The past two NFL drafts were polar opposites at the quarterback position. In 2024, a record six quarterbacks were among the first 12 overall selections. Shedeur Sanders was the sixth QB picked this past April. He, of course, wasn’t selected until the fifth round, at pick No. 144. 

The 2026 NFL Draft should fall somewhere in between, as it features a deep and talented group, including a couple of potential franchise-changers. 

I’m eager to share my thoughts with you on this year’s crop, but, as you’ll see below, we’re unveiling them in a different way. Rather than simply rank the quarterback prospects, we’re placing them into tiers to illustrate the depth of the class as well as the range in draft projections.

We’ll be updating these QB tiers throughout the college football season and into the spring, surely highlighting more than the 15 QBs listed below, with future articles featuring risers and fallers, detailed player comparisons, best NFL team fits and more. 

TOP-10 TALENT

1. Arch Manning, Texas

With just two college starts under his belt, it seems preposterous to stamp anyone as a first-round NFL draft pick, but Manning is far from just anyone. Mentally, he’s light years ahead of most college quarterbacks entering their first year as a starter, having participated as both a player and coach in his family’s prestigious Manning Passing Academy his entire life. Because of that exposure, scouts are already quite familiar with Manning, who boasts all the physical traits desired at the position, including a prototypical 6-foot-4, 220-pound frame, a strong right arm, pinpoint accuracy and much greater mobility and speed than either of his Super Bowl champion uncles. 

The defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes have a great opportunity to delay the Manning hype train this weekend, but make no mistake, there is no stopping it. Barring injury, whenever the 21-year-old Manning chooses to make himself eligible for the NFL Draft, he will likely be viewed as a top 10 cinch and potentially big favorite to go No. 1 overall. 

FIRST ROUND

2. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

Like the aforementioned Manning, Nussmeier has NFL bloodlines, inheriting a combination of instincts and accuracy that makes projecting him to the next level relatively simple. His father, Doug Nussmeier, was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in 1994 and spent seven seasons in pro football — six years in the NFL before before winning the Grey Cup as the starting quarterback of the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League back in 2000. He’s since served as the quarterbacks coach for the Cowboys, Chargers and Eagles and is entering his first year as offensive coordinator in New Orleans, giving him a prime view of his son’s progress in Baton Rouge. 

At just 6-foot-1 and 204 pounds, Garrett Nussmeier lacks the frame scouts would prefer, but he shows impressive spatial awareness in the pocket, dipping and ducking through traffic and throwing the ball with great awareness and precision. 

TOP 50 

3. Cade Klubnik, Clemson

Klubnik is an accomplished multiyear starter and, like Manning and Nussmeier, a star signal-caller for a legitimate national title contender. He also has a potential runway to the first round, but perhaps not quite to the extent of his peers. Klubnik possesses average size for the position at 6-foot-2 and 204 pounds and doesn’t own a howitzer. 

History has proven that size and arm strength are two of the more unreliable factors in determining future NFL success at the quarterback position, however. Some scouts will instead focus on Klubnik’s fit in the quick game, and his 13 career rushing touchdowns speak to his athleticism. He’s a dangerous passer on the move, as well, showing NFL-starter-level vision, accuracy and touch — especially in the short to intermediate zones. 

4. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina

Scouts are attracted to traits like a moth to a flame and, with all due respect to Manning, there isn’t a quarterback in this class with a more exciting combination of size, arm strength and running ability than Sellers. To be clear, Sellers’ game tape from last year — his first as a starter — is much more of a roller-coaster ride than the names listed above. But the flashes —including a flat-footed 75-yard deep ball against Old Dominion and a game-winning scramble to beat Klubnik and rival Clemson in Memorial Stadium —have scouts drooling. 

At 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, Sellers already has an NFL frame, but it is important to remember that he is just a redshirt sophomore. South Carolina does boast a proven quarterback developer in Mike Shula calling the shots on offense, so optimism is high that Sellers will develop into a more nuanced and accurate passer this year. If the draft were today, Sellers would likely be considered an Anthony Richardson-like roll of the dice. 

5. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

Speaking of Richardson, he is one of a handful of quarterbacks in recent years who emerged out of seemingly nowhere to become first-round picks. Some of those passers — like Joe Burrow and Bo Nix — found quick success in the NFL, whereas others — like Richardson, Kenny Pickett, Zach Wilson and Mac Jones — have really struggled. Mendoza could be this year’s out-of-nowhere first-round QB — at least, he’ll likely be characterized as such. In reality, Mendoza (and his prototypical size) is already well known in the scouting community after turning heads at Cal a year ago. 

With all due respect to the aforementioned Klubnik and 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward, Mendoza delivered some of the best downfield strikes I saw from any quarterback in the ACC a year ago. He certainly looks the part at 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds and he’s got a quicker setup and release than most passers with his long arms. Mendoza threw 16 touchdown passes a year ago at Cal. Don’t be surprised if he doubles that number this year in Curt Cignetti’s offense and zooms into the first-round conversation along the way. 

6. Drew Allar, Penn State

Allar offers a similar combination of size (6-foot-5 and 220 pounds) and arm strength to Mendoza and is a much more experienced player, having already played in 39 career games, mostly against elite competition. There are plenty of big-time throws on Allar’s tape, but my enthusiasm is a bit tempered — at least for now — as I see too many deer-in-the-headlights moments for a quarterback with his experience. I’m eager to see if he can put it all together as a senior. 

MIDDLE ROUNDS

7. Nico Iamaleava, UCLA
8. John Mateer, Oklahoma
9. Taylen Green, Arkansas
10. Rocco Becht, Iowa State
11. Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
12. Sam Leavitt, Arizona State

It isn’t often that middle-round picks develop into quality NFL starting quarterbacks, so teams typically take one of three approaches at this stage of the draft. Some clubs simply ignore the position in the middle rounds. Take the Denver Broncos, for example. Denver has invested 13 draft picks on quarterbacks since the turn of the century, but all of those picks were either top-50 selections or late-round fliers. The last time the Broncos drafted a QB between the third and fifth rounds was back in 1998 (Brian Griese). 

Other organizations are willing to gamble on traits at this point in the draft. Those clubs would seemingly jump at the chance to land one of the aforementioned prospects, should they be available next spring. 

Iamaleava is sure to generate plenty of interest. He possesses rare size (6-foot-6, 220) for the position and is one of the best deep-ball throwers in the country, passing with a trajectory and spin that makes it easy for receivers to track down. That skill set translates nicely to the NFL, of course, but he’ll need to convince critics that he also possesses the intangibles expected at quarterback, following the squabble that led to his transfer from Tennessee.

Others — like Mateer and Green — are currently better runners than throwers, but they offer undeniable upside if allowed time to develop in the NFL. 

Some teams prefer so-called game managers, who might lack the eye-popping athletic traits of their peers but deliver consistently catchable passes and seem to play well in big moments. Becht got the early start on the competition this year, showing his trademark pillow-soft touch on two deep touchdowns to help the Cyclones blow past Kansas State in last week’s opener in Ireland. Pavia accomplished the same a year ago in Vanderbilt’s stunning upset of Alabama. Leavitt (and ASU star wideout Jordyn Tyson) could shine in 2025, now that he’s not being overshadowed by new New York Giants running back Cameron Skattebo. 

LATE ROUNDS/UDFAs

13. Carson Beck, Miami
14. Luke Altmyer, Illinois
15. Tyler Van Dyke, SMU

From a scouting perspective, there are plenty of negatives to the NCAA’s liberal transfer policy, but one huge positive is the opportunity for players to get a fresh start elsewhere. Beck, Altmyer and Van Dyke have all shown enough talent to earn an NFL opportunity. 

Had they entered the 2025 NFL Draft, each likely would have been selected outright or offered a chance to compete as an undrafted free agent, similar to the path that Quinn Ewers (Miami Dolphins, 7th-round) and DJ Uiagalelei (Los Angeles Chargers, UDFA) are taking now. Things haven’t always gone as expected for Beck, Altmyer and Van Dyke — each of whom has transferred — but they are firmly on NFL scouts’ radars with a final season to restore some luster.

Rob Rang is an NFL Draft analyst for FOX Sports. He has been covering the NFL Draft for more than 25 years, with work at FOX, Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com, USA Today, Yahoo, NFL.com and NFLDraftScout.com, among others. He also works as a scout with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. Follow him on X @RobRang.

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