Best and Worst NFL Landing Spots for Fernando Mendoza and Carson Beck in 2026 NFL Draft

With the 2025 college football season officially over following an epic duel in the College Football Playoff National Championship between Indiana's Fernando Mendoza and Miami's Carson Beck, it's time to look ahead to where these star quarterbacks will land in the 2026 NFL draft.

Although both signal-callers were able to guide their respective programs to college football's grandest stage, there's a rather wide gulf between their respective professional outlooks.

Mendoza is the No. 1 quarterback and one of the highest-rated overall prospects on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's big board, while Beck slots in as B/R's No. 4 QB and No. 57 overall prospect.

Mendoza is widely expected to become the No. 1 overall pick, coming off the board in that slot to the Las Vegas Raiders in the B/R Scouting Department's latest mock draft, while Beck isn't projected to be taken until late on Day 2 or potentially even falling into Day 3 of the upcoming draft.

While the Mendoza-Raiders connection seems likely, there's always a chance that another franchise would be willing to go all-in on a trade up to land the Heisman Trophy winner. That may not be the best outcome for the Indiana star, even if the club he's expected to wind up with only won three games in 2025.

Beck's potential destinations are far more varied. There are a slew of QB-needy teams at this juncture and most will still be in the market for a signal-caller come late-April.

While some of these squads will be able to address the issue using a first-round pick, only three passers are projected to be selected in Round 1. That will leave opportunities for Beck to catch on with one of the remaining clubs later in the draft, potentially providing a huge return on a small investment.

With that in mind, let's highlight some of the best and worst landing spots for both Mendoza and Beck in the 2026 NFL draft.

Fernando Mendoza Best Case: Las Vegas Raiders

AP Photo/Lynne Sladky

The Raiders are a dream destination for Fernando Mendoza.

Although Vegas is coming off a trying season and finally entering a full-blown rebuilding period after several unsuccessful attempts to stave off the inevitable over the past several years, he is set to become a much-needed cornerstone around whom the organization can craft its roster.

With a new head coach coming in—almost certainly one who will sell an ownership group that includes NFL legend Tom Brady on their ability to create a contender around Mendoza—to go along with nine other 2026 draft picks and a projected $92 million in cap space to spend on free agents, the Raiders have all the tools in place to quickly assemble a winning squad with the Indiana product at the forefront.

If Vegas can successfully overhaul its abysmal offensive line this offseason, Mendoza will be a front-runner for Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and help make the Raiders a team to be wary of as early as 2026.

Although Vegas may not be a legitimate Super Bowl contender right away, the franchise could become a Lombardi Trophy threat as early as the 2027 season. Teams like the Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, and Denver Broncos—all boasting starting QBs from the 2024 draft class—just proved that massive strides can be reasonably expected in Year 2 after drafting a prominent first-round passer.

While there's plenty of work to be done in Sin City, drafting Mendoza will set up the franchise for a swift change of fortune.

Carson Beck Best Case: Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell

The Los Angeles Rams opened the Matt Stafford era with a Super Bowl victory and still have a fantastic chance at ending it with another, but this club lacks a succession plan for the superstar signal-caller's retirement.

Regardless of whether the 37-year-old opts to run it back in 2026 or call it a career after this playoff run ends, the Rams must prioritize finding their QB of the future in the upcoming draft.

While the Bleacher Report Scouting Department has the team taking Ty Simpson at No. 13 overall, L.A. could instead choose to wait until later in the draft and take a chance on Beck.

The 23-year-old could be ready to compete for the starting job as early as his rookie season. He has a wealth of experience stemming from a decorated collegiate career that saw him spend five seasons at Georgia—including two as the starter—before finishing it out with a romp through the CFP bracket at Miami.

While his upside is limited compared to some of the other elite prospects in the class, Beck could be a strong game-manager for a Rams team that can find ways to win with a powerful running game and strong defense.

Given L.A.'s other options to replace Stafford right now include an aging and ineffective Jimmy Garoppolo and an unproven Stetson Bennett IV, Beck would have a strong case to see the field in Year 1.

If head coach Sean McVay can maximize Beck's strengths—which include good processing skills, mobility in the pocket and ability to dice up defenses when he gets into a rhythm—while minimizing his tendency to turn the ball over and lacking arm strength, the Rams could have a quarterback capable of keeping them in contention after Stafford hangs up his cleats.

Fernando Mendoza Worst Case: New York Jets

AP Photo/Barry Reeger

Mendoza should have breathed a sigh of relief when the New York Jets failed to land the No. 1 overall pick. The organization has effectively become a graveyard littered with promising quarterback prospects who haven't panned out.

While the Jets are most likely to stand pat and take the best available prospect at No. 2, the Raiders would at least have to entertain a Godfather offer from Gang Green that includes their first-round selection as well as additional premium picks in both the 2026 and future drafts.

If that were to happen, Mendoza's unique talents would run the serious risk of being wasted in the Big Apple. The long-suffering Jets have drafted four quarterbacks with top-40 picks over the last two decades, none of whom panned out as promised.

2009 first-rounder Mark Sanchez had the most success of the bunch, taking the Jets on back-to-back AFC Championship Game trips in his first two seasons. He regressed quickly, however, and ultimately finished his four-year tenure in New York with a 33-29 record and more interceptions (69) than touchdown passes (68).

