The 2026 NFL Draft has concluded, and 10 quarterbacks have officially found their new homes. While the draft position dictates a player’s initial payday, the true financial layout of these deals varies wildly. Let’s break down the rookie contracts for every signal-caller selected this year.

No. 1 overall: Fernando Mendoza to the Las Vegas Raiders (Indiana)

The Raiders have struggled for many years to find a good quarterback. They have not won a playoff game since 2002 and have mostly had inconsistent play at that position. The Raiders desperately needed stability under center. Mendoza’s Heisman-winning season at Indiana made him the undeniable No. 1 pick.

Fernando Mendoza signed a four-year deal worth around $54.56 million with a fifth-year option. While it is life-changing money, his annual average currently trails veteran starters, though he’ll have every chance to outplay it.

No. 13 overall: Ty Simpson to the Los Angeles Rams (Alabama)

Ty Simpson spent his early college career at Alabama mostly as a backup, sitting behind Jalen Milroe for two years. After waiting and learning, he finally got his chance to start last year and showed what he could do.

In the 2025 season, he got the chance and showed his potential, throwing for about 2,900 passing yards, with 16 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. He is known for being calm, accurate, and a strong leader, and he helped Alabama compete in the playoffs, too.

His steady performance and potential helped him get signed with the Los Angeles Rams with a 4-year contract worth $25.41 million after getting selected as the No. 13 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, according to Spotrac. The deal also includes a $14.94 million signing bonus, and that bonus is fully guaranteed at the time he signs the contract.

No. 65 overall: Carson Beck to the Arizona Cardinals (Miami)

Carson Beck started his college football career at Georgia, where he took them to the playoffs in the 2024 season, but his inconsistent game and 12 interceptions raised a lot of concern. Later on, he suffered an injury and moved to Miami, where he led his team all the way to a national championship game, showing he can perform at a high level in big moments.

Over his college career, he has built impressive stats. He threw for about 11,725 passing yards, with 88 touchdowns and 32 interceptions, showing both productivity and experience. In his final season at Miami, he recorded 30 touchdown passes. Carson Beck’s experience and high-level production in college convinced the Arizona Cardinals to sign him to a four-year rookie contract worth about $7.4 million.

No. 76 overall: Drew Allar to the Pittsburgh Steelers (Penn State)

Drew Allar played college football at Penn State and is known as a big-arm quarterback. However, his development was slowed down because of his injury last year. Even with injuries last season, he still played in six games, completing 103 of 159 passes for 1,100 yards and 8 touchdowns. He also added 172 rushing yards and 1 rushing touchdown.

Due to his potential, he is still drafted into the NFL and signs a 4-year rookie contract worth about $7.1 million. The deal also includes a standard rookie signing bonus, which he gets as part of joining the team.

He joined the Pittsburgh Steelers as a quarterback prospect, meaning he isn’t expected to start right away. Instead, he works in the quarterback room alongside Will Howard, learning and developing for the future.

No. 110 overall: Cade Klubnik to the New York Jets (Clemson)

Cade Klubnik played college football at Clemson and finished his season with 2,943 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. These numbers showed that he is a solid quarterback.

Because of his performance, he was drafted by the New York Jets as the 110th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. And he then signed a four-year rookie contract worth about $5.4 to $5.5 million. In his first year, his salary cap hit was around $1.19 million, which counted against the team’s spending limit.

This was a big drop compared to his college NIL earnings, where he had made more NIL money. But despite the dip, he does have a chance to prove himself and up that number.

No. 178 overall: Cole Payton to the Philadelphia Eagles (North Dakota State)

Cole Payton had a strong college career, but he did not start right away. He spent his early years as a backup quarterback, learning and waiting for his chance. His breakout senior season came last year, when he finally showed his talent as a dual-threat quarterback. In the 2025 season, he threw for 2,719 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions.

He also ran for 777 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns, showing he was a big threat on the ground, too. And that performance helped him get drafted into the NFL and sign a four-year rookie contract worth $4,624,478.

No. 182 overall: Taylen Green to the Cleveland Browns (Arkansas)

Taylen Green started his college career at Boise State, then transferred to Arkansas and had a solid season. In 2025, he showcased his dual-threat ability, throwing for 2,714 yards and 19 touchdowns. His impact wasn’t limited to his arm; he added 777 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns, finishing with a stellar 82.8 QBR that ranked 9th in the nation and signaled his readiness for the next level. Due to his athletic upside, the Browns signed a four-year rookie contract worth about $4.58 million.

No. 223 overall: Athan Kaliakmanis to the Washington Commanders (Rutgers)

Athan Kaliakmanis played college football at Rutgers and helped improve their offense a lot. In the 2025 season, he threw for 3,124 yards and 20 touchdowns, showing steady and reliable production as the team’s quarterback. This performance led him to be drafted by the Washington Commanders in the 2026 NFL Draft. He then signed a four-year rookie contract worth $4,409,665.

Behren Morton to the New England Patriots (Texas Tech)

In the 2025 season, Behren Morton played as the starting quarterback for Texas Tech and had a strong year. He started 12 games and threw for 2,780 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions, while completing 66.0% of his passes. He also helped lead Texas Tech to an 11-1 record in his starts, showing he is an important leader for the team, earning a strong 80.5 PFF grade and delivering a solid overall performance, and was eventually drafted into the NFL and signed a four-year rookie contract worth $4,394,229.

No. 249 overall: Garrett Nussmeier to the Kansas City Chiefs (LSU)

Garrett Nussmeier started his college career at LSU and became the team’s starting quarterback. In 2024, he had a breakout season with 4,052 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, showing strong passing ability.

After a breakout 2024 season where he threw for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns, Nussmeier’s draft stock took a hit when an injury cut his 2025 senior season short after just nine games. Despite solid numbers in that limited action (1,927 yards, 12 TDs), the injury concern caused him to slide into the 7th round. Eventually, the Kansas City Chiefs selected him at No. 249 overall.

He then signed a four-year rookie contract worth about $4.36 million. While the top picks carry immense pressure, late-round selections like Garrett Nussmeier and Behren Morton will look to prove that draft position doesn’t define an NFL career.