ESPN posts updated QB1 poll with votes from NFL scouts, executives
By Ethan Stone
Published:
2025 is a bit of a down year for quarterbacks in college football. At least, if you take the word of a few NFL scouts and executives.
Now, that’s not to say we haven’t seen some excellent signal callers leading their teams this season. It just means that top-end NFL draft prospects are somewhat lacking according to the folks whose job it is to evaluate them. One unnamed scout told ESPN’s Pete Thamel, “It’s not a stellar class. If you add the maybes [who have eligibility and could leave school], now it gets interesting. The top is better than last year’s class, for sure.”
That quote comes from Thamel’s latest QB1 poll released on Saturday, version 2 of a poll among NFL executives and scouts that ranks the top prospects in the college game. Earlier this season, Oklahoma QB John Mateer and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers sat atop the poll. Now, as we enter Week 11, the poll looks a little different.
Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza (13) tops the version 2 list, followed by Oregon’s Dante Moore (6) and Alabama’s Ty Simpson (3). Mateer, Sellers and Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby also received 1 vote. In total, 25 voters were questioned.
Mendoza is the obvious option for QB1 heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. The Indiana QB has led an undefeated season while passing for 2,124 yards, 25 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. The yardage total is so low because the Hoosiers so thoroughly dominate their opponents that Mendoza is usually out of the game by the 4th quarter.
Currently, Mendoza possesses a 24% chance to win the Heisman Trophy per Kalshi. Take a look below:
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
