2026 Draft Superthread And Draft Prospect Discussion

[Boltx]

image (19).jpg

Hopefully the powers than be see this image! No reason we can’t have multiple alternates.

[Bolt4Knob]

Hopefully the powers than be see this image! No reason we can’t have multiple alternates.

Is the guy in the photo AJ Brown?

[DerwinBosa]

Just putting this up here because the Raiders are going to take Mendoza. The scouts see it pretty much the same way I do, although Mendoza did perform better in the playoffs than I thought he would. Also posting what the scouts said on Simpson, whom I thought should have stayed at Alabama another year, because I'm hoping a team will fall in love with him and trade up with us.

Part 5, QB: The Fernando Mendoza Question

Franchise-changer or "goody two-shoes?" Scouts have many thoughts on the Indiana QB. Also: What do we make of Ty Simpson? Teams eyeing a savior picked a bad year to need a quarterback...

What was expected to be an exceptional draft year for quarterbacks has turned into a nightmare for NFL teams.

“Horrible,” “very weak” and “terrible” were just some of the adjectives used by executives in personnel to describe what’s left of a quarterback class almost completely gone sour.

In almost unprecedented fashion, one quarterback after another forecast for the first round ran aground. Some faded due to performance or injury, others failed to meet expectations and wisely returned to school.

“There’s not a real difference-maker,” said one scout who painstakingly graded all the quarterbacks. “There’s no bona-fide, can’t-miss quarterback.”

For him, that included Fernando Mendoza, who ascended during Indiana’s drive to the national championship while almost all his peers disintegrated. When asked to compare Mendoza to a sundry list of quarterbacks when they were entering the draft, one veteran evaluator said he’d rate Mendoza behind Joe Burrow, Matthew Stafford, Justin Herbert, Drake Maye, Sam Darnold, Sam Bradford, Matt Ryan and Carson Palmer. He said Mendoza would be about even as a prospect with C.J. Stroud and Joe Flacco.

In mid-September, ESPN’s Pete Thamel polled 25 NFL scouts and executives to see who they projected as the top quarterback in the 2026 draft. South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers led with eight votes followed by LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, seven; Miami’s Carson Beck and Oklahoma’s John Mateer, three; Penn State’s Drew Allar, two, and Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt and Texas’s Arch Manning, one.

In early May, one week after the 2025 draft, Dane Brugler published a way-too-early 2026 mock draft in The Athletic. “Five passers are included, and a few others could push for the first round,” he wrote. “It should feature a stark upgrade in quarterback talent.”

His mock included Manning at No. 1, Sellers at No. 2, Allar at No. 5, Nussmeier at No. 16 and Mendoza at No. 27.

Todd McShay’s early top-10 included Nussmeier No. 1, Sellers No. 4, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik No. 5 and Allar No. 7.

Manning, Sellers and Mateer went back to school, as did Oregon’s Dante Moore. Beck was OK, Klubnik’s star waned and Nussmeier struggled while playing hurt. Allar, after a slow start, had his season end after six games with an ankle injury.

Alabama’s Ty Simpson, a first-year starter, played well in the first two months before fading down the stretch. Somewhat surprisingly, he declared for the draft. Leavitt went back, too.

There was some hope that Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss might provide a second-day option but that ended when the Mississippi Supreme Court granted him another year of eligibility. He isn’t in this draft.

“I actually thought the best quarterback in this draft class stayed in school and got paid a lot of money to go to Texas Tech,” one scout said in reference to Brendan Sorsby, who had been at Cincinnati. “I’ll take this guy over Mendoza all day long. It’s amazing how these guys stay in school. It just changes things.

“Simpson is a backup. I didn’t like him. This is really a bunch of backups. They are not starter-caliber guys.”

1. FERNANDO MENDOZA, Indiana (6-4 ½, 236, no 40, 1): Became the first player from the Big Ten to win the Heisman Trophy since Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith in 2006. “He was the steady Eddie and part, a big part, of a really good team and now he emerges as the No. 1,” one scout said. “He’s got a lot of really good qualities. He’s big, tough and smart. He’s motivated, driven. He’s overcome a lot of adversity. He went from not being invited to walk on at Miami to Yale to, hey, we’ll take you at Cal to getting beat up out there to some extent,” said one scout.

