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The Draft "Expert" - Insanely Early 2026 Quarterback Prospect Rankings

Updated: 5 minutes ago


Hello everyone and welcome to my first officially official blog post of the 2026 NFL Draft season! Before you say it I know, this is way too early to be talking about next year's class. I mean hell, the 2025 NFL Draft just wrapped up on April 26th, a short 11-days ago.


So yes, I know this is stupid and won't mean anything once the college football season actually kicks off, this is just a fun little exercise that gives us a chance to look at some of the options for next year's class almost a year in advance (the 2026 NFL Draft starts on April 23rd).


I guess I'm just excited for next year's quarterback class, which should give us a lot more top level options than this year's did. It may be early, but as I see things right now it wouldn't surprise me at all if we saw five quarterbacks go in the first round. Just for reference since 2010, only three draft classes have had more than four quarterbacks selected in the first round (2018, 2021, and 2024), which shows how highly I think of this draft class.


Now that prediction could absolutely blow up in my face, but I do think that this class has the talent to do some pretty special things this upcoming season (this prediction also somewhat depends on if Arch Manning comes out or not).


With all that being said I, Logan Blackman, host of the Logan Blackman Show and the self proclaimed Draft "Expert am proud to present to you my insanely early quarterback rankings for the 2026 NFL Draft! Enjoy!


Podcast Links

Garrett Nussmeier, LSU; Arch Manning, Texas; Drew Allar, Penn State
Garrett Nussmeier, LSU; Arch Manning, Texas; Drew Allar, Penn State

1. Drew Allar, Penn State

2024 Season Stats - 262/394 3,327 yds 24 touchdowns 8 interceptions/96 carries 302 yds 6 touchdowns

  • 6'5" 238 lbs.; 21 y/o

  • Arguably the most physically gifted quarterback in this class, Penn State's Drew Allar has absolutely everything you could look for in a potential franchise quarterback at the next level. At 21-years old, Allar stands at 6'5" and weighs 238 lbs., possessing great size for the position to go along with an excellent arm and above average athletic ability. Arguably the most effortless thrower in this class, Allar can make every single throw on the football field, making throws from the near hash to the far sideline (and vice versa) look like they're screen passes to the running back(s) out of the backfield. That being said there are times he may be better served taking some juice off of the ball as his accuracy can wain on him at times as he can sometimes put a little too much on the ball, missing receivers. He definitely has some 'arm arrogance,' which can be both a good thing and a bad thing, depending how you look at it. Though he may not be the most electric athlete in this class, Allar can break off decent gains when he needs to while also being able to navigate the pocket really well. He's still a working progress, which is why he came back to school, but with his skillset he would have probably been a first round pick had he come out this past season. There's a lot to like with him as a prospect, and I'm sure he'll be compared to Josh Allen at least 100-times leading up to the draft. I'm excited to see what he does this upcoming season.

Wk 15 - 20/39 226 yds 3 touchdowns 2 interceptions/5 carries 54 yds 1 touchdown v no.1 Oregon (45-37 L) (Big Ten Championship)

