The NFL Combine is back in Indianapolis, and all eyes will be on the quarterback workouts as the draft class is far from certain after Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza
17:48 ET, 25 Feb 2026
Ty Simpson could be QB2 in the class despite playing just 15 games in college
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Ty Simpson could be QB2 in the class despite playing just 15 games in college(Image: Getty Images)
The 2026 quarterback class is Fernando Mendoza and the rest.
With the Raiders holding the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the franchise has the opportunity to redefine its identity for a decade. Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner who led Indiana to national championship glory, is the man many expect to be selected when the Raiders are on the clock.
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But after Mendoza, who is not testing this week, the quarterback class is wide open. Any name could be listed as QB2, and not many would bat an eyelid, which presents an intriguing stage ahead of the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
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Ultimately, the 2026 class hasn’t lived up to the billing of a year ago. Carson Beck has question marks, while Garrett Nussmeier and Drew Allar both suffered injury-hit seasons.
The door has opened for a name like Alabama’s Ty Simpson or even North Dakota State’s Cole Payton to climb boards. Even NFL Network lead draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah has no answer for the order in which the quarterbacks might come off the board come April.
“I think there's some intriguing guys,” Jeremiah told reporters in Indianapolis. “I don't think it's what we saw two years ago with that group and the upper echelon guys and seeing six of them come off the board. 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 them. I went back through this morning and was just watching more on him and looked at all of his third-and-seven throws that he made — and it was not an Alabama supporting cast that you're accustomed to seeing.
“I mean, there is a lot of pressure on him. There's not a lot of guys uncovering down the field. So you can excuse away maybe some of the drop-off and performance late. You can't run away from the fact that the limited number of starts [and] the track record there has not been good, but you can find really good tape on him. So there's intrigue with him.
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Daniel Jeremiah noted Carson Beck as a potential riser throughout the draft process
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Daniel Jeremiah noted Carson Beck as a potential riser throughout the draft process(Image: Getty Images)
“And then after that, I think you get into Carson Beck, who I think is going to have a little bit of a rise up as we go through the rest of the process. He's big. He's won a lot of games. He's played a lot of games. How he does through the interview process will be important, but I think he'll spin the ball really well.
“And then you get to like Nussmeier, who's day two pick for me. Drew Allar, that's a tough one to figure out. But again, you've got the size, and he's incredibly intelligent and bright. Didn't have a lot of talent at the receiver position with him. Is that a third round? Is that a fourth round?”
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Jeremiah concluded: “There's intriguing guys. I just don't think that we have a year [where] we're going to see three, four, five of these guys go in the first 40 picks.”
Given up to 10 franchises could seek upgrades at the position, the Combine could play a huge role in determining the NFL landscape in 2026 and beyond. The quarterbacks will speak to the media on Friday before taking to the turf at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday for workouts.
Combine drills for quarterbacks focus on accuracy, timing, and mechanics through scripted throwing sessions — including slants, comebacks, and deep outs — along with pocket mobility drills. Key tests include the 40-yard dash for speed, the 3-cone drill for agility, and the 20-yard shuttle for change-of-direction.