“I think anybody that needs a quarterback would have to take him. I think he’s going to rise high. He’s wired that way. People say too many RPO’s, not enough dropback passes to go up in leagues. I think he can get past some of that. Is he an anticipatory thrower? Probably not, but you cannot deny the fact that he made big plays in big moments all season long. He’s not a nifty scrambler but he’ll just take the gap and take off. He can be an effective runner. He’d run better than 4.8.” Two-star recruit ranked as the No. 72 quarterback in 2022. Redshirted in ’22. Started the last eight games in ’23 (NFL passer rating of 85.9) before going 6-7 as the starter in ’24 (99.1). Moved to IU in ’25 and went 15-0 (130.4). Career rating was 107.7. “I saw him early in the year and I thought he was just a guy,” said a second scout. “They thought he’d be a little better than the guy (Kurtis Rourke) they had a year ago. As the season wore on he played better and better and better. His physical attributes are very average. Probably a 4.8 40, or 4.9. But he’ll knock out the IQ tests and get on the board and do all that stuff. He just throws a very accurate ball and knows the offense. All those things you want a quarterback to do, like Tom Brady did, he’s going to be that.” Just the Hoosiers’ third All-Big Ten first-team quarterback, joining Harry Gonso (1967) and Antwaan Randle El (2001). “He’s not going to get to the Raiders and say, ‘Hey, I’m going to transform this team,’” a third scout said. “You better have a lot around him. He’s going to be good. He’s got feel for it. Really good eyes. When he gets in rhythm he’s really, really good. But when he gets sped up things don’t work out too well for him. He’s got enough movement, but if he has to quickly move in the pocket to get out of trouble he struggles because he’s so big and his feet aren’t super quick. We’ve seen him play great in big moments but he’s had a lot of average games. Even the National Championship game, you’re not looking at him saying, ‘This is the first pick in the draft.’ But here we are.” Outstanding student. President of the campus ministry. Graduated from Cal in three years with a degree in business administration. “Put it this way,” a fourth scout said. “Jayden Daniels, Caleb Williams and Drake Maye … he would be below those guys. I saw them right away as franchise quarterbacks. This guy lacks mobility. You need brains, accuracy and wheels. Where are the wheels on this guy? Did you see him on that touchdown (in the CFP title game)? It looked like he was stuck in slow motion. I don’t see the escape ability. The Raiders have two tackles but the inner three of that offensive line is bad.” Ran for 473 yards and 11 touchdowns. “It’d scare me to pick him in the first round,” said a fifth scout. “You don’t see enough create. You don’t see enough driving the ball down the field. Goody two-shoes personality. It’s going to be different in that pro locker room. The difference between college and the pros is not the size and speed. It’s the people you’re with. I just have this suspicion he’s going to rub people the wrong way the way he talks and acts.” From Miami.

2. TY SIMPSON, Alabama (6-1, 212, no 40, 1-2): Backed up Bryce Young in 2022 and Jalen Milroe in 2023-’24, throwing just 50 passes in three seasons. Started in ’25. “You could argue Ty Simpson over Mendoza,” one scout said. “The biggest concern is he’s a one-year starter. Started off really hot and then he got banged up and was dealing with injuries toward the end of the season. He’s really talented. He’s an underrated athlete. He’s got good feet and escapability. He’s really tough. Probably his best trait is his football intelligence and instincts. Kid’s always in command. Really good pre- and post-snap. You see it on film. He can manipulate safeties with his eyes. His footwork is really good, both in the shotgun and coming out from under center. He’s got a quick, compact release. His touch is really good. With the right team he can be a solid starter. I think he’d run 4.6, 4.65.” His father, Jason, owns a 130-98 record as coach of FCS Tennessee-Martin since 2006. Jason played quarterback at Mississippi State for two years. “Son of a coach,” a second scout said. “Good accuracy, smart. At one point during the season he was right up there at or above Mendoza.” Finished his career with a passer rating of 100.6. Also ran for 223 and five TDs. “He was as efficient as anybody in the country in the first eight weeks,” said a third scout. “Then he wasn’t 100%, got into tougher games and competition, didn’t play as good. He has subtle pocket movement. I think he’s a good enough scrambler. Not a great arm. He throws good. His greatest strength is he is a great kid. He’s still no certain thing. But there probably aren’t as many doubts (compared) to the others.” Five-star recruit from Martin, Tenn. “Fifteen starts, one-year starter,” said a fourth scout. “He’s a little guy that’s wild and inconsistent. He doesn’t have good feel for timing. He’s terrible against pressure. He’s a good little athlete but he doesn’t escape pressure well. He should have stayed in school. You’re really just gambling. There’s nothing on tape where you say, ‘He should have come out. He’s going to be a first-rounder.’ It’s years away with this guy.”

