Fernando Mendoza, Raiders
The Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick measured 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds at the combine — prototypical size for the position — but chose not to throw or run any drills in Indianapolis, saving his workout for private sessions instead. Mendoza's game was never built on measurable speed; scouts consistently pointed to his post-snap processing and quick release as his defining traits, with his mobility described as "good-but-not-great" rather than a primary weapon. That profile puts him closer to a traditional pocket passer than a dual-threat, which is part of why teams were comfortable evaluating him almost entirely off tape rather than a stopwatch.
Drew Allar, Vikings
Just four months removed from ankle surgery, Allar showed up to the combine but only participated in throwing drills with receivers, skipping the 40-yard dash and other testing. Per NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah, Allar measured about a half-inch taller than Mendoza with a wider wingspan, longer arms, and larger hands — measurables that check every box teams look for at the position, even without a timed number attached to them.
- Fernando Mendoza (Raiders, No. 1 overall): 6'5", 225 lbs — no drills run
- Drew Allar (Vikings): Throwing only — no 40, coming off ankle surgery
- Cade Klubnik (Jets, Round 4): 4.65s 40 (pro day), 33.5" vertical — full testing
Cade Klubnik, Jets
Unlike Mendoza and Allar, Klubnik chose to test — but did it at his Clemson pro day rather than the combine itself, running a 4.65-second 40-yard dash and posting a 33.5-inch vertical jump at 207 pounds. Klubnik said he wanted to "go be an athlete" after a season limited by an ankle injury that capped his mobility, and the numbers back up a player whose calling card includes functional athleticism to extend plays — solid but not spectacular testing for the position, which tracks with his fall to the fourth round after a difficult final college season.
The Class's Real Testing Standout
While the three quarterbacks debuting this preseason mostly skipped or downplayed testing, one passer in the same draft class put on a show that's worth knowing about for context: Arkansas's Taylen Green set multiple combine records for a quarterback, running a 4.36-second 40-yard dash, posting a 43.5-inch vertical jump, and recording an 11-foot-2 broad jump — all combine records for the position. Green's numbers illustrate just how wide the range of athletic profiles can be at quarterback in a single draft class, from Mendoza's pure size-and-processing build to Green's track-level explosiveness.
| Player | Team | Notable Combine Number |
|---|---|---|
| Taylen Green | 2026 Draft Class | 4.36s 40 (QB combine record) |
| Cade Klubnik | Jets | 4.65s 40, 33.5" vertical |
| Fernando Mendoza | Raiders | 6'5", 225 lbs (no drills) |
| Drew Allar | Vikings | Throwing only (no drills) |
Why Top QBs Skip the Drills
It's a familiar pattern at the position: the more a quarterback's evaluation rests on processing, accuracy, and pocket presence rather than pure athleticism, the less incentive there is to risk an injury or a bad number in a testing environment that doesn't reflect game conditions. Kyler Murray famously skipped every drill at his own 2019 combine and went No. 1 overall anyway — read our full breakdown of that decision and what his rushing production revealed instead. Mendoza and Allar are following the same logic: when tape and interviews already answer the questions teams have, a 40 time is a risk with little reward.