As the 2026 NFL Draft nears, almost any mock draft you open right now on PFSN or elsewhere has Fernando Mendoza slotted as not only the QB1 but the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
That is, except for ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky, who has formed a different opinion, slotting Alabama Crimson Tide signal-caller Ty Simpson into that spot.
Dan Orlovsky Lists Two Traits Separating Ty Simpson from Fernando Mendoza
On ESPN’s “Get Up,” with a panel that included Orlovsky, Mike Greenberg, and Jason McCourty, Greenberg began the clip by discussing Mendoza as the QB1, then turned it over to Orlovsky and asked what he’s been seeing.
“I think Ty Simpson is the best quarterback in this class.”
—@danorlovsky7 makes a strong claim ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/Kgj0Z9Rgtc
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) March 23, 2026
“I think Ty Simpson is QB1. I think Ty Simpson is the best quarterback in this class,” Orlovsky began.
He then went on to question which quarterback needed to do more to carry his team, declaring it was Simpson, saying it was “not close between those two quarterbacks,” and also mentioned Mendoza.
Orlovsky also said he believed Simpson took over more games during the season. From there, he began discussing what a player is like in college and what that quarterback will be asked to do in the NFL.
“I start with what do you do in moments of panic with the football because that’s really what separates good to great,” Orlovsky said.
Quantifying that attribute, Orlovsky gave the edge to Simpson. However, he recognized there weren’t many moments when Mendoza experienced that, either, but said Mendoza was more likely to drop his eyes, take off, and run.
From there, after going over what a quarterback does in a moment of panic, Orlovsky discussed making NFL-level throws. “When I say NFL throws, I’m talking 15, 20, 25-yard in-routes, crossing routes, deep corner or sail routes,” Orlovsky clarified.
He then declared, “Ty Simpson, and it’s not even close in that regard.” He did say, though, that the downfield throws between Simpson and Mendoza are “close” as Mendoza throws a lot of go routes and “he’s good at it,” but Orlovsky reiterated that he thinks they’re close.
Before the clip ended, Orlovsky made it clear that he wasn’t trying to slight Mendoza, but said he’d prefer Simpson in the “15 to 20 range” over “Mendoza at 1.”
Additionally, on his own X account, Orlovsky quoted the clip and said, “IMO-Ty Simpson is the best QB in this draft.”
Over at PFSN’s NFL Draft HQ, Mendoza is rated as the No. 4 overall prospect, while Simpson is No. 44.
But where could Simpson end up? ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has projected the New York Jets as a landing spot, but what about the Arizona Cardinals?
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They have picks No. 3 and No. 34. They could trade down from No. 3 and accumulate more assets or perhaps trade back into the first round from No. 34. Right now, their starting quarterback is projected to be Jacoby Brissett, who finished last season 25th in PFSN’s QB Impact score with a 73.5 grade.
We’ll see where both players land when the NFL Draft takes place from Thursday, April 23, to Saturday, April 25.
