Three Quarterbacks With the Most to Prove at the NFL Combine

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is the overwhelming favorite to be the first quarterback selected and history tells us it won't be a long wait for the second to be picked.

The demand far outweighs the supply of first-round worthy quarterbacks in 2026.

There are arguments to be framed for sliding one-year starter Ty Simpson of Alabama or LSU's Garrett Nussmeier into the top 50. But neither has presented a convincing argument to be selected in the first round.

Ah, but history in the NFL has a way of repeating. And quarterbacks always rise, merited or not, because of the never-ending quest to fill the position of greatest importance to sustained success.

Here are the three quarterbacks with the most to prove in Indy.

Ty Simpson, Alabama

A one-year starter who grades on a similar range as his predecessor with the Crimson Tide, Jalen Milroe. They went about winning in much different ways, and Milroe was the 92nd overall pick in 2025. He spent the season working behind Sam Darnold with the Super Bowl champion Seahawks.

While Milroe's traits and upside compelled Seattle to roll the dice, Simpson doesn't have any elite physical traits. He compares to Kirk Cousins (the Michigan State version) as a prospect, and there's no shame in a winning system QB projection. We also had a similar grade on Andy Dalton, the 35th pick in 2011 in a draft that featured the Titans selected Jake Locker No. 8 and Carolina cashing in the No. 1 pick for Cam Newton. Colin Kaepernick went one pick after Dalton.

If Simpson can show efficiency, timing and accuracy in throwing sessions in Indy, we're confident he'll be prepared and impressive in the team interview portion of the combine. The sum of his performance would likely put him in the pick 25-35 range and under serious consideration for the New York Jets (two first-round picks).

Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

It's a stretch to say Nussmeier cemented first-round status at the 2026 Senior Bowl, but we're not entirely discounting the consistency of his performance in practice sesssions in Mobile, Ala., where he also claimed MVP honors.

Nussmeier is the son of Saints offensive coordinator Doug Mussmeier and he's familiar to every franchise in the NFL because of his bloodlines and projections dating to the middle of the 2024 season that he was constructed of first-round timber. Injuries were a factor in rolling back his grade due to inadequate and inefficient performance in the SEC. He looked healthy at the Senior Bowl, and now he has a chance to build more momentum.

Medical and interviews are key components for Nussmeier but measuring his accuracy, anticipation and consistent placement of the deep ball are the areas he'll need to win if the end result is first-round consideration.

Taylen Green, Arkansas

A boom-or-bust wildcard, Green is a genetic lottery winner at 6-6, 225, dripping with athleticism. He'll get a lot of buzz in Indy because of his timed speed and every set of team-owned binoculars in Lucas Oil Stadium will be fixed on Green's throwing session.

While the legions of general managers and scouting staffs in Indy aren't expecting perfection in the pocket out of Green, they do want to detect improvement in the two months of dedicated training he's gone through since the season ended. Green's footwork can be sloppy and fundamentally he sometimes appears to be an athlete asked to play quarterback because of a slow and elongated release with variance in his release point.

If the changes show more consistency and a rapport with receivers, Green's arrow will be pointing way up. If he misses targets and has sloppy footwork and an erratic release, he could slide to the bottom two rounds in April.