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What Every Rookie QB's Situation Looks Like After the NFL Draft

By Karl Rasmussen & Eva Geitheim Sports Illustrated

Updated April 26, 2026 6:21 AM

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As the dust settles on the 2026 NFL draft, a total of 10 quarterbacks were selected, starting at the very top of the draft when the Raiders picked Fernando Mendoza at No. 1, and ending with Garrett Nussmeier, who went to the Chiefs at pick No. 249.

The 2026 quarterback class was a particularly interesting one since it was lauded as the next great class before several top prospects struggled during the 2025 season and either saw their draft stock lower or returned for another season of college football. Ultimately, only Mendoza was a top-10 pick and just two became first-round selections.

Now that every quarterback taken in the draft has found their new home, it's time to take a closer look at their situation as they begin their NFL careers.

Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders (No. 1)

The Raiders selected Fernando Mendoza No. 1 in the draft. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In what was a surprise to absolutely nobody, the Raiders took Mendoza with the No. 1 pick. Mendoza joins a quarterbacks room in Las Vegas already consisting of Kirk Cousins and Aidan O'Connell. Whether he starts right away or not remains to be seen, but he landed in a great situation with an experienced veteran mentor in Cousins, who will help ease his transition to the NFL. Starting the year as a backup may be the most likely outcome for Mendoza, but it's clear he's the future for the Raiders.

More: Tom Brady Has Officially Chosen Fernando Mendoza as His Successor

Ty Simpson, Los Angeles Rams (No. 13)

In what was the biggest surprise of Day 1 of the draft, the Rams held pat at pick No. 13 and decided to take Simpson. The heir apparent to reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford, Simpson may not see the field for quite a while in L.A., with the team committed to Stafford until he decides to retire. There were some concerns over how coach Sean McVay reacted to the selection, not showing quite the level of enthusiasm that one would expect a coach to display over the team's first-round pick. Simpson's lack of experience (just 15 starts at Alabama) led many to believe he'd be picked later in the first round, if not in Round 2, but the Rams took him off the board early. He joins a QBs room consisting of Stafford and Stetson Bennett IV.

Carson Beck, Arizona Cardinals (No. 65)

Carson Beck has joined the Cardinals. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The top pick in the third round, Carson Beck finds himself actually in a favorable position. With the Cardinals releasing Kyler Murray this offseason, Beck enters a quarterback competition with Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew, two quarterbacks he could certainly beat out in training camp or at some point during the regular season.

Not only is Beck in a good position to see the field, but he actually has a nice supporting cast around him in Arizona with No. 3 pick RB Jeremiyah Love, All-Pro tight end Trey McBride, wide receiver duo Michael Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr. and an upgraded offensive line. Beck might not be the Cardinals' long-term option at quarterback, but for a Day 2 pick, he is in a good place to at least get a shot.

Drew Allar, Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 76)

Eleven picks after the Cardinals selected Beck, the Steelers made Penn State's Drew Allar the fourth quarterback off the board in this year's draft. Allar joins a Pittsburgh squad that is still awaiting word on whether Aaron Rodgers plans to return or retire as the Steelers continue punting on finding their long-term quarterback.

If Rodgers doesn't return, Allar potentially could compete for the starting gig with 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard and backup Mason Rudolph. As for the situation in Pittsburgh, Allar will get to work with new head coach Mike McCarthy, who has a good track record with quarterbacks. There's also a nice collection of talent around him on the Steelers in new running back Rico Dowdle, receivers DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr. and rookie Germie Bernard and tight end Pat Freiermuth. There are a lot of question marks surrounding the Steelers, but at least Allar is in a place to develop after a disastrous 2025 season with Penn State.

Cade Klubnik, New York Jets (No. 110)

The Jets drafted former Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Jets made a surprising move up in the fourth round in order to select Klubnik with the No. 110 pick of the draft. The Clemson product struggled during his final season in college, but he'll now head to New York where he'll become a developmental project for offensive coordinator Frank Reich, who seemed most pleased with the selection. Klubnik joins a Jets quarterbacks room where he'll team up with Geno Smith, Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe. There's a chance he could see the field late in the year if he's able to secure the backup role and the Jets struggle throughout the season––neither of which can be counted out.

Cole Payton, Philadelphia Eagles (No. 178)

The Eagles added to their quarterbacks room by selecting one of the most intriguing arms in the draft, North Dakota State's Cole Payton. The lefty only has one year of starting experience under his belt, but he displayed exceptional accuracy in 2025, completing 72% of his passes and throwing for 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. It's not the first time the Eagles have drafted a rising quarterback out of NDSU, having selected Carson Wentz a decade ago. Payton will look to earn his opportunity on a depth chart that includes Jalen Hurts, Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee.

Taylen Green, Cleveland Browns (No. 182)

New @Browns QB Taylen Green at the Combine:

4.36s 40 (2nd-best all-time among QBs)

11'2" broad jump (best all-time among QBs)

43.50" vertical jump (best all-time among QBs) pic.twitter.com/5c1ZbsJ4qN
- NFL (@NFL) April 25, 2026

The Browns added another arm to an already-crowded quarterbacks room, taking Taylen Green off the board atop Round 6 with the No. 182 pick. Green is a dynamic dual-threat quarterback with a strong arm and an exceptional ability to create plays with his legs. Accuracy has been an issue, as he threw 35 interceptions in college, but he makes up for that with his big play potential. Green will compete with Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson and Dillon Gabriel in Cleveland.

Athan Kaliakmanis, Washington Commanders (No. 223)

In a bit of a surprise, the Commanders selected Athan Kaliakmanis in the seventh round. Kaliakmanis heads to the NFL after spending his college career at Minnesota and Rutgers. During the 2025 season with Rutgers, Kaliakmanis completed 62.2% of his passes for 3,124 yards, 20 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Kaliakmanis joins a Commanders quarterbacks room already featuring third-year standout Jayden Daniels, veteran backup Marcus Mariota and 2024 undrafted free agent Sam Hartman. Kaliakmanis likely will be competing for a spot on the roster or practice squad.

Behren Morton, New England Patriots (No. 234)

Like Kaliakmanis, Behren Morton heads to a team with a standout quarterback from the 2024 class and an opportunity to compete for a backup job. Morton, who spent the past five seasons with Texas Tech and helped them reach the CFP this past season, joins a team with just two quarterbacks on the depth chart in Drake Maye and Tommy DeVito. Morton could certainly beat out DeVito at some point to become the backup, or at least make it as the team's third-stringer.

Garrett Nussmeier, Kansas City Chiefs (No. 249)

Garrett Nussmeier was drafted by the Chiefs in the seventh round. | Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

Garrett Nussmeier shockingly fell all the way to the seventh round of the draft before he was scooped up by the Chiefs with the No. 249 pick. Nussmeier will join a Chiefs quarterback room featuring Patrick Mahomes, new backup Justin Fields, Chris Oladukon and Jake Haener. There is of course no path to a starting role with Kansas City, but Nussmeier will be able to compete for the third-string role, a roster spot, or a place on the practice squad.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as What Every Rookie QB's Situation Looks Like After the NFL Draft.

This story was originally published April 26, 2026 at 6:00 AM.