It's time to dig into some draft prospects.
Sunday's loss to the Atlanta Falcons put the New Orleans Saints at number three of the 2026 NFL Draft behind only the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans, who held last year's number one overall pick. Now, the Saints are tied with the New York Jets and Las Vegas Raiders, but if the season ended today, they would hold the tiebreaker based on SOS.
Now, if this draft order holds, the good news is neither the Giants nor the Titans will be in the quarterback market. Unless a team decides to jump New Orleans for a quarterback, the Saints will have their choice of Fernando Mendoza of Indiana, Ty Simpson of Alabama, or Dante Moore of Oregon.
Although the Saints selected Tyler Shough from Louisville last year, the team shouldn't overlook one of these prospects. While the quarterback class isn't strong, one of the three prospects named is the big name to target. Let's lay out the case for each quarterback.
Fernando Mendoza
Big, strong, great arm, football IQ, and mobile. The transfer from Cal has firmly planted himself in Heisman discussions and leads the pack as of now. Notre Dame's Jeremiah Love is also pushing hard for the award.
Damian Parson of Locked on NFL draft has comped Mendoza to Matt Ryan.
Here is what Parson likes about Mendoza:
- High football IQ and quick post-snap processing. Mendoza reads coverages well, identifies vulnerabilities based on the play call, and takes advantage of them. He has a natural, strong understanding of how to play quarterback. Mendoza dissects defenses quickly and efficiently from the pocket. The speed of his mental process, paired with his quick decision-making, will fit into most NFL offensive concepts/structures.
- Possesses good arm talent. He controls the ball and understands how to toggle between velocity and zip, as well as between touch and putting air under the ball. He excels at layering the football over the defense and dropping it into the bucket. Mendoza can drive the ball past the earhole of linebackers with good velocity against both zone and man coverages. He is skilled at throwing back-shoulder fades and against one-on-one coverages. Mendoza makes far hash/sideline throws like this one, look easy!
- He has a good sense of pressure in the pocket and navigates well to find answers against the defensive pressure. Mendoza makes accurate throws while under pressure and with free runners in his face. His footwork in the pocket has improved as a thrower, but he is efficient when moved off his spot. Mendoza's foot quickness shines when he goes through progressions. He has a knack for keeping his eyes and feet paired together as he works the field to locate his open targets.
- Mendoza is a functional straight-line athlete. He can rip off 10-yard runs and keep the chains moving if his protection breaks down. He can create second-reaction opportunities by extending the play with his legs. Mendoza throws accurately on the move when flushed out of the pocket. His overall athletic ability is a valuable asset when appropriately utilized.
- The former Cal signal caller is tough inside the pocket. He does not shy away from standing firm in the pocket against zero-pressure looks and delivering strikes with a free runner in his face. Mendoza's ability and willingness to make throws under heavy pressure are what we want from potential franchise quarterbacks at the next level.
Dante Moore
Moore plays with poise even at a young age. He stays composed in the pocket and has the makings of a franchise QB that can be counted on.
Parson has Moore as his QB2 behind Mendoza, and here is what he likes about the Oregon signal caller:
- Remaining poised inside the pocket. Moore plays with a low pulse and is difficult to speed up. He trusts his ability within the offensive structure and design. In those clutch or "gotta have it" moments, Moore has answered the bell confidently.
- Moore is an accurate passer from inside the pocket and outside on the move. He throws with a very catchable football that has good pacing and control. Moore places the football where his receivers can make a play and get yards after the catch. He is a good athlete, who uses quick and subtle movements to climb the pocket and evade outside pressure.
- Arm talent and velocity are strengths of Moore's profile. He delivers passes with more than enough RPMs to attack slightly occupied throwing windows. He knows when to choose between velocity and throwing with touch to layer the football.
- Moore has a quick and snappy throwing motion. He is an efficient and quick passer, beating defensive pressure by getting the ball out of his hands in a timely manner.
- Moore displays good football IQ pre-snap. He surveys the defensive landscape, identifying potential blitzing defenders, and quickly gets the ball to his weapons. Moore is a quick processor of information, allowing him to maximize quick passing concepts and lessen the chances of the blitz impacting the play.
- Moore is a plus-level athlete who will make plays with his legs, when neccessary. He is a threat to break containment and create second-reaction throwing opportunities for his weapons down the field.
Ty Simpson
The Alabama signal caller profiles like a long-term NFL starter. Simpson is an accurate thrower with great pocket navigation.
Here is what Parson likes about Simpson:
- Simpson's dropbacks are rhythmic and well-timed with the route concepts down the field. He enters his dropback with urgency and great cadence. Simpson is loaded and ready to throw at a moment's notice.
- Simpson has displayed great, unflappable poise both in and outside the pocket. Simpson remains calm as he surveys the defense with confidence.
- Simpson has outstanding pocket awareness for a first-year starter. He has a strong feel for pressure firing off the edges. He is a vertical climber in the pocket to avoid the edge pressure and deliver catchable passes to all levels of the field.
- Simpson's nuance is beyond his experience. He utilizes eye manipulation to either hold defenders in place or displace them, creating open voids for his targets. Simpson's ability to control second and third-level defenders with his eyes is NFL-caliber.
- Simpson is a quick processor of pre- and post-snap information. He identifies coverages and knows where to go with the football. He reads the entire field and works through his progressions. He has found success against various coverages, understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the defensive shell.
- Simpson is a highly accurate quarterback who fits passes between defenders. He throws with great pacing and placement to take advantage of a sliver of space between his target and the defense. Simpson layers passes with immense touch. He has a feathery touch to place the ball over the top of zone defenders.
The Saints must evaluate all three quarterbacks. One of them can be the potential future for New Orleans, who have been searching for a long-term answer following Drew Brees' retirement.