Allar is just an effortless thrower of the football. On third and 15 with the pocket collapsing around him he's able to deliver a strike to Wallace for a 16-yard gain. He did an excellent job at climbing the pocket and keeping his eyes down the field before firing it to his receiver for the aforementioned first down.
With the linebacker crashing down to stop the run, Allar knows he's got an opening to hit his favorite target on the slant. But with the defender looking like he was going to jump up and swat the pass, Allar does a nice job at staying calm and is able to deliver a quick and nice ball to Warren for the eventual 28-yard gain.
Initially, Allar does a nice job at making the defense think he's throwing left, hopefully causing something to pop open either to the right or down the middle. Though he has his tight end in the middle of the field the ensuing throw is behind, leading to an interception and a near pick six for the Ducks defense. To be honest, I've watched this play like a hundred times or something (from this angle) and I still can't really tell where this ball got intercepted. Regardless, it was an off throw from Allar that again helped set up a one yard Oregon score to put them up 28-10 early on in the second quarter.
An absolute strike here from Allar to hit Evans in the end zone for the aforementioned 22-yard score. Like I've brought up numerous times before (including earlier on this blog post) Allar is arguably the most effortless thrower in this draft class. Again, just an absolute rope to hit his receiver for his second passing touchdown of the game.
Nice read here by Allar to pull the ball from his running back after the Oregon linebacker decides to commit. With that, Allar has a gap and he hits it for an eventual seven yard touchdown run. Allar may not be the most athletically gifted quarterback out there but he's always able to make plays in the run game when he's asked to, battling through a few Oregon defenders for his first rushing touchdown of the game.
Again, he may not be a plus plus athlete or anything, but he's always able to make plays when he's required to. With pressure coming free from the right side of the offensive line, Allar does an excellent job at climbing the pocket and keeping his eyes down the field before deciding to tuck it under his arm for the eventual 22-yard pick up on the ground. Just a very solid play from Allar to again help get Penn State closer to the 50-yard line.
This is a big time play from Allar to hit Wallace in the end zone for the score. Again, on fourth and 10 from the 14-yard line with a defender coming around the edge and pulling on his shirt, Allar is able to deliver when it mattered most for the Penn State offense. He does an excellent job at climbing the pocket and remaining calm before firing it to his receiver for the score.
Just an insanely unfortunate way to end the game for Allar and co. as that interception would ultimately seal a 45-37 conference championship victory for the Oregon Ducks in their first season in the Big Ten. With his receiver on an island, Allar again decided to take a shot down the sideline, unfortunately he just led his receiver a little too far down the field and it was intercepted. I know it's easy to say sitting on the couch, but this should've probably been a back shoulder ball, as the Oregon defender was matching Wallace stride for stride down the sideline.

  • Like I mentioned before there is a whole lot to like about Drew Allar as a prospect. He's obviously still a work in progress but his size mixed with his incredible arm strength and his mobility make him one of the favorites to be selected with the first overall pick in next year's draft. With Penn State bringing back a lot of key pieces from last year's team that made it to the College Football Playoff semifinal (minus Tyler Warren), I think Allar and the Nittany Lions could put forth an excellent campaign.

2. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

2024 Season Stats - 337/525 4,052 yds 29 touchdowns 12 interceptions/34 carries -38 yds 3 touchdowns

  • 6'2" 200 lbs.; 23 y/o

  • In my opinion, Garrett Nussmeier is one of the most fun quarterbacks to watch in all of college football. A true gunslinger in the truest sense of the word, Nussmeier is not afraid to make any throw on the football field, showcasing a live and flexible arm that can make every throw on the field with great anticipation. There were numerous times this past season where Nussmeier would let it rip with the receiver still behind the defender. That being said there are times where Nussmeier can force the issue a little too much (as he registered 12-interceptions last season), still needing to fully grasp that not every play needs to be a touchdown or a massive gain. He may not be the most electrifying athlete out of the top quarterbacks in this year's class, but the dude is not afraid to fight and claw for extra yards in the run game when his team needs it. Along with that Nussmeier is one of the best pocket navigators in the class, possessing excellent foot work while only taking 16-sacks this past season (seven coming against Florida). Though he's not the biggest prospect, Nussmeier is tough as hell and strong in the pocket while also being great at rolling out to either the left or right and making throws on the run with accuracy. The dude has a very solid chance at being the first quarterback selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Wk 7 - 22/51 337 yds 3 touchdowns 2 interceptions/2 carries 16 yds 0 touchdowns v no.9 Ole Miss (29-26 OT W)

