Which quarterbacks landed in perfect spots? We look at expectations, fits and roles for every drafted QB, including two first-rounders.
So how does every quarterback fit with his new team? We took a closer look at what's next for all 10 drafted passers. NFL draft analyst Jordan Reid made sense of each player's scheme fit and how each QB could excel in the pros, while our NFL Nation reporters focused on each quarterback's expected role with his new team.
And for early-round picks, Reid picked one area where each passer could lead the league in short order, while fantasy football analyst Mike Clay projectedDating to his time at Cal and progressing through last season at Indiana, Mendoza has experienced multiple offenses. When required to, Mendoza showed he is capable of operating a versatile scheme that demands exhausting multistep progressions where he can get to third and fourth options in passing concepts.
So Mendoza fits well into Klint Kubiak's offense, which will require him to operate off play-action. He finished 2025 with a 73.4% completion percentage on play-action throws.. Another helpful element will be finding consistency in the running game after finishing last in the league in rushing yards per attempt in each of the past two seasons. An uptick in production fromPassing yards.
Kubiak's scheme is expected to be wide-open, which could allow Mendoza to thrive as the Raiders build up his surrounding personnel. Mendoza will have opportunities to exploit defenses and rack up passing yardage, as Kubiak's scheme has been a launching point for several passers in recent seasons. Mendoza could eventually reach that prolific level of success. , Simpson was given a lot of responsibilities at Alabama, such as setting protections, run checks and altering passing concepts pre-snap.
He's not ready to be an NFL starter right away and should get multiple seasons to learn behind reigning NFL MVP. That process, and working every day with coach Sean McVay, will give Simpson a first-hand education on how to operate the Rams' system. The Rams see Simpson as Stafford's heir apparent.
The team expects Simpson to -- or at least hope he will -- get at least a year of practice reps before he plays in a meaningful NFL game. Although the Rams believe in the rookie, McVay made it clear that Simpson's ascension to the starting job will come on Stafford's terms. But he'll have plenty of talented skill players to throw to in a system that's proven to work in the league. Completion percentage.
Simpson is a highly accurate passer who completed 64.5% of his passes last season and can be effective in multiple schemes. Simpson is able to fit passes into tight windows in all areas of the field, as his ball placement and decision-making ability are elements that can carry over to the NFL. Beck is a traditional pocket passer with a high floor and experience in multiple schemes but is best when allowed to be a quick distributor from under center.
His decisiveness and accuracy are A-level traits, making him an ideal fit in Mike Lafleur's offense. Beck has limited arm strength, but with players includingBeck could see time at any point of the upcoming season. While it's not likely, there is potential for him to be the Week 1 starter. If that doesn't happen, Beck could be thrust into the lineup at any point; midseason if the Cardinals struggle out of the gate or November/December if the season is lost.
If Arizona falls out of playoff contention, don't be surprised if the team throws him out there to see what it has entering the 2027 draft. While starting Week 1 is a long shot, there's a distinct possibility of Beck playing at any point from Week 2 on. The selling point for Allar is what he could eventually be if a coach can improve his footwork and accuracy issues to match the rest of his tools.
Playing under Mike McCarthy puts Allar under the watch of a QB developer whose scheme caters to his skill set. Allar's mechanics will need to be restructured, though; he becomes unsteady under pressure, with erratic decision making in big moments. The Steelers have plenty of leeway to reshape Allar's game. There's exciting long-term potential if Pittsburgh can make the fixes that Penn State couldn't..
If Rodgers returns as expected, Allar likely won't see the field except for the preseason and injury fill-in spots during the 2026 campaign. But it would benefit the Steelers to get Allar game experience to see what they have entering aas developmental players vying to be Rodgers' backup -- if the 42-year-old quarterback returns. If he doesn't?
Then all bets are off.but had a disappointing senior season. He's a streaky passer whose performances are based heavily on how fast he starts games. When protected, Klubnik is a steady distributor who makes consistent throws to all levels, but his game breaks down into erratic, head-scratching decisions when unsettled.
The Jets have a lot around him, with young bookend tackles or as part of a play-design wrinkle to keep defenses off-balance.
That's Payton's quickest route to playing. Otherwise, his time will be dedicated to developing behind the scenes. Green is a create-a-player type option who has boom-or-bust potential. He has all the tools to succeed, including blazing speed , but is still a highly inaccurate thrower.
New coach Todd Monken's offense historically consists of a lot of under-center snaps and heavy personnel sets, and Green offers a different skill set than the Browns' other QBs because of his ability to create out of structure. A lot of development is needed, but a sound plan could result in massive payoff down the road. Green should spend his rookie season developing behind the scenes.
GM Andrew Berry said Green has "rare physical gifts" but also said he is "going to need some polish with his game.
" Berry and Monken did not dismiss the possibility of creating a package of plays for Green to take advantage of his athletic skills, but that would likely be the extent of his Year 1 playing time. Kaliakmanis is one of the smartest passers in this year's draft. He has the accuracy and decision-making combination to be a long-term depth filler.
He completed 62.2% of his passes last season and wastes little time with getting the ball out of his hands. He has gained considerable experience with the types of passing concepts that will be asked of him in the NFL.for the No. 3 job. Hartman struggled last preseason and Washington clearly views Kaliakmanis as someone who can win the job. He is also a good fit in new coordinator David Blough's play-action system.
The question is whether Kaliakmanis is able to develop into a No. 2 option, but we'll have to wait a couple years to answer that. A quick processor with a loose throwing motion, Morton displayed plenty of flashes during his Texas Tech career. His most comfortable throws are made when he's allowed to attack down the field. That fits well in Josh McDaniels' Patriots offense, which aggressively seeks big plays.
Morton's bold mentality when making deep passes is why the Patriots spent a seventh-round pick on him.are locked into the top two spots on the depth chart, so Morton currently projects as the No. 3. But would he be on the 53-man active roster or the practice squad? If Morton shines in the preseason, the Patriots wouldn't want to risk another team making a waiver claim to prevent him from making the practice squad.
And if Mortonstars in the preseason, perhaps he could challenge DeVito for the No. 2 role, but that isn't the current expectation. Nussmeier's fall was one of the draft's biggest surprises, as there were scouts who thought he could be this year's QB3. Nussmeier is a daring anticipatory passer who plays in rhythm and makes a lot of jaw-dropping throws when protected.
That type of mentality translates well into an Andy Reid offense that will require him to make downfield throws and squeeze passes consistently over the middle of the field. Nussmeier should consider this his redshirt rookie season. The Chiefs see plenty of potential in him as the future long-term backup to, Nussmeier's role is one where he should listen to Reid, offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Mahomes and Fields and take notes for 2027 and beyond.
Those lessons, and a yearlong plan to improve his skills and strengthen his body, should allow Nussmeier to be in the mix to be Mahomes' backup in 2027.
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