It’s NFL Draft season! OK, not quite yet with the NFL playoffs beginning this week and the College Football Playoff semifinals kicking off ahead of the weekend, postseason football is still at the forefront. That said, for half of the NFL, they’re turned their sights to the offseason and for a fair portion of those teams, they’re looking at what quarterbacks they will turn to in an effort to improve their offense in 2026.
Just because there’s a quarterback available, though, doesn’t mean it’s a good system fit. We’ve seen several quarterbacks start with one team, struggle for years and then land on a new team and look like an MVP candidate. So with the spotlight on the quarterbacks for now, let’s dive into which systems the top 10 quarterback prospects, per ESPN expert Mel Kiper Jr., would fit the best in.
1. Dante Moore, Oregon Ducks
Best fit: Las Vegas Raiders
It’s truly a coin flip on which quarterback will be the first one taken between Dante Moore and Fernando Mendoza. I truly could see Moore and the Raiders working out because just like at Oregon, he won’t have elite weapons. This year, the Ducks don’t have a receiver with more than 700 receiving yards. Also having a tight end like Kenyon Sadiq, he’s keen on hitting his big target, which bodes well with the Raiders having Brock Bowers.
2. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana Hoosiers
Best fit: New York Jets
I’m not sure if the New York Jets end their playoff woes with Fernando Mendoza, but I could see why adding Mendoza would bring optimism to East Rutherford. They had some major issues on offense and their defense was wildly inconsistent, but they have a good enough foundation. Mendoza and Garrett Wilson would become a connection that fuels this offense and gets them on track. I’m not saying the Jets are a quarterback away, but with Mendoza, they might finally look like a respectable team.
3. Ty Simpson, Alabama Crimson Tide
Best fit: Minnesota Vikings
Ty Simpson still has a year of eligibility, but it feels like he’s getting the Quinn Ewers treatment where he either declares for the NFL Draft or hits the transfer portal — remember, Simpson wasn’t Kalen DeBoer’s guy, as Austin Mack followed DeBoer from Seattle to Tuscaloosa. Assuming Simpson does declare for the NFL Draft, it feels like he’ll have a good home in Minnesota. The Vikings may be reluctant to give up on J.J. McCarthy, but the signs are there.
Simpson is a much better thrower than McCarthy is, thus giving Kevin O’Connell the quarterback he thought he was getting from McCarthy. This isn’t the only fit for Simspon, but to me, Simpson is a more polished version of McCarthy and would save Justin Jefferson from forcing his way out.
4. John Mateer, Oklahoma Sooners
Best fit: Miami Dolphins
This is under the premise that Mike McDaniel returns for 2026. If he does, it means the Dolphins are probably parting ways with Tua Tagovailoa and Quinn Ewers is a bridge option at best. John Mateer would give McDaniel the dynamic quarterback he needs to build around. I don’t know if Mateer is an elite prospect, but with a system like McDaniel’s, it just feels like he ultimately has a decent NFL career.
Mateer had some bad moments, particularly in the College Football Playoff with some of his throwing choices, but McDaniel would help iron that out and simplify the system enough to help him eliminate the mistakes. Ewers was good enough to look better than a seventh-round pick so you have to think that Mateer can steadily improve as well throughout his career.
5. Carson Beck, Miami Hurricanes
Best fit: San Francisco 49ers
I feel like realistically, just about any quarterback could land at the Kyle Shanahan school of quarterbacks and come out a starter. But nobody more than Beck probably needs a coach like Shanahan to fully unlock his potential. Maybe the other 31 clubs in the NFL messed up in their scouting department, but nobody wanted Brock Purdy and now he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
I’m not saying it will be easy to turn Beck into the next Purdy, but with Shanahan’s system, it would eliminate Beck from having to be the difference maker. He doesn’t have to do everything for the offense to flow and that’s something he needs. A lot of his inconsistencies in college have come from him doing too much.
In San Francisco, he will simply need to rely on Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings and just worry about getting them the ball.
6. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss Rebels
Best fit: Washington Commanders
Editor's Note: Chambliss has agreed to a new deal to return to Ole Miss if he's granted a sixth year of eligibility. As that has not been confirmed, he remains a potential 2026 draft prospect.
We’re taking the franchise quarterback out of the picture, this is simply what system will allow these quarterbacks to thrive and Trinidad Chambliss with Kliff Kingsbury would have the NFL in a chokehold. Chambliss is a carbon copy of Kyler Murray in my opinion, and Murray’s best years were when Kingsbury was his coach.
Chambliss showed just how good of a playmaker he can be on the biggest stage in the College Football Playoff. It will be a transition for sure going up against some of the quickest athletes in the world, but he would eventually find his footing, knowing a coach like Kingsbury can maximize his skill set.
7. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU Tigers
Best fit: New Orleans Saints
There probably isn’t much difference between Garrett Nussmeier and Tyler Shough, which is precisely why Nussmeier fits well with the Saints. Kellen Moore just finished his first season as a head coach and surprisingly enough, Shough looked a lot better than many of us expected. Nussmeier is arguably more talented – a bit younger too – so if the Saints were to dabble for a quarterback in the draft, it’s not a terrible idea to look at Nussmeier.
That’s not to say he’s an immediate upgrade, but Nussmeier could look like a solid quarterback prospect if he got to play. The Saints will probably look for a true upgrade if they go quarterback route, and they could be looking for a better backup with Spencer Rattler not necessarily an ideal option.
8. Drew Allar, Penn State Nittany Lions
Best fit: Pittsburgh Steelers
It’s just something about Drew Allar that just has Pittsburgh Steelers vibes. This is probably Aaron Rodgers’ final season so the Steelers will need to look for his replacement. As of now, Allar is a bridge option, but he could eventually develop into a serviceable starter. Some NFL general managers will probably still bank on his potential in last year’s draft before his stock got buried by an injury-shortened 2025 season.
9. Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt Commodores
Best fit: Denver Broncos
Diego Pavia’s arm talent might be better than Bo Nix’s but both are threats as runners and with similar play styles, it feels like a plug and play situation in Denver. I’m not saying they’re going to draft him, but if they did, it would probably be the most ideal situation with Nix’s backup nearly identical to his play style. Sure, Pavia could benefit from more experience, but he’s a much better throwing than what people probably give him credit for.
10. Taylen Green, Arkansas Razorbacks
Best fit: Baltimore Ravens
I say Baltimore Ravens simply because his dual threat ability is something the Ravens are familiar with. It’s hard to find a fit for him just because he feels like a major development project. There are good coaches out there that could develop him, I just don’t know if there’s truly an ideal system out there outside of Baltimore’s. You could argue the Commanders, but Kingsbury probably works better with more polished quarterbacks.