Fernando Mendoza will be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but there’s a chance that the Indiana standout will be the only quarterback to hear his name called in the first round.
The unfortunate reality for teams that need a quarterback, is that this is a very thin class at the position, and there might not be a clear consensus on who the second or third-best prospect is at the position, with the draft just over a month away.
Carson Beck rising up 2026 NFL Draft Boards, NFL scout says
Miami Hurricanes, Carson Beck
Oct 17, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Carson Beck (11) throws the football against the Louisville Cardinals during the first quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Following the NFL Combine, one of the bigger winners among the quarterback class, might be the signal caller Mendoza and the Hoosiers defeated in the National Championship Game, Miami’s Carson Beck.
“We don’t need a QB, but he’s the favorite to be QB3 off of the board if we needed to take one,” an NFL College Scouting Director told ESPN’s Jordan Reid.
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Miami’s Carson Beck (11) throws during the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.
Last season, Beck, 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, passed for 3,813 yards with 30 touchdowns to just 12 interceptions, while guiding the Hurricanes into the national title game.
At this stage, it really is anyone’s guess, whether Beck can surpass Ty Simpson or even wind up as a first-round selection, but it sure sounds as though he is viewed significantly more positively inside the league among evaluators than by fans or the draft industry.