2026 NFL Draft: Mel Kiper shakes up Top 10 QB rankings following draft declarations

Around the country, players have been declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft. That includes several quarterbacks coming out, as well as a handful who chose to return to school for the 2026 season. Of course, that led to a shakeup in the draft rankings for Mel Kiper Jr.

The reality for draft rankings up to this point is that experts like Kiper are going based on draft-eligible players. That’s a little different than players entering the draft itself. So, with those declarations, the rankings will become a bit more accurate to those players who will be available to NFL teams this spring.

Several quarterbacks have come off the board as a result. That includes Dante Moore and John Mateer, among others. So, Kiper had to shake up his Top 10 QB rankings for the NFL Draft.

1. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

In his first season at Indiana after transferring in from California, Fernando Mendoza has had a remarkable year. The Heisman Trophy winner led the Hoosiers to an unbeaten regular season, Big Ten Championship, and now they’ll play for a national championship on top of all of that.

Kiper currently has Mendoza as the top available QB in this year’s NFL Draft. Given all the success he’s had this season, it’s not a shock. Now, he’ll look to begin building on that success in the pre-draft process.

2. Ty Simpson, Alabama

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson had options if he wanted to back out of the NFL Draft. That included reported offers in the seven figures to transfer to a new program. Instead, he stuck with his decision to go pro and now Kiper has him ranked second among the available QBs.

Simpson spent one season as the starter at Alabama. In that one season, he threw for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns. That was against just one interception. He also had two rushing touchdowns.

3. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss

The Trinidad Chambliss story was one of the feel good story of the season, in many respects. A Division II transfer who would eventually win the starting job at Ole Miss, taking the Rebels to the College Football Playoff, Chambliss now looks like he’ll have an NFL career. Kiper has him ranked third among the QBs.

There is still a legal battle hanging over Chambliss and the NFL. He would like to play another year at Ole Miss and has a lawsuit against the NCAA. So, that process still needs to play out too.

4. Drew Allar, Penn State

Drew Allar had a frustrating senior season at Penn State. The Nittany Lions went from being a national championship favorite to 6-6 in the regular season. Meanwhile, Allar suffered a season ending injury in October, hurting the team and his NFL hopes.

Still, Allar has a large body of work in college. He also has the raw skills needed to thrive. So, it’s not overly surprising to see Kiper ranking him fourth overall among those QBs.

5. Carson Beck, Miami

Carson Beck is going to be one of the most experienced QBs available in this NFL Draft. He began his college career at Georgia in 2020. Starting for two seasons there in 2023 and 2024 before an elbow injury ended his time there. He’d then transfer to Miami.

In his one season with Miami, Beck led the Hurricanes to the College Football Playoff where he’ll play for a national championship on Monday. With 3,581 passing yards to go with 29 passing touchdowns, it’s been a productive season too. So, Kiper has him sitting fifth overall.

6. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

Injuries became the story of the season for Garrett Nussmeier. In particular, a lingering torso issue seemed to take its toll on him as a passer. After, at one point, being a top tier QB candidate for the Heisman and the NFL Draft, he’d see his stock slide.

Now, Kiper has Nussmeier sitting at sixth among his draft-eligible QBs. There’s room for him to improve on that mark, though. In particular, by showing his health in the pre-draft process.

7. Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt

Diego Pavia became a legend of the Vanderbilt program over the past couple of seasons. With him under center, the Commodores found tons of success compared to where the program had been before he got to Nashville. Pavia would even be recognized as a Heisman finalist in 2025.

Now, Pavia looks to take on the next level. Ahead of the NFL Draft, Kiper has him ranked seventh among the available QBs. How that changes in the coming months should prove to be interesting to see.

8. Taylen Green, Arkansas

Over the years, Taylen Green has consistently proved to be a capable duel threat quarterback. That included this past season, when he threw for 2,714 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also rushed for 777 yards and another eight touchdowns.

Kiper currently has Green eighth among the QBs available in the NFL Draft. He’ll offer both experience and versatility at the next level. That, in its own respect, can be hard to find.

9. Sawyer Robertson, Baylor

Baylor QB Sawyer Robertson has played in 35 career games. Coming off a year where he threw for 3,681 yards and 31 touchdowns, it’s hard not to find something to like about Robertson. The question is how well he’ll translate to the NFL.

As far as the NFL Draft is concerned, Robertson is ranked ninth among the QBs by Kiper. As is the case with every QB, there’s plenty of room for things to change.

10. Luke Altmyer, Illinois

Luke Altmyer is one of the most experienced QBs entering the NFL Draft. With five years of college experience and 44 games, he has experience that is hard to find. He’s also blended that with a lot of success, particularly as he helped make Illinois competitive in the Big Ten.

This past season, he threw for 3,007 yards and 22 touchdowns to only five interceptions. He also rushed for 242 yards and another five touchdowns. So, for now, Kiper has him in the Top 10 of available QBs in the NFL Draft.

Just missed: Cade Klubnik, Clemson; Jacob Clark, Missouri State