The 2026 NFL Draft has arrived, and unsurprisingly to most, a quarterback will likely once again be taken with the first overall pick.
Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman winner and national champion out of Indiana, is projected by most to be selected by the Las Vegas Raiders with the first pick. That would continue the trend of quarterbacks taken first overall since the draft started in 1936.
Since the NFL draft's inception, quarterbacks have been selected first a record 37 times. Excluding tonight, the last three drafts have featured a quarterback taken with the No. 1 pick, and since 2000, that number stands at 19.
More: How projected NFL draft first-round picks ranked as high school recruits
What about the future? The 2026 recruiting class is headlined by several elite quarterback prospects, many of whom will likely grace an NFL field in the future.
So which of this year's top players in that position have the best shot at being selected No. 1 overall when they eventually declare?
Summary: A leg injury limited Bell to just two games his senior year, but as a junior, he showed why he was one of the nation's top quarterbacks. That season, he was named the Florida Gatorade Player of the Year, throwing for 2,597 yards and 29 touchdowns, along with 561 yards and five more touchdowns on the ground.
Summary: A thumb injury in the season-opener kept Brandon out until postseason play, but when he came back, he resumed where he left off from previous years. He finished 2025 6-0 as a starter, completing 65% of his passes for 1,116 yards and 11 touchdowns, leading Grimsley back to another Class 4A state title.
Summary: Vanderbilt's first-ever five-star signee, Curtis, was a high school phenom in Tennessee. A two-time Mr. Football winner and Gatorade Player of the Year, he led Nashville Christian to back-to-back state titles and finished his four-year run throwing for 9,738 yards and 128 touchdowns while also rushing for 2,277 yards and 49 touchdowns.
Summary: The Cougars landed a gem in Henderson, the captain of the 2025 ALL-USA National Football Team, who fits the mold of many of today's top quarterbacks at both the professional and collegiate levels. As a senior, he led the state of Texas, completing 74.5% of his passes for 4,402 yards and 55 touchdowns. His most impressive feat was throwing for 400 or more yards in at least 5 games, including 1 500-yard performance.
Summary: Thomalla was named the offensive captain of the 2025 ALL-USA Midwest Football Team for a good reason. Millard South blew out nearly every team they faced in 2025 because of Thomalla, who finished the year with 3,484 passing yards and 58 touchdowns on a 72.6% completion rate in 12 games.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: VOTE: Which top-rated 2026 QBs could be future No. 1 NFL draft picks?