Fernando Mendoza not QB1 - 'it's not close', says former NFL QB

Dan Orlovsky, whose 13-year NFL career spanned multiple teams, has declared that Ty Simpson, not Mendoza, is the best quarterback in the 2026 draft class.

The concerns that Orlovsky raised about Mendoza were also echoed by Hall of Fame inductee and Super Bowl winner Kurt Warner.

Here's what they had to say.

Dan Orlovsky: "Ty Simpson is QB1"

Stacy Revere / Staff

"I think Ty Simpson is QB1," Orlovsky said on ESPN's Get Up. "I think Ty Simpson is the best quarterback in this class."

His argument centres on the burden of performance. "Who needed to do more to carry their football team?" Orlovsky asked.

His answer was unequivocal. "Ty Simpson. And it's not close between those two quarterbacks."

For Orlovsky, the separator at the NFL level is a specific one. "What do you do in moments of panic with the football, because that's really what separates good to great."

On that measure, he believes Simpson has the edge. "Ty Simpson is more consistent in that regard."

Despite suggesting Simpson is the superior quarterback, Orlovsky went on to frame his comments as a value argument. "I like Fernando Mendoza, this is not to slight Mendoza," he said. "I would rather have Ty Simpson at the 15-20 range than Fernando Mendoza at 1."

Kurt Warner: Mendoza's talent is clear, but questions remain

Warner was a little more measured. He was effusive about what Mendoza brings to the table, before ultimately arriving at the same argument.

Discussing Mendoza on Kurt's QB Insider, available to Game Pass subscribers on DAZN, the Hall of Famer began by heaping praise on the 22-year-old.

"He came onto the scene at Indiana and blew everybody out of the water," Warner began.

"What I love about Fernando Mendoza is his technique. Incredible accuracy. You're going to see the ball come out quick, and you're going to see the ball come out accurate no matter where he's throwing the ball across the field.

"There are so many things to like, including the fact that he goes undefeated and leads his team to a championship."

But Warner returned to the same reservation mentioned by Orlovsky. "He wasn't asked to necessarily carry this team week in and week out," he noted.

"Has he shown us enough to show us, hey, it doesn't matter what's around me, doesn't matter if we can run the football or play good defense, we can win games with my right arm?" Warner asked. "I'm not sure he's answered that question yet."

What it means for Mendoza on draft night

The concerns raised by Orlovsky and Warner may be valid, even if Orlovsky's conclusion that the talent disparity between Simpson and Mendoza is a reach.

Ultimately, the Las Vegas Raiders have done little to suggest they don't intend to select him first overall. Geno Smith was traded to the New York Jets, and no replacement was brought in, leaving Aidan O'Connell as the only quarterback on the roster.

We cannot rule out a trade, but as things stand, if Mendoza is not the Raiders' pick at No. 1, it would rank among the biggest draft-night surprises in recent memory.