2013 second-rounder Geno Smith and 2018 first-rounder Sam Darnold both flamed out with the Jets but would go on to find success with other franchises. Darnold is notably starting for the top-seeded Seattle Seahawks in the upcoming NFC Championship Game after going just 13-25 in his starts for New York.

2021 first-rounder Zach Wilson went a concerning 12-21 over his three seasons as a starter before being unceremoniously traded to the Denver Broncos for a late-round pick swap.

It's painfully apparent that the Jets haven't found a way to develop quarterback talent. Head coach Aaron Glenn couldn't find a way to coax success from Justin Fields in 2025 despite the 2021 first-rounder displaying promise during his tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers the prior year.

While Gang Green could potentially flip the script with someone new at the reins in 2026, history suggests that any prized quarterback prospect will be fighting an uphill battle to thrive with this club.

Carson Beck Worst Case: Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/Lynne Sladky

The Cleveland Browns had a borderline comical quarterback conundrum on their hands to open the 2025 offseason and must do their best to avoid that type of situation occurring again.

With five different passers—including two rookies—competing for a role during last year's training camp, the Browns ultimately failed to provide any stability at the position and wound up playing host to a revolving door of passers during a painful season.

One of the few bright spots during Cleveland's 5-12 campaign was the play of Shedeur Sanders—the team's fifth-round selection in the 2025 draft—after he assumed the starting job in Week 12. He went on to win three of his eight starts and showed the type of promise other Browns quarterbacks have lacked in recent years.

Rather than drafting Beck and adding another level to an already complicated QB situation, the incoming Browns regime should see what it has in the second-year signal-caller. Sanders was considered a first-round talent by many draft experts and played well enough as a rookie to deserve a real shot to lock down the team's starting job for the foreseeable future.

Introducing Beck into the equation would put unnecessary pressure on Sanders while also limiting the Miami product's own chances of getting on the field.

Given Beck is one of the older prospects in the class following six years of collegiate football, he's also not the type of pick a team should be making if they don't plan to provide an opportunity to see meaningful action early in his career.

Fernando Mendoza Best Case: Miami Dolphins

AP Photo/Marta Lavandier

Even after their disappointing 2025 season ended without a playoff berth for the second consecutive year, the Miami Dolphins were never a realistic contender for the No. 1 overall pick.

The team would have to give up an unfathomable amount of capital to move up 10 spots in the 2025 draft to score Mendoza, but the Indiana product probably wouldn't be opposed to such a move.

Mendoza is a Miami native who has strong roots in the area. He spent his childhood going to games at Hard Rock Stadium and just won the Hoosiers' first-ever national title over the Hurricanes in front of a plethora of friends and family at the venue.

Not only would landing with the Dolphins result in a homecoming for the elite prospect, but it would also set him up well to succeed Tua Tagovailoa as the team's next star quarterback.

Tagovailoa could be on his way out as early as this offseason. After six up-and-down, injury-plagued seasons with the club that drafted him No. 5 overall in 2020, he said it "would be dope" to get a fresh start elsewhere after he was benched in favor of seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers down the stretch of a lost campaign.

Although Tagovailoa still has three years remaining on his blockbuster $212 million extension, the Dolphins could conceivably find a trade partner or even outright release the 2023 Pro Bowler.

While Ewers did show some promise during his three starts, Mendoza would be a can't-miss replacement for Tagovailoa. The team has plenty of talent to surround the rookie with, including a superstar back in De'Von Achane and a pair of top-flight pass-catchers in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

Miami would need to maximize its limited free-agent dollars and whatever remaining draft capital it still possessed after dealing for the No. 1 pick to fill the remaining holes on the roster, but the club would be well positioned for sustained success with the Indiana product under center.

Carson Beck Best Case: Pittsburgh Steelers

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

The Pittsburgh Steelers are forging ahead into an uncertain future following the resignation of Mike Tomlin.

The new regime will have its work cut out attempting to pick up the pieces and get the Steelers back into contention, with one of their first major issues to tackle being at the quarterback position.

Pittsburgh has lacked a franchise signal-caller since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger. After it became clear 2022 first-rounder Kenny Pickett wasn't going to pan out, the team attempted to circumvent using more premium draft capital on the position by bringing in past-their-prime veterans in Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers.

While the moves helped the Steelers continue their longstanding streak of winning seasons and resulted in playoff berths, these fading signal-callers couldn't bring Pittsburgh its first playoff win since 2016. The door is now open for a prospect like Beck to take the reins and lead the club into a new era.

Assuming Rodgers elects to retire or chooses to play a 22nd NFL season elsewhere following Tomlin's departure, the Steelers currently lack a viable replacement. Longtime backup Mason Rudolph and fifth-round rookie Will Howard were the depth options behind Rodgers in 2025, but neither profiles as a long-term solution.

Beck would be an ideal mid-round pick to compete with Howard for the QB1 role in 2026. He offers a unique blend of experience and traits that a team like the Steelers should be happy to roll the dice on with a late-Day 2 or early-Day 3 pick in order to give them a shot at a competent starter without needing to reach for a fringe first-rounder on Day 1 or execute a costly trade up.

Even if Beck doesn't pan out for the organization, giving him the opportunity could still result in the Steelers earning the type of early draft position it failed to secure under Tomlin.

Without any early first-round draft slots in the post-Roethlisberger era, Pittsburgh hasn't been in the running for elite QB prospects worth building around.