[Boltjolt]

image (19).jpg

We need that Helmet

[Boltjolt]

Ok ill just stick to art and leave the football discussion to you high football IQ guys. lol

No man, we can use you in the fold lol. I dont think we will get Tyreek either but can use your input here as well and not just on the draft.

But i know your Son is there so enjoy that as well.

[Jack Burton]

image (19).jpg

This needs to happen. It reminds me of the late 70’s early 80’s uni.

[Boltjolt]

Just putting this up here because the Raiders are going to take Mendoza. The scouts see it pretty much the same way I do, although Mendoza did perform better in the playoffs than I thought he would. Also posting what the scouts said on Simpson, whom I thought should have stayed at Alabama another year, because I'm hoping a team will fall in love with him and trade up with us.

Part 5, QB: The Fernando Mendoza Question

Franchise-changer or "goody two-shoes?" Scouts have many thoughts on the Indiana QB. Also: What do we make of Ty Simpson? Teams eyeing a savior picked a bad year to need a quarterback...

What was expected to be an exceptional draft year for quarterbacks has turned into a nightmare for NFL teams.

“Horrible,” “very weak” and “terrible” were just some of the adjectives used by executives in personnel to describe what’s left of a quarterback class almost completely gone sour.

In almost unprecedented fashion, one quarterback after another forecast for the first round ran aground. Some faded due to performance or injury, others failed to meet expectations and wisely returned to school.

“There’s not a real difference-maker,” said one scout who painstakingly graded all the quarterbacks. “There’s no bona-fide, can’t-miss quarterback.”

For him, that included Fernando Mendoza, who ascended during Indiana’s drive to the national championship while almost all his peers disintegrated. When asked to compare Mendoza to a sundry list of quarterbacks when they were entering the draft, one veteran evaluator said he’d rate Mendoza behind Joe Burrow, Matthew Stafford, Justin Herbert, Drake Maye, Sam Darnold, Sam Bradford, Matt Ryan and Carson Palmer. He said Mendoza would be about even as a prospect with C.J. Stroud and Joe Flacco.

In mid-September, ESPN’s Pete Thamel polled 25 NFL scouts and executives to see who they projected as the top quarterback in the 2026 draft. South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers led with eight votes followed by LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, seven; Miami’s Carson Beck and Oklahoma’s John Mateer, three; Penn State’s Drew Allar, two, and Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt and Texas’s Arch Manning, one.

In early May, one week after the 2025 draft, Dane Brugler published a way-too-early 2026 mock draft in The Athletic. “Five passers are included, and a few others could push for the first round,” he wrote. “It should feature a stark upgrade in quarterback talent.”

His mock included Manning at No. 1, Sellers at No. 2, Allar at No. 5, Nussmeier at No. 16 and Mendoza at No. 27.

Todd McShay’s early top-10 included Nussmeier No. 1, Sellers No. 4, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik No. 5 and Allar No. 7.

Manning, Sellers and Mateer went back to school, as did Oregon’s Dante Moore. Beck was OK, Klubnik’s star waned and Nussmeier struggled while playing hurt. Allar, after a slow start, had his season end after six games with an ankle injury.

