Another season has come to an end, and the Seattle Seahawks were crowned Super Bowl LX champions after dominating the New England Patriots, who made a late push when the game was already decided. Seattle’s defense exposed all the weaknesses of the Patriots’ offense, led by Drake Maye, who committed three turnovers.
Although the Seahawks were favorites, it was still somewhat surprising to see them capture just the second Super Bowl in franchise history, especially in Sam Darnold’s first year as the team’s starting quarterback. But that’s now in the past. The focus shifts to free agency and, most importantly, the NFL Draft, where the Las Vegas Raiders hold the No. 1 overall pick.
The Raiders, who finished as the worst team in the NFL with just three wins (ironically one of them against the AFC champion Patriots), are expected – barring a major surprise – to select Fernando Mendoza, the top quarterback in the class and reigning Heisman Trophy winner.
Will Another Quarterback Go in the First Round?
Before this season, the 2026 quarterback class was projected to be one of the most talented in history, similar to 2024 when Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and Bo Nix were selected. All of them have shown strong results so far, with J.J. McCarthy being the only one who has struggled with the Vikings.
Arch Manning, Drew Allar, and Cade Klubnik were highly discussed prospects, but none fully lived up to expectations. Then came the breakout story of Fernando Mendoza, who went 16-0 with the Indiana Hoosiers, won the national championship, threw 41 touchdown passes, and captured the Heisman Trophy. He is now projected as the No. 1 overall pick and, for many analysts, the only quarterback guaranteed to go in the first round.
However, in a recent mock draft by CBS Sports analyst Mike Renner, Mendoza would not be the only quarterback selected in the first round. In his projection, Ty Simpson – coming off a strong season with the Alabama Crimson Tide – is selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the No. 20 overall pick. Pittsburgh is widely considered a team in need of quarterback depth.
Simpson, who started the full season at Alabama, threw for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns. His biggest setback came in the Rose Bowl against the Indiana Hoosiers, where he struggled. That performance has raised questions, even as he has recently begun to receive first-round consideration.
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