Todd McShay Reveals 2 Sleeper Day 2 QBs, Including 'Most Underrated Prospect' in 2026 NFL Draft

While Indiana's Fernando Mendoza and Alabama's Ty Simpson have generated most of the quarterback-related headlines leading up to the 2026 NFL draft, analyst Todd McShay believes two secondary prospects at the position deserve more love.

During an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show (4:05 mark), McShay said he believes North Dakota State's "Cole Payton is the most underrated prospect in the entire draft. I think he's a Day 2 pick and he's going to surprise some people."

He also said Arkansas' Taylen Green is a possible second-round pick and someone who could surprise at the next level.

McShay ranked Payton as third-best quarterback and Green as fourth-best quarterback on his big board of prospects, which put them ahead of more notable names from college football such as LSU's Garrett Nussmeier, Miami's Carson Beck and Penn State's Drew Allar.

At this point, it seems like Mendoza and Simpson have separated themselves at the position.

The latest mock draft from B/R's NFL Scouting Department only had those two signal-callers in the first round, and it would be surprising if a team decided to take any other quarterback during the opening day.

But teams could be looking to draft a project in the second round, and Green and Payton could be intriguing options.

Green's speed stands out after he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.36 seconds during the NFL scouting combine, and he also ran for 777 yards and eight scores in his final season with the Razorbacks.

As for Payton, he threw for 16 touchdowns to just four interceptions in his final collegiate season and is someone who could be a reliable backup with the chance to play his way into a starting role at some point.

If nothing else, they give teams that may not believe in prospects such as Nussmeier, Beck and Allar more options if they are looking for quarterback depth in this year's draft.