Alabama’s Ty Simpson, a first-year starter, played well in the first two months before fading down the stretch. Somewhat surprisingly, he declared for the draft. Leavitt went back, too.

There was some hope that Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss might provide a second-day option but that ended when the Mississippi Supreme Court granted him another year of eligibility. He isn’t in this draft.

“I actually thought the best quarterback in this draft class stayed in school and got paid a lot of money to go to Texas Tech,” one scout said in reference to Brendan Sorsby, who had been at Cincinnati. “I’ll take this guy over Mendoza all day long. It’s amazing how these guys stay in school. It just changes things.

“Simpson is a backup. I didn’t like him. This is really a bunch of backups. They are not starter-caliber guys.”

1. FERNANDO MENDOZA, Indiana (6-4 ½, 236, no 40, 1): Became the first player from the Big Ten to win the Heisman Trophy since Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith in 2006. “He was the steady Eddie and part, a big part, of a really good team and now he emerges as the No. 1,” one scout said. “He’s got a lot of really good qualities. He’s big, tough and smart. He’s motivated, driven. He’s overcome a lot of adversity. He went from not being invited to walk on at Miami to Yale to, hey, we’ll take you at Cal to getting beat up out there to some extent,” said one scout.

“I think anybody that needs a quarterback would have to take him. I think he’s going to rise high. He’s wired that way. People say too many RPO’s, not enough dropback passes to go up in leagues. I think he can get past some of that. Is he an anticipatory thrower? Probably not, but you cannot deny the fact that he made big plays in big moments all season long. He’s not a nifty scrambler but he’ll just take the gap and take off. He can be an effective runner. He’d run better than 4.8.” Two-star recruit ranked as the No. 72 quarterback in 2022. Redshirted in ’22. Started the last eight games in ’23 (NFL passer rating of 85.9) before going 6-7 as the starter in ’24 (99.1). Moved to IU in ’25 and went 15-0 (130.4). Career rating was 107.7. “I saw him early in the year and I thought he was just a guy,” said a second scout. “They thought he’d be a little better than the guy (Kurtis Rourke) they had a year ago. As the season wore on he played better and better and better. His physical attributes are very average. Probably a 4.8 40, or 4.9. But he’ll knock out the IQ tests and get on the board and do all that stuff. He just throws a very accurate ball and knows the offense. All those things you want a quarterback to do, like Tom Brady did, he’s going to be that.” Just the Hoosiers’ third All-Big Ten first-team quarterback, joining Harry Gonso (1967) and Antwaan Randle El (2001). “He’s not going to get to the Raiders and say, ‘Hey, I’m going to transform this team,’” a third scout said. “You better have a lot around him. He’s going to be good. He’s got feel for it. Really good eyes. When he gets in rhythm he’s really, really good. But when he gets sped up things don’t work out too well for him. He’s got enough movement, but if he has to quickly move in the pocket to get out of trouble he struggles because he’s so big and his feet aren’t super quick. We’ve seen him play great in big moments but he’s had a lot of average games. Even the National Championship game, you’re not looking at him saying, ‘This is the first pick in the draft.’ But here we are.” Outstanding student. President of the campus ministry. Graduated from Cal in three years with a degree in business administration. “Put it this way,” a fourth scout said. “Jayden Daniels, Caleb Williams and Drake Maye … he would be below those guys. I saw them right away as franchise quarterbacks. This guy lacks mobility. You need brains, accuracy and wheels. Where are the wheels on this guy? Did you see him on that touchdown (in the CFP title game)? It looked like he was stuck in slow motion. I don’t see the escape ability. The Raiders have two tackles but the inner three of that offensive line is bad.” Ran for 473 yards and 11 touchdowns. “It’d scare me to pick him in the first round,” said a fifth scout. “You don’t see enough create. You don’t see enough driving the ball down the field. Goody two-shoes personality. It’s going to be different in that pro locker room. The difference between college and the pros is not the size and speed. It’s the people you’re with. I just have this suspicion he’s going to rub people the wrong way the way he talks and acts.” From Miami.

