Carson Beck and Drew Allar make it 4 quarterbacks selected in the first 3 rounds of the NFL draft

The 2026 NFL Draft has been widely described as thin at the quarterback position, and the numbers bear that out: just four quarterbacks were selected in the first three rounds, a low tally that underscores the challenge teams faced in finding franchise signal-callers this year.

The first QB off the board was Fernando Mendoza, selected number one overall by the Las Vegas Raiders — a move that immediately reshaped the franchise's future. Ty Simpson followed at pick 13, landing with the Los Angeles Rams, giving them a young arm to develop behind their current starter.

Then came a significant slide. Carson Beck, once considered a potential top pick in this draft class, fell all the way to the top of the third round, where the Arizona Cardinals selected him 65th overall. Beck's journey from projected first-rounder to day-two pick has been one of the more discussed storylines of this draft cycle. In Arizona, he joins a quarterback room featuring veterans Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew, playing under rookie head coach Mike LaFleur.

The fourth and final quarterback selected in the first three rounds was Drew Allar, taken 76th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Allar gives Pittsburgh a developmental option with starting potential, adding to a quarterback room that has been in flux in recent seasons.

The limited quarterback run reflects broader concerns about this year's class. Teams were clearly unwilling to reach for QBs they didn't grade highly, a disciplined approach that left several quarterback-needy franchises waiting for later rounds or looking toward free agency.

What This Means For You: If your favorite team needed a quarterback and didn't get one early, they may be looking at a bridge starter or a late-round flier. The scarcity of top-tier QB talent in this draft means the teams that did invest early — Raiders, Rams, Cardinals, Steelers — are making bets that could define their next decade. Watch these four names; in a thin class, even mid-round QBs can become franchise cornerstones.