No Black Quarterbacks Selected In NFL Draft’s First Round Despite Rising Representation
No eligible Black quarterbacks received any spot in the first 32 picks, with only one selected out of all 7 rounds.
Black News 
The NFL Draft selected no Black quarterbacks in the first round, despite growing representation in the league.
The first round of the NFL draft had many top-ranked Black players joining different franchises. However, none will take over the position to lead their teams as quarterback. The first round, which took place April 23, had Black players who served as edge, running back, wide receiver, and more.
No eligible Black quarterbacks received any spot in the first 32 picks, with only one selected out of all 7 rounds. Only two “QBs” were selected in the first round overall, with both slots given to non-Black players. The No. 1 pick, Fernando Mendoza, is Cuban-American, while his fellow quarterback, Ty Simpson, identifies as white, according to ESPN.
Ebony reports that this is the first year in a decade where no Black quarterbacks were selected in the first round. The publication noted that these selections, however, could mark a shift away from the modern dominance of Black quarterbacks currently in the league. The sole Black quarterback drafted, Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green, was selected by the Cleveland Browns with the 182nd pick.
Black QBs from Patrick Mahomes to Jalen Hurts have seen NFL success with Super Bowl rings to match. Their rise in popularity has paved the way for future Black quarterbacks to become the faces of NFL franchises.
Prior to this, the NFL has long struggled with a Black quarterback problem. Not only has the league received backlash for its alleged racial bias in drafting for the position, but also in their treatment and perception of these players’ leadership and skillset.
NFL franchises’ leadership has faced heat for their criticism of Black quarterbacks in the past, especially in comparison to the league’s promotion of their white counterparts. According to the National Urban League, it took the league nearly a century for all 32 teams to have started at least one Black quarterback, a feat only accomplished in 2017.
However, Black QBs have received more representation in the league in recent years. A record number of 16 even started the 2025 season, previously covered on BLACK ENTERPRISE.
Now, this record may not improve at the start of next fall, especially with Black quarterbacks left out of the star recruits from this year’s draft. The draft’s results could even trigger a decline in new ones making it into the league, and starting, in general.
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