2. TY SIMPSON, Alabama (6-1, 212, no 40, 1-2): Backed up Bryce Young in 2022 and Jalen Milroe in 2023-’24, throwing just 50 passes in three seasons. Started in ’25. “You could argue Ty Simpson over Mendoza,” one scout said. “The biggest concern is he’s a one-year starter. Started off really hot and then he got banged up and was dealing with injuries toward the end of the season. He’s really talented. He’s an underrated athlete. He’s got good feet and escapability. He’s really tough. Probably his best trait is his football intelligence and instincts. Kid’s always in command. Really good pre- and post-snap. You see it on film. He can manipulate safeties with his eyes. His footwork is really good, both in the shotgun and coming out from under center. He’s got a quick, compact release. His touch is really good. With the right team he can be a solid starter. I think he’d run 4.6, 4.65.” His father, Jason, owns a 130-98 record as coach of FCS Tennessee-Martin since 2006. Jason played quarterback at Mississippi State for two years. “Son of a coach,” a second scout said. “Good accuracy, smart. At one point during the season he was right up there at or above Mendoza.” Finished his career with a passer rating of 100.6. Also ran for 223 and five TDs. “He was as efficient as anybody in the country in the first eight weeks,” said a third scout. “Then he wasn’t 100%, got into tougher games and competition, didn’t play as good. He has subtle pocket movement. I think he’s a good enough scrambler. Not a great arm. He throws good. His greatest strength is he is a great kid. He’s still no certain thing. But there probably aren’t as many doubts (compared) to the others.” Five-star recruit from Martin, Tenn. “Fifteen starts, one-year starter,” said a fourth scout. “He’s a little guy that’s wild and inconsistent. He doesn’t have good feel for timing. He’s terrible against pressure. He’s a good little athlete but he doesn’t escape pressure well. He should have stayed in school. You’re really just gambling. There’s nothing on tape where you say, ‘He should have come out. He’s going to be a first-rounder.’ It’s years away with this guy.”

I said much of the same that i bolded. If he were in the 2024 draft he would be behind all the QBs in that draft that went first round and Nix went 12 to Denver. There wasnt annother QB drafted til round 5 which was Rattler. Does Mendoza go ahead of Rattler? Probably does but thinking round 2 or 3.

I think he goes after Dart last year as well who went 25th,.... there was only two first round QBs. Likely goes ahead of Tyler Shough who went round 2 last year @ #40. Raiders are not getting a top QB and he will struggle as a rookie. Having Kubiak will help but how much can he get out of him as a rookie? Doubt he starts. If he does, the Raiders wont win many games.

He made the big throws on that last drive in the Championship game but reality is those two passes are incomplete passes in the NFL. Need two feet and that didnt happen on either of those.


NIL is killing these drafts but agree Moore should of went back to school. Arch was never going to dclare. Not what Mannings do. How Nussmuier turns out is anyone guess and not high on Allar either. Beck....not real big on him either but he has his moments. I thought he was a step DOWN from Stetson Bennett but that was 3 years ago.

[gzubeck]

Just putting this up here because the Raiders are going to take Mendoza. The scouts see it pretty much the same way I do, although Mendoza did perform better in the playoffs than I thought he would. Also posting what the scouts said on Simpson, whom I thought should have stayed at Alabama another year, because I'm hoping a team will fall in love with him and trade up with us.

Part 5, QB: The Fernando Mendoza Question

Franchise-changer or "goody two-shoes?" Scouts have many thoughts on the Indiana QB. Also: What do we make of Ty Simpson? Teams eyeing a savior picked a bad year to need a quarterback...

What was expected to be an exceptional draft year for quarterbacks has turned into a nightmare for NFL teams.

“Horrible,” “very weak” and “terrible” were just some of the adjectives used by executives in personnel to describe what’s left of a quarterback class almost completely gone sour.

In almost unprecedented fashion, one quarterback after another forecast for the first round ran aground. Some faded due to performance or injury, others failed to meet expectations and wisely returned to school.

“There’s not a real difference-maker,” said one scout who painstakingly graded all the quarterbacks. “There’s no bona-fide, can’t-miss quarterback.”

