The 'Awful Quarterback Class' — Why the Eagles Won't Find Hurts' Backup in This Draft

Every year, the NFL draft cycle produces a quarterback class that teams convince themselves is worth investing in. Every year, media members talk themselves into prospects because quarterbacks drive ratings and mock drafts and fan engagement. And every year, at least half the first-round quarterbacks flame out within three seasons.

This year? Don't even bother with the delusion. The 2026 quarterback class is awful. Not underwhelming. Not "lacking a generational talent." Awful. And the Philadelphia Eagles — who haven't taken an offensive player with a premium pick since Tyler Steen in 2023 — aren't going to find Jalen Hurts' long-term backup in this group.

Fernando Mendoza Should Go #1 — And That Tells You Everything

Fernando Mendoza is the best quarterback in this class, and he's going to be the first one off the board. That's fine. Mendoza earned it — he won the Heisman at Indiana, he's got arm talent, and he's shown the ability to elevate a program. He's a legitimate NFL starter prospect.

But after Mendoza? The cliff is steep, and the rocks at the bottom are sharp. In most years, the gap between QB1 and QB2 is manageable. In this class, it's a canyon. The fact that Mendoza is the consensus #1 quarterback says more about the lack of competition than it does about Mendoza's ceiling. He's good. He's just not in a class that pushes him to be great.

Nussmeier — The Only One Worth Investing In

If there's one quarterback outside of Mendoza who deserves real draft capital, it's Nussmeier. He's got the mechanics, the football IQ, and the kind of poise in the pocket that translates to the NFL. There's an argument that Nussmeier could end up being the best long-term quarterback in this class — the kind of player who takes a year to develop and then becomes a legitimate starter.

The problem for the Eagles? Nussmeier isn't lasting until pick 54. He's going to go somewhere in the late first or early second round to a quarterback-needy team, and the Eagles aren't going to trade up for a backup. Nor should they. Nussmeier is interesting, but he's not interesting enough to sacrifice draft capital the Eagles desperately need at other positions.

Carson Beck — Welcome to the UFL

Carson Beck was supposed to be a top-ten pick. He was supposed to be the Georgia quarterback who cemented the Bulldogs' dynasty and walked into the NFL as a day one starter. Instead, he imploded. The interceptions, the decision-making, the complete inability to perform under pressure in big games — it all fell apart in spectacular fashion.

Beck's NFL future, at this point, might be the UFL. That's not hyperbole — that's an honest assessment of where his stock has fallen. Some team will take a late-round flier on him because the arm talent is real, but trusting Carson Beck with your franchise after what happened at Georgia requires a level of optimism that borders on delusion.

Drew Allar — Disaster With a Silver Lining

Drew Allar's time at Penn State was, by any objective measure, a disaster. The Nittany Lions had talent around him, the coaching staff gave him every opportunity, and he still couldn't put it together consistently. The accuracy issues, the hesitation in the pocket, the inability to elevate a team that was built to compete — it was painful to watch.

But here's the thing: Allar has physical gifts that NFL coaches dream about. The arm strength, the size, the raw tools — they're all there. If the Eagles wanted to take a day three flier on a developmental quarterback who might need two or three years to become anything, Allar is exactly that kind of swing. Low risk, potentially decent reward. But nobody should be confusing him with a solution.

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Three Years of Defensive Draft Capital — Time to Flip the Script

The Eagles haven't taken an offensive player with a premium pick — rounds one through three — since Tyler Steen in 2023. Three straight years of defensive draft capital. Quinyon Mitchell. Cooper DeJean. Jihaad Campbell. Jalyx Hunt. Nolan Smith before all of them. The defense is loaded because Howie Roseman invested heavily. It worked. But the offense is starting to feel the neglect.

This draft HAS to be different. The quarterback class is terrible, which means the Eagles shouldn't waste a pick there. But receiver, tight end, and offensive line all need attention. The defense can sustain itself for another year with what's already in the building. The offense can't.

Finding Jalen Hurts' backup will have to wait for a better class. And honestly? That's fine. The Eagles don't need a quarterback right now. They need everything else on offense. Let the awful QB class be someone else's problem — Philly has bigger fish to fry.