Through 100 picks at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, only four quarterbacks have come off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the names left on it might be more interesting than the ones already gone. The Raiders kicked things off by taking Fernando Mendoza at No. 1, the Rams grabbed Ty Simpson at No. 13, and Day 2 added Miami’s Carson Beck (No. 65, Cardinals) and Penn State’s Drew Allar (No. 77, Steelers) to the list.
That leaves a surprisingly deep group of passers waiting for a phone call on Saturday, headlined by a former preseason QB1, a 6’6″ dual-threat freak, the most polarizing player in college football, and a small-school riser the analytics community can’t stop talking about.
Here’s a closer look at the best quarterbacks still on the board heading into Day 3.
For analysis and breakdowns of every single Day 3 pick, make sure to check out PFSN’s Football Debate Club live stream, where Ian Cummings, Jacob Infante, and Cam Mellor will take you right to UDFA season with breakdowns for each selection.
Best Remaining QB Prospects
Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU
Scouting Report: Garrett Nussmeier is one of the most polarizing QB prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, particularly after a 2025 season that saw him benched down the stretch. At 6’1″, 200 pounds, he’s not a prototypically-built QB. He doesn’t have elite athleticism or creation ability, and his arm is middling.
But in spite of these limiting elements, there’s no denying his gamer mentality. Defying his frame, Nussmeier isn’t afraid to stand in and deliver tough throws under pressure, nor is he scared of getting out in the flats and operating off-platform. He’s also one of the most advanced processors in the class, with moments of high-level pre-snap command, anticipation, and gunslinger grit on film.
The “gunslinger” moniker swings both ways for Nussmeier, who is prone to taking ill-advised risks more often than preferred, and his accuracy did not progress in 2025. With average tools, his margin for errorr is slimmer, and this likely relegates to a backup and spot-starter role in the NFL. That said, with the right support and time to reset, he has the requisite mental acuity, and could carve out a career similar to Andy Dalton at his best.
Projected Landing Spot: San Francisco 49ers, pick 179 in Ian Cumming’s Day 3 mock draft
Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson
Scouting Report: Cade Klubnik is a former five-star recruit and historic high school producer, who grew to become one of the more prolific passers in college football. His senior season was a notable regression, however, that saw him put up inconsistent film as a processor and field general down-over-down. At 6’2″, 210 pounds, he’s not quite the big-armed prototypical passer you’d expect in contention for early-round capital, but he’s nonetheless a very compelling talent.
At his best, he’s an electric point guard-style passer in the mold of Bo Nix, with dynamic athleticism, universal off-platform throwing ability, and endless arm angle freedom. However, his abundance of physical talent is marred by a lack of consistent post-snap discernment, field vision, and anticipation, and his situational accuracy took a step back in 2025. Klubnik still holds mid-round appeal as an ideal backup in West Coast-style schemes, but he’s a developmental QB in the mental category, who might not get the development he needs at the next level.
Nevertheless, if he can expand on the flashes of leverage IQ and spatial awareness, he has starting upside.
Projected Landing Spot: Detroit Lions, pick 222
Cole Payton, QB, NDSU
Scouting Report: Cole Payton redshirted his first year at NDSU, and from 2022 through 2024, he was the backup to Cam Miller. He was utilized most often as a designed runner, but finally got his shot as a full-time starter in 2025. In his last season of eligibility, Payton passed for 2,719 yards, 16 touchdowns, and four interceptions on over 70% completion, while also running for 717 yards and 13 additional TDs.
Additionally, he ended the year with the second-highest PFSN QB Impact score in the FCS (89.7). The crux of Payton’s appeal as a prospect is his physical talent. At 6’3″, 233 pounds, he’s a well-built prototype with elite explosive athleticism, bristling long speed, and a rocket arm that can generate high-end velocity from multiple launch points and angles.
But as a one-year starter, he’s sorely lacking in-game reps, and his processing runs on the slow side as a result. Payton shouldn’t be thrown into the fire right away as a field general, and is a developmental QB first, who could be utilized in certain Taysom Hill-esque packages early on. If he enters the right situation and has time to acclimate before getting needed reps, starting upside is present.
Projected Landing Spot: Cleveland Browns, pick 146
Taylen Green, QB, Arkansas
Scouting Report: Taylen Green stands to benefit as one of the more traits-rich quarterbacks in the sparse 2026 NFL Draft class. The Mountain West Freshman of the Year back in 2022, Green took his talents to Arkansas and failed to show substantial year-over-year development, but nonetheless managed to enthrall with flashes of elite physical talent and 1-on-1 discernment. At his best, Green showed he could layer the ball over second-level defenders with pace and touch, operate off-platform on designed rollouts, and generate eye-catching velocity from different launch points.
However, Green’s field vision, accuracy, and risk aversion remain sore areas, even after four years as a starter. Green can catapult up boards with a strong pre-draft cycle, and has the raw physical talent of a starter, but it remains to be seen if he can handle the hastened pace of the NFL. In the right environment, with time to sit, he could grow, but his more likely outcome is that of a backup and eventual spot-starter.
Projected Landing Spot: Baltimore Ravens, pick 211
Deigo Pavia, QB, Vanderbilt
Scouting Report: Diego Pavia was one of the stars of the 2025 college football season. He began his collegiate career at New Mexico Military Institute after being overlooked as a high school recruit, and leveraged a dominant second season at NMMI into an opportunity with the New Mexico State Aggies. With the Aggies, Pavia distinguished himself as a dynamic two-phase playmaker, and eventually ascended to the SEC as Vanderbilt’s field general.
In 2025, Pavia was a Heisman finalist and earned the top PFSN CFB QB Impact score in the nation, with a grade of 94.8. Pavia’s analytics inspire hope; he’s an efficient, fairly accurate passer who avoids ill-advised risks, and he boasts a juiced-up and gritty running style. However, his on-field evaluation does leave questions.
His processing isn’t quite NFL-caliber, nor is his arm strength, and even his athleticism might not be as prevalent against NFL talent. Pavia has the desired mobility, toughness, and quick-game utility to function as an NFL backup, but his ceiling is likely capped beyond that.
Projected Landing Spot: UDFA
Other Notable Remaining QB Prospects
- Jack Strand, QB, MSU
- Luke Altmyer, QB, Illinois
- Joe Fagnano, QB, UConn
- Sawyer Robertson, QB, Baylor
- Joey Aguilar, QB, Tennessee
- Haynes King, QB, Georgia Tech