Just an unfortunate course of events for Nussmeier and the Tiger offense as Ole Miss now has the ball deep inside LSU territory. You can see what Nussmeier is trying to do on this play, trying to bend it around both defender and Campbell in order to hit Caden Durham out of the backfield but it just wasn't meant to be.
Great throw by Nussmeier, getting it over the outstretched arm of the Ole Miss defender while also hitting Lacy in stride so he can go out and pick up even more yards after the catch.
With pressure coming up the field, Nussmeier does an excellent job at not only climbing the pocket but also does a nice job at keeping his eyes up field before delivering a strike to Lacy for the aforementioned 28-yard gain.
This is a very impressive throw from Nussmeier, on the run no less. Again, this throw deserved a touchdown, just a shame that Thomas couldn't come down with the ball.
Just a beautiful throw from Nussmeier, hitting Anderson perfectly in stride for the big time gain. With Ole Miss sending only three defenders it gave Nussmeier something he wasn't really used to at this point in the game, time. Given that little bit extra time allowed to calmly deliver the ball down the field and again, what a beautiful ball it was.
Much like I brought up with the pass to Aaron Anderson, one thing Nussmeier didn't really have throughout the game was time as Ole Miss brought pressure on almost every pass play. In this case the pressure was enough to force Nussmeier to throw this ball off of his back foot, which led to the pass being severely under thrown and wind up in the hands of an Ole Miss defender. Just a very rough play for Nussmeier, especially after the defense came away with an interception of their own literally one play earlier.
This is not something you see too often from Nussmeier, but when his team needed 13-yards to extend the drive he took it upon himself to pick up the first down with his legs. What a time to register your longest carry rush, right?
Though Taylor was ruled down it's still a fantastic play from Nussmeier to not only evade the pressure but deliver a catchable ball to Taylor for the 19-yard gain. Much like the run before, these are the types of plays you want to see your quarterback making in these types of moments, stepping up the occasion and doing whatever it takes to get their team over the line.
Nussmeier is truly one of the best anticipatory throwers in all of college football. As the clip shows, he lets go of the ball when Anderson is still behind the Ole Miss defender, throwing him open rather than throwing it to him. Throughout this drive Nussmeier made numerous big time plays, picking up not one but two fourth down conversions, with the last one resulting in a game tying touchdown, just awesome.
I love that LSU did this. They know they needed a touchdown to win so why waste time? Just go out there and try and score a touchdown on your very first play from scrimmage. It's always rough to lose games like this, especially with how it ended. Overall, like I said before, this game had a little bit of everything from Garrett Nussmeier. From rough passes to insane completions to massive plays when it mattered most, Nussmeier really put on a show last Saturday night.

  • The Garrett Nussmeier ride can be a little crazy at times, but there are very few quarterbacks in all of college football that can make the plays he can when everything is lined up. Like I said before, the dude has an incredibly live and flexible arm, able to fit the ball in any window from any angle. He roles out to his left and right really well and can make plays with his legs in the run game when he needs to. He's tough as hell and will do anything to help his team get over the line, which is what you want from your quarterback. There's no doubt in my mind that Nussmeier has the skillset to be the first quarterback off the board in next year's draft.

3. Arch Manning, Texas

2024 Season Stats - 61/90 939 yds 9 touchdowns 2 interceptions/25 carries 108 yds 4 touchdowns

  • 6'4" 225 lbs.; 21 y/o

  • I know there's probably a very solid chance that Texas' Arch Manning stays at least another in college, but the fact of the matter is that he is currently available for selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, so why not take a look at him throughout the season, right? Now, out of all the top quarterbacks available at this point, Manning has started the least amount of games by far, starting against UL Monroe and Mississippi State, throwing for a combined 583-yards with four passing touchdowns and two interceptions (both coming against UL Monroe). In total, Manning registered 939-passing yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions with a nice 108-yards on the ground and a further four touchdowns. Manning's athletic ability was on display a few times this past season while in Austin, being used as a short yardage runner on more than a few occasions. With incumbent starter Quinn Ewers leaving for the NFL, Manning has a chance to flash that insane potential that saw him ranked as the nation's top prospect (per 24/7) back in 2022. I know a lot of people are going to have him as their QB1 going into the season, I just want to see him play more games this season before putting him atop the rankings. I have no doubt that his overall skillset will make Texas an insanely tough team to stop this season, with Manning potentially moving up to QB1 as the season goes along (again, he could very well stay back in college for at least another season).