For him, that included Fernando Mendoza, who ascended during Indiana’s drive to the national championship while almost all his peers disintegrated. When asked to compare Mendoza to a sundry list of quarterbacks when they were entering the draft, one veteran evaluator said he’d rate Mendoza behind Joe Burrow, Matthew Stafford, Justin Herbert, Drake Maye, Sam Darnold, Sam Bradford, Matt Ryan and Carson Palmer. He said Mendoza would be about even as a prospect with C.J. Stroud and Joe Flacco.

In mid-September, ESPN’s Pete Thamel polled 25 NFL scouts and executives to see who they projected as the top quarterback in the 2026 draft. South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers led with eight votes followed by LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, seven; Miami’s Carson Beck and Oklahoma’s John Mateer, three; Penn State’s Drew Allar, two, and Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt and Texas’s Arch Manning, one.

In early May, one week after the 2025 draft, Dane Brugler published a way-too-early 2026 mock draft in The Athletic. “Five passers are included, and a few others could push for the first round,” he wrote. “It should feature a stark upgrade in quarterback talent.”

His mock included Manning at No. 1, Sellers at No. 2, Allar at No. 5, Nussmeier at No. 16 and Mendoza at No. 27.

Todd McShay’s early top-10 included Nussmeier No. 1, Sellers No. 4, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik No. 5 and Allar No. 7.

Manning, Sellers and Mateer went back to school, as did Oregon’s Dante Moore. Beck was OK, Klubnik’s star waned and Nussmeier struggled while playing hurt. Allar, after a slow start, had his season end after six games with an ankle injury.

Alabama’s Ty Simpson, a first-year starter, played well in the first two months before fading down the stretch. Somewhat surprisingly, he declared for the draft. Leavitt went back, too.

There was some hope that Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss might provide a second-day option but that ended when the Mississippi Supreme Court granted him another year of eligibility. He isn’t in this draft.

“I actually thought the best quarterback in this draft class stayed in school and got paid a lot of money to go to Texas Tech,” one scout said in reference to Brendan Sorsby, who had been at Cincinnati. “I’ll take this guy over Mendoza all day long. It’s amazing how these guys stay in school. It just changes things.

“Simpson is a backup. I didn’t like him. This is really a bunch of backups. They are not starter-caliber guys.”

1. FERNANDO MENDOZA, Indiana (6-4 ½, 236, no 40, 1): Became the first player from the Big Ten to win the Heisman Trophy since Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith in 2006. “He was the steady Eddie and part, a big part, of a really good team and now he emerges as the No. 1,” one scout said. “He’s got a lot of really good qualities. He’s big, tough and smart. He’s motivated, driven. He’s overcome a lot of adversity. He went from not being invited to walk on at Miami to Yale to, hey, we’ll take you at Cal to getting beat up out there to some extent,” said one scout.

