich's offense. The Jets traded for Geno Smith this offseason, so Nussmeier would likely spend his first year in New York on the bench. Smith is only under contract through the 2026 season, so if the Jets end up with Nussmeier (or any other quarterback), he will likely be given every opportunity to win the job in 2027, if not earlier. The Jets have four of the first 44 picks in the draft, and they can use those high picks to fill the biggest holes on their roster before grabbing Nussmeier with the third overall pick in the fourth round.
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Round 4, Pick 121
For the second-straight year, the Steelers are in a precarious position at quarterback heading into the draft: They're waiting around on Aaron Rodgers. If Rodgers retires, they likely need to draft a QB, and that's where Allar would come in. On the other hand, if the four-time MVP returns for another season in Pittsburgh, then Allar can sit behind him for a year and soak up everything Rodgers has to offer. With the draft in Pittsburgh, this pick would probably draw the biggest cheer of the weekend with the Steelers taking the former Penn State quarterback.
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Round 4, Pick 137
If there's one thing Howie Roseman loves doing in the draft, it's collecting quarterbacks. The Eagles general manager selected at least one QB in four of his past seven drafts, so it wouldn't be surprising if he decides to grab another one. Also, with Jalen Hurts heading into a critical 2026 season, it would make sense to bring in a young QB who could be groomed for the future. The former North Dakota State QB is a dual-threat star who happens to be highly accurate, so he would fit in well with Hurts in the Eagles' QB room.
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Round 5, Pick 151
After watching Beck lead the Hurricanes to the College Football National title game, the Dolphins decide to keep him in Miami by taking him in the fifth round. The Dolphins signed Malik Willis to take over at QB, but there's no guarantee that experiment works out. Beck has his question marks, but he was one of the most accurate quarterbacks in college football last season, which would make him a nice fit in Bobby Slowik's offense.
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Round 5, Pick 155
Klubnik has everything that an NFL team wants in a quarterback. He showcased a successful year at a Power Four school. He has arm talent, good accuracy and he has shown the ability to read a defense. This could make him a perfect pick for the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay has Baker Mayfield, but he's headed into the final year of his contract. Even if he does get an extension, Klubnik could still fit in as his backup. To win that job, he'd just have to beat out Jake Browning.
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Round 5, Pick 160
Malik Willis turned into one of the best backup quarterbacks in the NFL while in Green Bay, but with Willis now in Miami, Matt LaFleur needs to find a suitable backup for Jordan Love and that's where Morton comes in. Morton is coming off a season where he led Texas Tech to its first outright conference title in 70 years and with LaFleur's tutelage, he could certainly turn into a quality NFL quarterback.
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Round 5, Pick 174
There aren't many quarterbacks who are as athletic as Lamar Jackson, but Green comes close. At the NFL Combine, Green had the best vertical jump, the best broad jump and the second best 40 time (4.36) of any QB since 2003. The former Arkansas QB might not he quite as talented as Jackson, but he has a similar skill set, so he could make sense as a backup in Baltimore. Jackson has missed 14 games over the past five seasons, so Green could certainly end up seeing the field if he ends up in Baltimore. The Ravens do have Tyler Huntley at the backup spot, but Green would still be an intriguing addition to Baltimore's roster.
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Round 6, Pick 207
Matthew Stafford is on the back end of his career, which means the Rams need to start thinking about what life is going to be like after he retires. The Rams could certainly take a QB in an earlier round, but this team is in win-now mode, and with only three picks in the first five rounds -- all in the top 100 -- it feels like the Rams will likely took to select players who can help them this year. As for Robertson, he has everything that Sean McVay looks for in a quarterback: He's tall, he has a big arm and he's mobile when he needs to be.
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