Wk 5 - 26/31 325 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/6 carries 33 yds 1 touchdown v Mississippi State (35-13 W)

With pressure barreling down upon him, Manning is able to stay tall and calm in the pocket before delivering a perfect ball down the field to DeAndre Moore Jr. for a 50-yard touchdown. With a little dance at the end, Manning knows this was a great ball, helping give Texas a 14-6 lead right before halftime.
Great job at stepping up in the pocket and avoiding the pressure before delivering a very nice ball to Johntay Cook II for a 31-yard gain. As I've always said, throws from the far hash to the near sideline (or vice versa) are insanely long throws, yet Manning makes it look easy while also again shuffling in the pocket to avoid the pressure.
Though this play didn't result in a touchdown, Manning would ultimately punch it in from a yard out a couple plays later. A great athlete (unlike his uncles) Manning again does an excellent job at sliding and shuffling in the pocket to avoid pressure while keeping his eyes down the field before cutting up and picking up 26-yards on the ground. Along with the run, we love to see the effort at the end, diving and stretching to get to the pylon.

  • Like I brought up before, Manning is going to be one of the most sought after quarterbacks in this class. A nice blend of arm talent and athleticism, Manning has all the attributes you look for in a top quarterback prospect. With Ewers leaving, Manning will have full control of Texas' high powered offense and there's no doubt in my mind that he could wind up being QB1 when it's all said and done (if he comes out, out course). He's got everything, I just want to see more him in more games.

4. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina

2024 Season Stats - 196/299 2,534 yds 18 touchdowns 7 interceptions/166 carries 674 yds 7 touchdowns

  • 6'3" 242 lbs.; 19 y/o

  • You know how I said Penn State's Drew Allar was arguably the most physically gifted quarterback in this draft class? Well, South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers may have something to say about that. At 19-years old, Sellers comes in at 6'3" 242 lbs., possessing an insanely strong arm to go along with his natural athletic ability. Despite not getting off to the hottest start to last season, Sellers put forth some solid games against top 25 opponents, registering 10-passing touchdowns and five interceptions in seven games against said opponents. Along with that, he also registered 498-yards on the ground as well with a further five touchdowns to boot. In his first year as South Carolina's starter following Spencer Rattler leaving for the NFL, Sellers flashed his elite traits but also reminded us that he is still an incredibly raw product. Again though the dude is only 19-years old, and despite that he is a decently refined passer with great speed to boot, with his size making him hard to bring down once he gets into the open field (broke 47-tackles this past season). He may force the ball from time to time which led to some unfortunate interceptions. He also led the nation in fumbles (11, losing six of them) from the quarterback position, which is something that is definitely going to need improved upon at the next level. Overall Sellers possesses a lot of enticing tools, and if he's able to fully refine them he could have a really special season.

Wk 12 - 21/30 353 yds 5 touchdowns 1 interception/14 carries 45 yds 0 touchdowns v no.23 Missouri (34-30 W)

This is an unfortunate interception thrown here by Sellers as the ball just sails on him. The defender coming off the edge may have thrown him off slightly but overall these are the type of layup throws that you want your quarterback to make, and unfortunately he missed on this one high.
With pressure in his face on third and five, Sellers tosses up a beautiful ball to Nyck Harbor for a 43-yard gain. Seeing that the 6'5" 235 lbs. Harbor was in man coverage, he knew exactly where he wanted to go with the football and delivered a very nice ball for a big gain. Sellers would throw a touchdown to Joshua Simon on a pop pass from six yards out a few plays later.
Really nice throw on the run here by Sellers, finding Joshua Simon in a gap in the defense for a 29-yard gain. Such an effortless throw here from Sellers, smartly moving to the left with pressure coming from the right. Good play overall. He would hit Jared Brown on a screen pass for a 38-yard touchdown a few plays later.
Though he came up a yard short, Sellers really had no right to come as close as he did to picking up the first down on this play as the defensive end has him seemingly dead to rights in the backfield, getting around the right tackle with relative ease. But like I talked about before, Sellers is the most electrifying quarterback in this year's class as he was not only able to get by the defensive end, but was also able to beat the linebacker to the spot despite the player having the better angle. Again, too bad he came up a yard short.
Talk about dead to rights, am I right? The same defensive end that almost got him on the last third down nearly got him again, only this time Sellers really had no right to get out of this one, let alone hit Brady Hunt for a first down. I mean, even the announcers thought he got sacked. This is just another example of Sellers being damn near impossible to bring down, as he continues to make plays for South Carolina's offense.
Fun little play design here from South Carolina as Sellers acts like he's taking it on a quarterback keeper before dumping it off to Michael Smith for the five yard touchdown, giving the Gamecocks the lead with about five minutes to go in the game.
Excellent job by Sellers at sliding up in the pocket to avoid the edge rusher coming over top. He then does a nice job at getting his feet set and delivering a nice ball in stride to Dalevon Campbell for a 39-yard gain. With a defender in his face, Sellers remains calm, helping set up South Carolina's eventual game winning touchdown, curtesy of a shovel pass from Sellers to Raheim Sanders from 15-yards out with 15-seconds left.

