Ashton Jeanty is enjoying the Las Vegas Raiders’ position as the franchise holds the keys to the 2026 NFL Draft and the No. 1 pick. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Alabama’s Ty Simpson headline the quarterback class.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with Ty Simpson at NFL combine
Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza (QB11) greets Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (QB17) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
During a livestream, the Raiders running back delivered a cheeky, headline-grabbing take.
Ques: “Who do I think is better: Mendoza or Ty Simpson?”
Jeanty: “Whoever we draft at quarterback is better,” Jeanty said.
WOW: #Raiders star RB Ashton Jeanty revealed which quarterback—Ty Simpson or Fernando Mendoza—he believes is better.
Las Vegas has the number one overall pick.
👀👀👀
pic.twitter.com/VDS95VZwMM
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) March 25, 2026
The internet wasted no time reacting. Fans flooded X, with some calling the answer “media trained” while others joked, “this looks AI.”
One X user tweeted, “Smart young man🫡”
“He knows media,” tweeted one more.
“He can’t answer that honestly. They drafting Mendoza,” commented another.
One more fan said, “Great answer. 😂 but we know he was thinking FM15”
Now, to the actual problem. On the field, Mendoza boasts production. The 22-year-old Heisman winner threw for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns. He led the Indiana Hoosiers to an undefeated season and a national title. However, concerns remain about his arm strength and athletic ceiling.
On the other hand, Simpson, 23, had 3,567 passing yards and 28 touchdowns to his name while guiding Alabama to an 11-4 record. His late breakout impressed scouts, though his inconsistency against top defenses was much talked about in the 2025 CFB season.
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Unlike Ashton Jeanty, Dan Orlovsky picks clear winner between Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson
The 2026 NFL Draft quarterback debate is heating up, and Dan Orlovsky isn’t backing down. While Ashton Jeanty played it smartly and didn’t pick sides, the ESPN analyst has drawn a firm line between Alabama’s Ty Simpson and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. The ex-Lions QB met pushback from Mel Kiper Jr. and Mike Tannenbaum, but continued to side with Simpson. The divide centers on evaluation philosophy – raits versus tape — and Orlovsky is clearly leaning into what he sees on film.
“I believe that Ty Simpson’s tape is better. He doesn’t have the traits that Fernando Mendoza does,” Orlovsky said on Get Up.
Orlovsky pointed to Simpson’s processing ability as the separator. “I think the way that you process shows on tape,” he explained. He gave a particular example of a Vanderbilt play where Simpson reset across the field before delivering an accurate throw under pressure. Orlovsky also teased what scouts could see at Alabama’s Pro Day.
“I promise you, people are going to be surprised about how the ball pops off of his hands. He will rip the football.”
“I promise you people are going to be surprised about how the ball pops off of his hands.”
—@danorlovsky7 breaks down Ty Simpson tape ahead of his Pro Day ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/II6rD8cnu5
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) March 25, 2026
With questions around Simpson’s limited 15 career starts, teams must decide: prioritize Mendoza’s physical tools or trust the tape that Orlovsky believes tells the real story.
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