“I think anybody that needs a quarterback would have to take him. I think he’s going to rise high. He’s wired that way. People say too many RPO’s, not enough dropback passes to go up in leagues. I think he can get past some of that. Is he an anticipatory thrower? Probably not, but you cannot deny the fact that he made big plays in big moments all season long. He’s not a nifty scrambler but he’ll just take the gap and take off. He can be an effective runner. He’d run better than 4.8.” Two-star recruit ranked as the No. 72 quarterback in 2022. Redshirted in ’22. Started the last eight games in ’23 (NFL passer rating of 85.9) before going 6-7 as the starter in ’24 (99.1). Moved to IU in ’25 and went 15-0 (130.4). Career rating was 107.7. “I saw him early in the year and I thought he was just a guy,” said a second scout. “They thought he’d be a little better than the guy (Kurtis Rourke) they had a year ago. As the season wore on he played better and better and better. His physical attributes are very average. Probably a 4.8 40, or 4.9. But he’ll knock out the IQ tests and get on the board and do all that stuff. He just throws a very accurate ball and knows the offense. All those things you want a quarterback to do, like Tom Brady did, he’s going to be that.” Just the Hoosiers’ third All-Big Ten first-team quarterback, joining Harry Gonso (1967) and Antwaan Randle El (2001). “He’s not going to get to the Raiders and say, ‘Hey, I’m going to transform this team,’” a third scout said. “You better have a lot around him. He’s going to be good. He’s got feel for it. Really good eyes. When he gets in rhythm he’s really, really good. But when he gets sped up things don’t work out too well for him. He’s got enough movement, but if he has to quickly move in the pocket to get out of trouble he struggles because he’s so big and his feet aren’t super quick. We’ve seen him play great in big moments but he’s had a lot of average games. Even the National Championship game, you’re not looking at him saying, ‘This is the first pick in the draft.’ But here we are.” Outstanding student. President of the campus ministry. Graduated from Cal in three years with a degree in business administration. “Put it this way,” a fourth scout said. “Jayden Daniels, Caleb Williams and Drake Maye … he would be below those guys. I saw them right away as franchise quarterbacks. This guy lacks mobility. You need brains, accuracy and wheels. Where are the wheels on this guy? Did you see him on that touchdown (in the CFP title game)? It looked like he was stuck in slow motion. I don’t see the escape ability. The Raiders have two tackles but the inner three of that offensive line is bad.” Ran for 473 yards and 11 touchdowns. “It’d scare me to pick him in the first round,” said a fifth scout. “You don’t see enough create. You don’t see enough driving the ball down the field. Goody two-shoes personality. It’s going to be different in that pro locker room. The difference between college and the pros is not the size and speed. It’s the people you’re with. I just have this suspicion he’s going to rub people the wrong way the way he talks and acts.” From Miami.

2. TY SIMPSON, Alabama (6-1, 212, no 40, 1-2): Backed up Bryce Young in 2022 and Jalen Milroe in 2023-’24, throwing just 50 passes in three seasons. Started in ’25. “You could argue Ty Simpson over Mendoza,” one scout said. “The biggest concern is he’s a one-year starter. Started off really hot and then he got banged up and was dealing with injuries toward the end of the season. He’s really talented. He’s an underrated athlete. He’s got good feet and escapability. He’s really tough. Probably his best trait is his football intelligence and instincts. Kid’s always in command. Really good pre- and post-snap. You see it on film. He can manipulate safeties with his eyes. His footwork is really good, both in the shotgun and coming out from under center. He’s got a quick, compact release. His touch is really good. With the right team he can be a solid starter. I think he’d run 4.6, 4.65.” His father, Jason, owns a 130-98 record as coach of FCS Tennessee-Martin since 2006. Jason played quarterback at Mississippi State for two years. “Son of a coach,” a second scout said. “Good accuracy, smart. At one point during the season he was right up there at or above Mendoza.” Finished his career with a passer rating of 100.6. Also ran for 223 and five TDs. “He was as efficient as anybody in the country in the first eight weeks,” said a third scout. “Then he wasn’t 100%, got into tougher games and competition, didn’t play as good. He has subtle pocket movement. I think he’s a good enough scrambler. Not a great arm. He throws good. His greatest strength is he is a great kid. He’s still no certain thing. But there probably aren’t as many doubts (compared) to the others.” Five-star recruit from Martin, Tenn. “Fifteen starts, one-year starter,” said a fourth scout. “He’s a little guy that’s wild and inconsistent. He doesn’t have good feel for timing. He’s terrible against pressure. He’s a good little athlete but he doesn’t escape pressure well. He should have stayed in school. You’re really just gambling. There’s nothing on tape where you say, ‘He should have come out. He’s going to be a first-rounder.’ It’s years away with this guy.”

The last two Superbowl winners as QBs....Jalen Hurts and Sam Darnold! Let that sink in for a moment....Mendoza is good enough to win a Superbowl if the team around him is good enough. Total Team effort decides the Superbowl Champion.

[Chargers8491]

Let's see what the great Steve Smith thinks about Ted Hurst???

I like him. We will just have to wait and see how does at the NFL level.

[Fleet 1]

2ETax.jpg

[wu-dai clan]

2ETax.jpg

Harb's shirt today matches your metallic blue helmet.

[wu-dai clan]

This is the part where we figure out how the board is gonna shake out to extract maximum value.