The 2026 NFL Draft is a real free-for-all at the quarterback position right now, with a ton of potential risers and fallers set up five weeks into the college football season. Those we expected to dominate (lookin' at you, Arch Manning) haven't quite lived up to expectations. Meanwhile, sleepers like Oregon's Dante Moore or even Vanderbilt's Diego Pavia are beginning to come out of the woodwork.
As we charge through Week 4 of the NFL season, a lot of fanbases are already beginning to wonder what their team's future looks like at the quarterback position. There isn't a clear No. 1 prospect like Caleb Williams this season. Depending on how the standings fall, there's a decent chance the No. 1 pick isn't even a quarterback. But there are several signal-callers good enough to compete for a spot in the first round.
From the basement-dwellers, like New Orleans and New York (Jets), to the contenders with ticking clocks at quarterback, like Pittsburgh and Los Angeles (Rams), here are a few logical QB fits in the 2026 draft class. You can thank me later for this prescient bit of writing, as I'm sure nothing will meaningfully change between now and April.
Note: The following draft order is indicative of the early slate of Week 4 games.
2026 NFL Draft order after Week 4 afternoon slate
Order | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
1 | New Orleans Saints | 0-4 |
2 | Tennessee Titans | 0-4 |
3 | New York Jets | 0-3 |
4 | Miami Dolphins | 0-3 |
5 | New York Giants | 1-3 |
6 | Cleveland Browns | 1-3 |
7 | Carolina Panthers | 1-3 |
8 | Houston Texans | 1-3 |
9 | Las Vegas Raiders | 1-2 |
10 | Dallas Cowboys | 1-2 |
11 | Denver Broncos | 1-2 |
12 | Baltimore Ravens | 1-2 |
13 | Chicago Bears | 1-2 |
14 | Kansas City Chiefs | 1-2 |
15 | Washington Commanders | 2-2 |
16 | Los Angeles Rams (via ATL) | 2-2 |
17 | Arizona Cardinals | 2-2 |
18 | Minnesota Vikings | 2-2 |
19 | New England Patriots | 2-2 |
20 | Cleveland Browns (via JAX) | 2-1 |
21 | Cincinnati Bengals | 2-1 |
22 | Dallas Cowboys (via GB) | 2-1 |
23 | Los Angeles Rams | 2-1 |
24 | Seattle Seahawks | 3-1 |
25 | Detroit Lions | 3-1 |
26 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 3-1 |
27 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3-1 |
28 | Los Angeles Chargers | 3-1 |
29 | Indianapolis Colts | 3-0 |
30 | San Francisco 49ers | 3-0 |
31 | Philadelphia Eagles | 4-0 |
32 | Buffalo Bills | 4-0 |
Projected quarterback landing spots in 2026 NFL Draft
1. New Orleans Saints — QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana Hoosiers
There was a time not so long ago when Arch Manning was penciled into this spot, which felt so fitting. But Manning has looked overmatched in the early going for Texas, which also guarantees a return to Austin for his senior campaign in 2026. The best quarterback in college football right now is Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, who transferred from Cal and took immediately to Curt Cignetti's offense.
He leads the Big Ten in touchdowns through five weeks (16) with only one interception, completing 73.0 percent of his passes for 1,208 yards. The Hoosiers were pretty clear pretenders last season, but this team feels different, largely because of Mendoza's incredible poise and execution under pressure.
There will be a lot of Garrett Nussmeier buzz since his father is the New Orleans Saints' offensive coordinator, but if the Saints decide to put feelings aside and prioritize the best available talent, Mendoza clears the field right now. He's the prototypical NFL quarterback on paper — tall, athletic, and blessed with incredible touch.
3. New York Jets — QB LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina Gamecocks
LaNorris Sellers needs to improve his processing speed, especially since he's stuck behind a god-awful offensive line at South Carolina, but there's a reason so many considered him Arch Manning's primary challenger going into the season. Sellers is a major talent, with the ability to chuck hard-cutting arrows deep through the heart of the defense. In terms of arm strength and ball placement alone, Sellers is probably the most intriguing QB prospect in the draft.
He's built well for the position, with a strong base that has earned him Ben Roethlisberger comparisons. Sellers generally handles pressure well, able to withstand would-be tacklers and maneuver his way through traffic. While Sellers is not a game-breaking runner in the Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson vein, he's a naturally gifted athlete who is difficult to wrap up once he's moving with a head of steam in the open field. He can also pummel his way through the trenches on designed QB sneaks. The dude just absorbs and bounces off of hits in a way that's genuinely special.
So much of quarterback success at the next level comes down to reading the defense and making swift progressions, which is what could hold Sellers back. But as he gains valuable experience in the SEC and comes into his own under NFL coaching, we can expect him to see the field better and start to make sharper decisions. The New York Jets probably aren't the ideal landing spot for any quarterback, but hey... Aaron Glenn feels like a better coach than New York's current circumstances might illuminate, and OC Tanner Engstrand worked closely with Jared Goff in Detroit.
23. Los Angeles Rams — QB Dante Moore, Oregon Ducks
Like clockwork, an Oregon quarterback is exceeding expectations and shooting up draft boards. Dante Moore, an ex-UCLA transfer, stepped into Dillon Gabriel's vacant spot and didn't miss a beat. The Ducks beat Penn State on Saturday night, a statement victory in which Moore threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns.
It's hard to separate the art from the artist with Oregon's offense. Dan Lanning's scheme is just a step ahead of the competition, which typically means his quarterbacks are afforded simple decisions and wide-open receivers. Bo Nix is in the process of hitting a sophomore slump, while Gabriel is biding his time until the Browns decide to bench Joe Flacco. But the track record for Lanning quarterbacks as far as the NFL is concerned is decidedly mixed — or incomplete. We need more information.
It feels like Moore has a bit more juice than either Nix or Gabriel did, however. He has a big arm and is willing to stretch the field more than we've seen from Ducks QBs in the recent past. Todd McShay called Moore "the best passer in all of college football," so folks are starting to ramp up the hype machine. The Los Angeles Rams feel like an appropriate spot for Moore to adjust and develop at the next level. He couldn't ask for a better coach than Sean McVay or a better mentor than Matthew Stafford.
27. Pittsburgh Steelers — QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU Tigers
Aaron Rodgers won't be with the Pittsburgh Steelers for very long, so the front office needs to find a more sustainable long-term solution than their recent run of ex-stars in decline. Garrett Nussmeier isn't a special athlete nor a particularly impressive thrower, but he tends to render quick decisions and make the "right" play. He's the son of Saints OC Dennis Nussmeier, so he's from a football family — more specifically, an offensive coach's family.
This just feels like a Steelers pick, for better or worse. Pittsburgh never bottoms out. Mike Tomlin is committed to riding the postseason bubble until the wheels fall off. What he lacks in upside, Nussmeier can ideally make up for with readiness to contribute out of the gate. He's going to pick up on the playbook and handle pressure well. There are few better programs when it comes to developing playmakers than LSU, for what that's worth.
Nussmeier stands tall in the pocket and isn't afraid to take a lick if it gives him the extra second to deliver a dart to his receiver. The lack of top-end arm talent is a concern, and it can lead to some ugly interceptions over the middle, but when Nussmeier has time to sprint through his progressions and throw in rhythm, he's as good as any quarterback in college football.