ESPN’s Mel Kiper shook up his Top 10 quarterback rankings once again following Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss getting another court ruling. He’s now eligible for 2026 and will return to the Rebels.
So with that, Kiper had to adjust a couple of things. Fernando Mendoza still leads this class, but it’ll be intriguing with more quarterbacks going back to school than originally anticipated.
So without further ado, let’s dive into Kiper’s top 10 QBs. We start at the top.
Mendoza is the No. 1 QB and that’s not changing for Kiper. The Heisman Trophy winner and national champion saved his best for last during a 16-0 campaign. Mendoza had 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns and six interceptions, to go along with a 72% completion percentage.
Unless another team trades up with a massive package, Mendoza is bound for the Las Vegas Raiders. A new era is upon us and we’ll see how he makes the transition.
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Simpson was vaulted into Kiper’s second QB spot after Dante Moore elected to return to Oregon. He did some good things while at Alabama, but most draft analysts consider there to be a gap between Mendoza and the rest.
Still, Simpson got Alabama to the CFP this year and won a game before falling to Indiana. In his lone year as the starter, he threw for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns and five picks.
Allar might be the most maligned QB of Kiper’s bunch, but he comes in at No. 3 on this list. The Penn State man has all the tools, but not too much of the production to back it up over the last couple of years. Not to mention, he was knocked out with a season-ending injury after six games.
When the good plays are there, boy, are they great. But Allar has made a handful of mistakes in big games as well. He comes in with 7,402 career yards, 61 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 45 career games.
Nussmeier might’ve been the top QB in the NFL Draft at one point, but LSU’s season was a disaster compared to preseason expectations. Brian Kelly was fired and Nussmeier struggled with injuries.
Still, he has prototypical NFL qualities that could land him in a good spot in the spring. This year, he had 1,927 yards compared to over 4,000 last year. He had 12 touchdowns and five picks, but threw a career high 29 in 2024.
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Beck transferred to Miami after a mostly successful stint at Georgia. The QB was a popular pick for the Heisman in the preseason, but that moniker tapered off.
Still, Beck had a solid season and led Miami in the College Football Playoff national championship. This year, he had 3,813 yards, 30 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a career-high and ACC-leading 72.4% completion percentage.
6. Cole Payton, North Dakota State
Another North Dakota State QB is making waves in Kiper’s NFL Draft lists. Payton was a productive dual-threat signal caller in his lone season as the starter for the Bison.
In 2025, he threw for 2,719 yards, 16 touchdowns, four interceptions and a 72% completion percentage. He ran for 777 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Another QB on Kiper’s list that could’ve been thought of as a No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Klubnik’s career was highlighted by a great 2024 season, but ‘25 was one of disappointment for the entire program and Dabo Swinney.
After a career-high 36 touchdowns and 3,693 yards in 2024, Klubnik was limited to 2,943 yards and 16 touchdowns in 12 games this year. He’s got the potential, but 2025 was certainly concerning.
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The dual-threat Green has been extremely productive throughout his college career. He combined for more than 12,000 total yards and 94 total touchdowns between Boise State and Arkansas.
But after tallying 3,756 total yards and 23 touchdowns in 2024 for the Razorbacks, the 6-foot-6 and 235-pound QB regressed a little in 2025 with just 2,714 yards on 60.7% passing to go along with a career-best 777 rushing yards and 27 total touchdowns last season. Still, Kiper has him in his Top 10 as an intriguing prospect.
The Starkville, Miss. native is next up on Kiper’s Top 10 QBs after going 23-12 over the past three seasons as the Fightin’ Illini’s starting quarterback. That included a strong senior season in Champaign.
Altmyer capped his Illinois career with a breakout senior season. He set career highs with 3,007 passing yards and 22 touchdowns on 67.4% passing in 2025.
To finish up Kiper’s Top 10 QBs in this year’s NFL Draft, he goes to Robertson. After starting his career at Mississippi State, Robertson turned into a solid starter at Baylor in recent seasons.
This past year, he set career highs! Robertson had 3,681 yards, 31 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 60.3% completion percentage.
Just missed: Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt; Joe Fagnano, UConn; Jacob Clark, Missouri State