Where Do Fernando Mendoza, Ty Simpson Rank on Dane Brugler's 'The Beast' NFL Draft Big Board 2026?

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has long been considered the No. 1 quarterback in the 2026 NFL draft, but Alabama signal-caller Ty Simpson has struggled to get much love from evaluators.

The Athletic's Dane Brugler released "The Beast" draft big board of his top 100 prospects in this year's class, and he ranked Mendoza as the No. 3 overall player on the list. However, Simpson was ranked all the way down at No. 42 despite being the QB2 of the 2026 draft class.

Brugler described Simpson as "a Daniel Jones with fewer physical traits; mid-level starter at best, backup at worst."

Simpson has faced detractors throughout the pre-draft process because of his lack of experience. He spent just one year as Alabama's full-time starting quarterback, and his 15 career starts have raised questions about his readiness for the NFL.

Mendoza is universally expected to be selected by the Las Vegas Raiders with the No. 1 pick in this year's draft. The 2025 Heisman Trophy winner is projected to make an immediate impact, as Brugler wrote that "intuition, throwing accuracy and confidence are [his] superpowers."

Simpson could have to wait a while longer to hear his name called on draft night, but he could wind up being taken in the first round. B/R's NFL Scouting Department predicted in its mock draft that the Arizona Cardinals would trade up to the No. 26 pick to select him.

There are just a few weeks left before the 2026 draft begins on April 23, so Simpson is running out of time to prove his naysayers wrong and show teams that he's worthy of a first-round selection.