NFL draft 2026 preview: Year of the quarterback will have to wait

Manning, Sellers, Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby, Ohio State's Julian Sayin and three Michigan natives, Oregon’s Dante Moore, Notre Dame's C.J. Carr and Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss, could give next year’s draft star quality at the game’s most important position. Some teams already appear to be amassing picks – the New York Jets currently have three 2027 first-rounders – to make a run at one.

For those focused on this year, there aren’t a lot of options once Mendoza is gone.

“I don't think it's obviously what we saw two years ago with that group and the upper-echelon guys and seeing six of them come off the board,” NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said. “I don't see that. But after Mendoza, Ty Simpson's one that's fascinating. If you take that small sample size of those good games early in the year, you can get excited about him.”

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson passes the ball against Florida State during the first half at Doak S. Campbell Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025.

Mendoza, a transfer from Cal, completed 72% of his passes last season for 3,535 yards and an NCAA-leading 41 touchdowns with six interceptions. He went 25-10 in his career as a starter, including a perfect 14-0 last year.

Simpson lacks Mendoza’s experience with only 15 career starts but grew up around the game as the son of Tennessee-Martin coach Jason Simpson. He completed 64.5% of his passes last season for 3,567 yards with 28 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Simpson could go in the back half of the first-round to a quarterback-needy team such as the Miami Dolphins or Pittsburgh Steelers, or in a trade up to a team looking to secure his fifth-year option, afforded only to first-round picks.

At a minimum, he projects as an early Day 2 pick. Nussmeier, Allar, Miami’s Carson Beck and Clemson’s Cade Klubnik are among the group hoping to be the third quarterback off the board.

“I think there's intriguing guys,” Jeremiah said. “I just don't think that we have a year we’re going to see three, four, five of these guys go in the first 40 picks.”

At least three quarterbacks have gone in the top 40 of each of the past three NFL drafts, including Cam Ward (No. 1), Jaxson Dart (No. 25) and Tyler Shough (No. 40) last year, and six quarterbacks in the first 12 picks in 2024.

Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker (2) takes the field for practice ahead the Houston Texans game at Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday, August 23, 2025.

The Detroit Lions have not taken a quarterback in the top 40 since drafting Matthew Stafford No. 1 overall in 2009 and have taken just one quarterback – Hendon Hooker with the 68th pick in 2023 – in five drafts under general manager Brad Holmes.

The Lions have just two quarterbacks currently under contract in Jared Goff and Teddy Bridgewater. They’re not a threat to draft a quarterback early this year, but with seven picks on Day 3 they could take a developmental prospect later in the draft.

[ Brad Holmes feeling pressure before Lions' 2026 draft? He should be ]

Quarterbacks in NFL draft 2026

On the Lions roster: Jared Goff, Teddy Bridgewater.

Recent Lions draft picks at QB: 2025-None. 2024-None. 2023-Hendon Hooker (3rd round). 2022-None. 2021-None.

Dave Birkett’s top 3 QB prospects: 1. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana; 2. Ty Simpson, Alabama; 3. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU.

Other players with Michigan ties: Dequan Finn, Miami of Ohio (Detroit King).

Miami RedHawks quarterback Dequan Finn (1) throws a pass during the third quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin.

Day 3 sleeper who could interest Lions: Taylen Green, Arkansas.

Draft scoop: Mendoza is a lock to go No. 1 overall to the Raiders while Simpson should land somewhere in the draft’s first 50 picks despite his lack of experience and inconsistent game film. I like Nussmeier more than most. He played well in 2024, battled through an oblique injury last year and grew up in the game under his father Doug, a former assistant at Michigan State.

But this might be a year to pass on drafting a quarterback altogether given the projected strength of the position (and overall draft) in 2026. Lions assistant Marcus Tuiasosopo coached quarterbacks for the American Team at the Senior Bowl, where he worked closely with Nussmeier, Illinois’ Luke Altmyer and Arkansas’ Green. If the Lions want a young backup to groom behind Goff, one of those three could be an option. Finn likely will have to go the free agent route to make the NFL after leaving Miami (Ohio) prematurely in November to prepare for the draft. He previously played for Toledo and Baylor.

Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 2026 NFL Draft preview: Slim pickings at QB after Fernando Mendoza