Steelers Now
Steelers Now took a look at the 2026 college football QB stock throughout the season as the Pittsburgh Steelers are in the market for a QB next year. Here are the biggest stars and disappointments in the regular season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have scouted quarterbacks heavily this season. The college football season saw plenty of surprises and disappointments. Steelers Now has your five highest risers and tumblers on the 2026 season.
Greatest Stock Rise
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
No one saw it coming except our analyst Derrick Bell. Mendoza has taken the college football world by storm. He took Indiana to new heights including a B1G Championship appearance–almost certainly a playoff run as well.
It is insane how good of a throw this was from Fernando Mendoza.
It’s an absolute seed just over the LB and hits EJ Williams in basically the only spot this ball could have been thrown in order to be completed. #iufb pic.twitter.com/xJ7WN5a9sO
— jamie (@JordanJamie) September 21, 2025
Mendoza was on the radar for many as a day one or day two pick in preseason. I’m not sure anyone saw this type of season coming. 32 touchdown passes to only five interceptions–and another six on the ground. Three times he had a completion percentage over 90%.
Mendoza has everything you want in a quarterback: size, strong arm, and lethal accuracy. He might be out of range for the Steelers, but he has been the signal caller this year.
Preseason Rank: No. 17
Final Regular Season Rank: No. 3, QB1
Season Stats: 211-of-293 (72% comp. rate), 2758 yards (9.4 yards/attempt), 32 TD, 5 INT
Dante Moore, Oregon
While his play has cooled down the last five weeks, he is still one of college football’s biggest surprises. Now, he has decisions to make. Not only has he put himself in position to be a first-round pick, he could also cash in on a new NIL deal by returning to college ball.
Moore went toe-to-toe with multiple top QB prospects including Mendoza, Drew Allar, and Jayden Maiava. In those matchups he led the Ducks to a 2-1 record including a memorable matchup against Penn State.
Dante Moore dimes pic.twitter.com/TTWzZcKSGK
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) November 30, 2025
Moore is another quarterback who might end up being just out of the reach of the Steelers. Regardless, his decision regarding the 2026 NFL Draft is on every franchise’s radar.
Preseason Rank: No. 470
Final Regular Season Rank: No. 5, QB2
Season Stats: 227-of-313 (72.5% comp. rate), 2733 yards (8.7 yards/attempt), 24 TD, 6 INT
Ty Simpson, Alabama
Like Moore, Simpson has been another big surprise in college football. He also is draft eligible who may decide to stay in college ball after a cooled down performance late in the season.
What a strike by Ty Simpson on 4th down. Whew pic.twitter.com/JXgK1e6DsN
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) October 11, 2025
Simpson has been tested as of late. Not only did he have...
