The 2026 NFL combine has officially come and gone from Indianapolis, with a total of 319 prospects having gone through the proverbial car wash, putting their best foot forward in front all 32 teams in hopes of hearing their name called at this coming April’s draft.
Of those 319, 16 were quarterbacks, and while not all competed (see: Fernando Mendoza), a majority went through various measurements, testing and on-field throwing drills to showcase their skills to prove that they can be a franchise signal-caller at the next level.
Here’s a look at where all 16 could end up in the NFL in our seven-round, QB-only mock draft. For those not selected, we matched each with a landing spot that makes sense for them as an undrafted free agent.
Seven-Round, QB-Only 2026 NFL Mock Draft
Round 1, Pick 1 (Las Vegas Raiders): Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Mendoza, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and national championship-winning quarterback, did not participate in on-field drills and testing at the combine, as he is all but a lock to be selected with the No. 1 pick.
The 22-year-old shared that he spoke with team owner Tom Brady by phone during his “fantastic” meeting with Las Vegas last week.
Round 1, Pick 16 (New York Jets): Ty Simpson, Alabama
Widely regarded as the No. 2 quarterback in the class, Simpson helped his cause this week, showing off his downfield accuracy and ability to layer throws at the second level.
The Jets, who are likely to move on from Justin Fields and are in search of a franchise signal-caller, would make a ton of sense for Simpson, who had a “great” meeting with New York this week.
Round 3, Pick 70 (Cleveland Browns): Carson Beck, Miami
Beck was booed by fans in attendance at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, likely because his former Hurricanes squad was defeated by Indiana in the college football national championship.
The 23-year-old powered through, however, and showed why he was once considered a future No. 1 pick during his time at Georgia.
Speaking of the Bulldogs, their former offensive coordinator, Todd Monken, is set to embark on his first season as coach of the Browns. Perhaps he turns to a familiar face in Beck as the future of his Cleveland offense.
Round 3, Pick 85 (Pittsburgh Steelers): Drew Allar, Penn State
Penn State’s miserable 2025 campaign went from bad to worse this past October when Allar sustained a season-ending ankle injury in a loss to Northwestern. That said, the former Nittany Lion, who stands at 6' 5" and weighs 228 pounds, brings prototypical size to the position and, after showing off his arm on Saturday, proved he’s worthy of a top 100 pick.
The Steelers have been in search of “the guy” under center since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement in 2021. They spoke with Allar at the combine, and the QB said his meeting with coach Mike McCarthy was the toughest of the week.
“I was explaining a lot of our protections and a couple of concepts he was asking me about,” he said. “It was really fun. Those are the conversations I love.”
Round 4, Pick 132 (New Orleans Saints): Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
Nussmeier was among the top QB prospects heading into the 2025 season. Still, a less-than-ideal campaign saw him make only nine starts, going 5–4 amid the firing of coach Brian Kelly, before he was soft-benched with an abdominal injury.
While the Saints have what many consider to be their quarterback of the future in Tyler Shough, pairing Nussmeier with his father, offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, makes too much sense.
Round 5, Pick 156 (Carolina Panthers): Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
While the Panthers have seemingly found their long-term answer, Bryce Young, they’re reportedly exploring the trade market for backup Andy Dalton, and could use another developmental player in the pipeline.
Robertson, a 23-year-old athletic specimen, threw for 3,681 yards and 31 touchdowns last season at Baylor. His experience as a redshirt senior who has navigated multiple offensive systems—having begun his collegiate career at Mississippi State—makes him an intriguing prospect for any team looking to add QB depth.
Round 5, Pick 158 (Green Bay Packers): Cole Payton, North Dakota State
Add Payton to the running list of North Dakota State prospects drafted out of the FCS powerhouse over the past decade. The 23-year-old southpaw threw 16 touchdowns and only four interceptions in his first full season as the Bison’s full-time starting quarterback, and is a true dual-threat. He logged 1,919 rushing yards and 31 scores on the ground throughout his career.
The Packers are likely to lose Malik Willis to free agency this offseason, and with Jordan Love’s health a constant question mark, Green Bay would benefit from bringing in a young backup.
Round 6, Pick 190 (New York Giants): Taylen Green, Arkansas
Green put on a show this week in Indianapolis, tallying the fastest 40-yard dash (4.36 seconds) and 10-yard split (1.55 seconds) among quarterbacks while also leading them with a 43.5" vertical jump and an 11'2" broad jump.
The Giants have a franchise QB-hopeful in Jaxson Dart. That said, he’s no stranger to injury. Green is athletic like Dart and has the makings of a potential backup in the NFL.
Round 6, Pick 200 (New England Patriots): Luke Altmyer, Illinois
While Drake Maye is the unquestioned answer under center in New England, the Patriots need a long-term backup plan for the MVP candidate, as Joshua Dobbs is under contract for only one more season, and Tommy DeVito is set to hit free agency.
Altmyer, a five-year college player with stints at both Ole Miss and Illinois, impressed while throwing Saturday in Indy. His experience makes him an intriguing fit as a reserve option for Josh McDaniels to mold.
Round 6, Pick 205 (Los Angeles Rams): Cade Klubnik, Clemson
The Rams are seemingly set to watch Jimmy Garoppolo walk out the door once free agency opens later this month, and with reigning MVP Matthew Stafford not getting any younger, they need to start throwing darts at the quarterback position.
Klubnik would give Sean McVay something he’s never worked with before in a starting quarterback: mobility. The former Tiger tallied 90 total touchdowns over four seasons in the ACC.
UDFA Landing Spots
Now it’s time to play undrafted free agent matchmaker.
Joey Aguilar, Tennessee
Projected UDFA landing spot: Kansas City Chiefs
Andy Reid could use another big-armed playmaker to work with as they wait for Patrick Mahomes’s ACL to recover. Aguilar, 24, spent this past season in Tennessee and Josh Heupel’s super-spread system.
Jalon Daniels, Kansas
Projected UDFA landing spot: Philadelphia Eagles
Despite still having Tanner McKee under contract, Philly could use a Jalen Hurts-like athlete to develop. Daniels ran for 1,451 yards and 23 touchdowns over six seasons at Kansas.
Joe Fagnano, UConn
Projected UDFA landing spot: New England Patriots
New England already selected Altmyer in the sixth round, so it’s reasonable to think Mike Vrabel and the Patriots could throw the UConn product in Joe Fagnano a bone.
Haynes King, Georgia Tech
Projected UDFA landing spot: Buffalo Bills
Buffalo needs someone as bruising as Josh Allen to compete in training camp. Enter King.
Behren Morton, Texas Tech
Projected UDFA landing spot: Arizona Cardinals
Mike LeFleur and the Cardinals have been connected to both Garoppolo and Willis as free agent options while they look to move on from Kyler Murray. Morton, out of Texas Tech, has a rocket arm and would add a dynamic element to the room.
Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
Projected UDFA landing spot: Miami Dolphins
Miami needs all the help it can get at quarterback. Why not bring in the hyper-polarizing former Heisman finalist for a spark?
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as QB-Only NFL Mock Draft 2026: Where Ty Simpson, Other Top Signal-Callers Could Land.
