2026 NFL Draft: Mel Kiper shakes up Top 10 quarterback rankings

The 2025 regular season is in the books. That means, for NFL Draft eligible players, they’ve put the majority of film on tape that they’re going to be able to put there. So, it was time for ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. to shake up his Top 10 rankings.

Notably, just because a quarterback is listed on these rankings, it doesn’t mean that they’ll make the move to the NFL. Several quarterbacks who are draft eligible also still have eligibility if they choose to use it.

There is also a chance for players to keep moving up and down these rankings, be it by playing in the postseason or the pre-draft process. With that in mind, here’s where the quarterback race currently stands for the NFL Draft, according to Mel Kiper.

1. Dante Moore, Oregon

Kiper opened his Top 10 NFL Draft eligible quarterbacks with Dante Moore out of Oregon. The junior had originally been a five-star in the Class of 2023, but the 2025 season has been the first where he’s been the consistent starter.

It’s been a standout season for Moore. With the Ducks on the edge of the College Football Playoff, Moore has completed 72.5% of his passes for 2,733 yards and 24 touchdowns to six interceptions. He’s also rushed for 191 yards and a touchdown.

2. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

The 2025 season has proven to be a breakout for Fernando Mendoza. In his first season with the Hoosiers, Mendoza has become a Heisman contender and has Indiana ready for the Big Ten Championship and the CFP. Now, he’s also a big name for the NFL Draft.

In 12 games this season, Mendoza is completing 72 percent of his passes for 2,758 yards and 32 touchdowns to just five interceptions. He’s been effective on the ground, too. There, Mendoza has rushed for 243 yards and six touchdowns.

3. Ty Simpson, Alabama

Ty Simpson was a highly touted recruit coming out of high school. There, he waited for his turn to earn the starting job in 2025, his fourth season in college. Clearly, that talent has always been there, with his status as a draft prospect undeniable.

Alabama is currently getting ready to play in the SEC Championship Game and, hopefully, the CFP. That wouldn’t be possible without Simpson. He’s completing 65.8% of passes for 3,056 yards and 25 touchdowns to four interceptions. He’s also added 126 yards on the ground and two touchdowns.

4. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina

The South Carolina Gamecocks didn’t have the season that they had hoped for. Still, LaNorris Sellers proved to be a star and Mel Kiper has him at No. 4 among the quarterbacks potentially heading into the NFL Draft.

The former SEC Freshman of the Year completed 60.8% of his passes for 2,437 and 13 touchdowns. That was against eight interceptions. Noted a dual threat, Sellers also had 270 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns, though that number is sack-adjusted behind a struggling offensive line.

5. John Mateer, Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Sooners are likely headed to the College Football Playoff. That comes in a season where the major storyline has surrounded transfer quarterback John Mateer. Initially playing well, he’s seen his performance slip in consistency since suffering a hand injury.

Still, Mateer is a very real NFL Draft prospect. This comes on the back of a season where he played 11 games. Mateer completed 62.1% of his passes for 2,578 yards and 12 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. He’s also rushed for 416 yards and seven touchdowns.

6. Carson Beck, Miami

A transfer from Georgia, where he started multiple seasons, Beck ended his time with an elbow injury there, which may have kept him from entering the NFL Draft a season ago. Instead, he has Miami on the CFP bubble with 10 wins.

This season, Beck is in his sixth year of college football. He has completed 74.7% of his passes for 3,072 yards and 25 touchdowns to 10 interceptions. A pocket passer, he rushed for 39 yards and a touchdown.

7. Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati

Cincinnati has a surprisingly strong season in 2025. That was, in no small part, because of veteran quarterback Brendan Sorsby. Now, he’s caught Kiper’s attention ahead of the NFL Draft.

Sorsby is wrapping up his season, having played 12 games. During that time, he completed 61.6 percent of his passes for 2,800 yards and 27 touchdowns. That’s with 580 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on the season.

8. Jaden Craig, Harvard

Mel Kiper looked to the FCS ranks and found a potential name for the NFL Draft. That’s Jaden Craig from Harvard. This past year, he put together an excellent season and even got the Crimson to the FCS playoffs. So, now he can decide to either transfer or to into the NFL Draft, as the Ivy League doesn’t allow grad students.

This season, Craig completed 61.5 percent of his passes for 2,869 yards and 25 touchdowns to seven interceptions. On the ground, he would add 135 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns.

9. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss

The story of Trinidad Chambliss was told consistently throughout the 2025 season. A Division II transfer, he became a starter in the SEC. Not just that, he led that SEC team to the CFP and is now a candidate to play in the NFL.

In his one FBS season, Chambliss played in 12 games, though it took a couple of weeks to earn the starting job at Ole Miss. In that time, he completed 65.5% of his passes for 3,016 yards and 18 touchdowns to just three interceptions. Chambliss also has 470 rushing yards and another six touchdowns on the ground.

10. Jayden Maiava, USC

USC head coach Lincoln Riley is no stranger to developing NFL quarterbacks. The next might just be Jayden Maiava. The junior just wrapped up his second regular season playing for Riley and looked excellent in the process.

In 2025, Maiava led USC for all 12 games of the season. During that time, he completed 66.2% of his passes for 3,431 yards and 23 touchdowns to eight interceptions. He would also rush for 150 yards and six touchdowns.

Just missed: Drew Allar, Penn State; Garrett Nussmeier, LSU; Josh Hoover, TCU; Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt