There are only a couple of quarterbacks in the 2026 rookie class who can realistically expect to play in NFL games this season. Of that group, only No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza is virtually guaranteed to have the opportunity to start. Strong showings in the preseason can go a long way in increasing the number of first-year quarterbacks who carve out meaningful roles on their respective teams, though.
For most of the professional newcomers who have been in action over the last two weeks, impressive preseason showings will help them latch onto rosters as second or third options. Take Joey Aguilar or Jalon Daniels, for instance. Both scored touchdowns in consecutive outings, and Daniels oversaw a comeback win for the Buccaneers in preseason Week 2. They could go from undrafted free agents to important depth pieces because of their strong play.
There were 15 rookie quarterbacks in action during the second week of the preseason. Some started, others entered the lineup during the second half, and one saw less than a minute of action.
Below are grades for each of those rookie quarterbacks who played in Week 2.
Fernando Mendoza, Raiders
Grade: D
Adjusting from college football to the NFL is hard. Do not let one rough preseason game against a stellar defense get in the way of Fernando Mendoza's potential to find ample success as a pro, potentially as soon as the latter stages of his rookie year. It really was a tough one, though. The No. 1 overall pick threw a pick-six that went 80 yards the other way on the Raiders' opening possession, and he finished his first start 8-for-15 for 86 yards. He also took a sack for a loss of 11 yards. Mendoza did not reduce the gap between him and Kirk Cousins, but that was never the goal of this preseason. Las Vegas has no reason to rush him into the lineup.
Cade Klubnik, Jets
Grade: B
Geno Smith gave Cade Klubnik a tough act to follow when he completed all seven of his passes and scored a touchdown, but his potential backup held his own against a Steelers defense that forced all kinds of pressure on the pocket. Klubnik did not orchestrate any scoring drives but helped the Jets get into field goal range during a two-minute drill at the end of the first half. He spent most of his time on his own half of the field and took two sacks, but it was not as if he received much help from his offensive line. A 16-yard keeper went down as New York's longest rush of the day.
Drew Allar, Steelers
Grade: C
It was always going to be a massive ask for Drew Allar to replicate the kind of magic he sparked in his professional debut. He did not come particularly close to repeating that three-touchdown effort. The most positive takeaway from Week 2 was that he went turnover-free; Will Howard, in comparison, threw two interceptions before giving way to his backup. Allar took three sacks and completed fewer than 50% of his 23 throws, and the Steelers gained just six first downs with him under center in the second half. If there was anything to build on, it was a 38-yard strike to rookie tight end Lake McRee.
Joey Aguilar, Jaguars
Grade: A
There is some arm talent in Joey Aguilar. A week after he delivered a 43-yard dart on the lone throw of his professional debut, he connected with Trebor Pena on a 29-yard touchdown. Aguilar's highlights have come in the second half against reserve defenses, but they are meaningful nonetheless for an undrafted free agent fighting for a roster spot. In total, he threw just one incompletion across 10 attempts against the Panthers and racked up 130 yards plus the scoring play.
Athan Kaliakmanis, Commanders
Grade: B
For the second consecutive week, Athan Kaliakmanis went down as the Commanders' passing leader. It was an even wider margin this time around as he outdid Sam Hartman, 162 yards to 67, despite throwing just three more passes than his fellow backup. The first play of the fourth quarter was the source of one-third of those yards as he delivered a 55-yard strike down the sideline to Nick Nash. Outplaying Hartman in two chances, albeit without a touchdown drive, gives Kaliakmanis a chance to lock down Washington's No. 3 role.
Luke Altmyer, Lions
Grade: C
Progress. Luke Altmyer was clean in the turnover department in the 17-13 win over the Commanders, which is a step in the right direction after he tossed a pair of interceptions in his debut. Taking four sacks, however, gives the Illinois product something new to work on. Chalk some of that up to the offensive line, since he was under pressure for most of his outing. Altmyer did not take a step toward the No. 2 job but should latch on as a third option with the potential to develop into more.
Jack Strand, Falcons
Grade: A
The Falcons might just have something in Jack Strand. He arrived in Atlanta as a relative unknown, having gone undrafted out of Division II Minnesota State–Moorhead, but he made a name for himself in two preseason outings. Following the rushing touchdown he logged in Week 1, Strand erupted for 212 passing yards, a touchdown and another score on the ground in a drubbing of the Colts. He and Cooper Rush combined to complete 16 of their first 17 throws, and his rushing ability (22 yards on nine carries) is obvious and differentiates him in the battle for the No. 3 quarterback job.
Joe Fagnano, Ravens
Grade: A
Joe Fagnano is racking up the volume this preseason. The Ravens clearly want to find out what they have in the undrafted signal-caller, considering they gave him 48 passing attempts across two games. On one of those throws in Week 2, he accounted for the lone touchdown of the 13-3 win over the Vikings with an 8-yard scoring toss to LaJohntay Wester. Fagnano converted on 75% of his passes (which, amazingly, was a regression from Week 1) and showed off a little bit of mobility, too. Everything points to Fagnano taking the No. 3 role from Austin Reed.
Ty Simpson, Rams
Grade: B
Ty Simpson swapped roles with Stetson Bennett IV this week after handling the lion's share of work in Week 1. The reduced workload limited him in his attempt to recreate the 21-for-25, two-touchdown clinic he put on the week prior, but he still found a rhythm and oversaw two lengthy drives in his three possessions of action. Both went 11 plays, and while the first ended in a turnover on downs, the Rams capped off their final series with a touchdown in the 34-0 blanking of the Saints.
Mark Gronowski, Dolphins
Grade: D
Mark Gronowski's greatest asset is his ability to make plays on the ground, and he got two chances to show it in his pro debut. He took two carries for nine yards, which is the only thing he had to write home about after gaining just one yard through the air on five attempts. Each of his three possessions were three-and-outs. The extremely limited playing time Gronowski has seen this preseason does not bode well for his chances of making the roster, not to mention his ineffectiveness on Saturday.
Miller Moss, Bears
Grade: C
Former college teammates reunited in Chicago when Miller Moss signed with the Bears as an undrafted free agent, and both he and his former USC pal Caleb Williams saw the field in Week 2. Moss' role increased from the week prior, when he threw just eight passes, as he tossed a team-high 21 of them in the loss to the Bengals. His final line was solid, but they were mostly empty numbers as four of his drives ended in punts, one resulted in a missed field goal, and another concluded with a turnover on downs.
Cole Payton, Eagles
Grade: Incomplete
Cole Payton was a darling of Week 1 with his passing touchdown and 45 rushing yards, but he hardly had an opportunity to show off those dual-threat skills again this weekend. Payton came in for the Eagles with 57 seconds to play, had a completion scrapped for a penalty, connected on a 10-yard pickup and finished off his short day with a strip sack.
Behren Morton, Patriots
Grade: A
After Tommy DeVito worked the first half, Behren Morton took all the second-half snaps in the Patriots' 24-21 win over the Eagles. That timeshare gave him the opportunity to flex his clutch gene. The second of his two touchdown drives decided the game. Trailing 21-17 with about a minute to play, Morton unleashed a 37-yard ball to Nick DeGennaro, who beat his defender to get into the end zone for the game-winner. It put the final touches on a splendid 13-for-17 day for Morton in which he accumulated 129 yards through the air.
Garrett Nussmeier, Chiefs
Grade: B
Garrett Nussmeier still awaits his first professional touchdown. The opportunities have been there across two games, but 36 passes between the two were not enough to provide that breakthrough. He went 9-for-17 for 74 yards and led a scoring drive, which ended in an Emmett Johnson touchdown run. That was in addition to a 13-play possession that produced a field goal. It was nothing spectacular individually, but Nussmeier kept the chains moving and put points on the board.
Jalon Daniels, Buccaneers
Grade: A
In Week 1, Jalon Daniels scored his first rushing touchdown. In Week 2, he found the end zone for the first time through the air. The Kansas product has been tough for defenses to bring down, as he remains sackless through two games and tacked on 19 rushing yards across seven carries in his latest outing. A 9-0 halftime deficit evaporated when the Buccaneers inserted Daniels in the second half, as he orchestrated three scoring drives and lifted Tampa Bay past the Chiefs by a point. It is hard to ask for a whole lot more than that.
