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Rich, Matt, and Garret return for Part Two of their 2026 rookie quarterback reviews, and the theme is pretty blunt: this group has far more projection risk than certainty. They still break down the paths to relevance, but most of the discussion comes back to what NFL draft capital will say about these evaluations.

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The top of this batch: Ty Simpson

They open with Ty Simpson, and the argument is all about risk tolerance. He does a lot of things “fine,” with a quick release and solid short-to-intermediate accuracy, but the limited starts and shaky deep ball outcomes keep him from feeling like a safe Round 1 bet. The overall takeaway is that he is much easier to like if he lands as a Round 2 investment instead of being treated like a franchise cornerstone.

The athlete-first profile: Haynes King

Haynes King is the cleanest example of “testing and rushing production are not enough.” The athleticism and rushing numbers create obvious fantasy temptation, but the passing profile is too inconsistent for them to buy him as a real NFL quarterback. The more realistic path they keep circling is a role player or chess-piece type usage rather than a full-time starter you build around.

The no-rush ceiling cap: Carson Beck

With Carson Beck, the discussion centers on what happens when a quarterback does not have rushing outs. He can operate an offense when things are clean and structured, but heavy feet, pressure issues, and inconsistent ball placement limit the fantasy ceiling. They frame him more as a bridge outcome than a long-term fantasy starter.

The hard no: Sawyer Robertson

They are very low on Sawyer Robertson. The size and arm are there, but the tape reaction is overwhelmingly negative, especially on accuracy and throws outside the numbers. This is the clearest “do not draft” profile of the episode.

The fringe swing: Cade Klubnik

Cade Klubnik lands in the uncomfortable middle. He has enough athletic ability and quick-game traits to survive, but they question whether the pressure response and inconsistency can ever be cleaned up enough to matter in the NFL. The most likely outcome they describe is a borderline starter or backup track, with only a narrow path to something more.

The late-round developmental bet: Cole Payton

They close with Cole Payton, who is difficult to pin down because the mechanics look messy but the production and athleticism still pop. The conversation frames him as a developmental bet you only take if an NFL team commits real coaching time to him. Compared to some other pure tools bets, they see more potential for him to be molded, but it still depends heavily on draft capital and situation.

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