Saints Predicted To Select 69-TD QB in 2026 NFL Draft To End Tyler Shough-Spencer Rattler Experiment
In PFSN’s latest mock draft, Jacob Infate believes that the New Orleans Saints are finally putting an end to the Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler experiment. With this being a quarterback-heavy class, it only makes sense. In this mock draft, he has the Saints drafting at No. 3, and they’re actually the first team off the board to select a quarterback.
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The New Orleans Saints Select QB Fernando Mendoza
Indiana’s starting quarterback is one of the Heisman frontrunners. Several players are competing for the prestigious award this year, but throughout it all, Fernando Mendoza has remained a consistent presence in the mix this entire season. With a bit of time left in his career to boost his numbers even more, Mendoza currently sits at 69 total touchdowns.
Currently in his first year with the Hoosiers, Mendoza began his career with California. He threw just 1,708 yards in his freshman season, but turned that into 3,004 a year ago. This year, he’s thrown 2,641 yards with 108 fewer pass attempts. He’s seen his completion percentage rise 10% over the course of those seasons, and his touchdown-to-interception ratio remains second-to-none.
Knowing how many quality QBs there are going to be in this draft, it makes complete sense for the Saints to try once again to find their future guy. Ever since Drew Brees left, the New Orleans Saints have struggled to get anything going. There’s no consistency at the quarterback position, and while no one knows if Mendoza’s style will translate to the NFL, it’s at least worth a shot.
This season, Mendoza has as many passing touchdowns as he had in his first two combined. Keep in mind, he’s only thrown five interceptions this year compared to the 16 he threw in his first two years. With 60 total passing touchdowns, the remaining nine have come on the ground. Five of those came this year, as he once again surpassed his total from his California seasons combined.
The Saints quarterback room is a mess, to say the least. Shough carries a D+ grade in PFSN’s QB Impact Metric while his counterpart, Rattler, isn’t much better. Rattler’s D grade puts him 33rd in the league, which is quite astonishing, knowing there are only 32 teams. It doesn’t get much worse than what New Orleans has going on, so the only way to stop it seems to be drafting a quarterback.
All eyes will be on Mendoza and the Hoosiers, as it would take a miracle for them not to make it into the College Football Playoffs this season. Now, more than ever, Mendoza has a chance to solidify himself as the No. 1 QB taken in the 2026 NFL draft.