  • Like I brought up before, Sellers is the complete package at the quarterback position, possessing many elite traits that could make teams drool come draft time. Though he still has room to grow and improve, the ceiling for Sellers may be one of the highest in this draft class. If he's able to put everything together this season, there's no doubt he could be the first pick in the draft next year.

5. Cade Klubnik, Clemson

2024 Season Stats - 308/486 3,639 yds 36 touchdowns 6 interceptions/119 carries 463 yds 7 touchdowns

  • 6'2" 210 lbs.; 21 y/o

  • Clemson's Cade Klubnik quietly had one of the best statistical year's from the quarterback position this past season. Never getting spoken about all too highly, Klubnik threw for 3,639-yards with 36-touchdowns and just six interceptions with a further 463-yards on the ground and a further seven touchdowns as Clemson won the ACC Championship and made an appearance in the College Football Playoff. A five star recruit coming out of high school, Klubnik took over as Clemson's starting quarterback last season as another five star (DJ Uiagalelei) transferred up to Oregon State. The dude took a big step in his development from year one to year two as the full time starter, showcasing a good arm that can make throws from any angle as well as plus athleticism, able to scramble and pick up yards when the play starts to break down. Though he's a good athlete he doesn't need to rely on that all too often as he is a really strong thrower from the pocket, maneuvering the pocket with ease while possessing really nice touch and accuracy, especially on throws outside the numbers. He may not be the most anticipatory thrower out there, and he still needs to improve upon throwing across the middle (not that he's bad at it) but overall I think Klubnik has the tools to be a successful quarterback at the next level.

CFP First Round - 26/43 336 yds 3 touchdowns 1 interception/13 carries 5 yds 0 touchdowns @ no.5 Texas (38-24 L)

This is a really impressive play here by Klubnik, as with a defender in his face he smartly rolls to the left before firing to Bryant Wesco Jr. for a nine yard gain. With pressure directly in his face, Klubnik does an excellent job at getting the ball up and around the defender despite them again being directly in his face. No reason he should have gotten this ball out, but he did.
Just an unfortunate interception here for Klubnik, as the defender deflects the ball up as he tries to dump it off to his receiver on the crossing route. You just feel helpless in these situations as a quarterback, watching the ball pop up in the air and land in the grateful arms of the defender. Again, just unfortunate.
With a defender jumping in his face, Klubnik rolls slightly to the left and delivers a solid ball to Bryant Wesco Jr for a 12-yard gain. This is a really well timed throw from Klubnik despite him throwing on the run, letting the ball go right as Wesco is exiting his break.
Like I brought up before, Klubnik is very accurate when throwing outside the numbers, delivering a very confident throw over the Texas defender to Jake Briningstool for a 28-yard gain.
Very well placed ball here from Klubnik. Just a nice and easy throw over the top of the linebacker, hitting Jarvis Green before the safety can make a play on the ball for a 25-yard touchdown.
Klubnik continues to show off his accuracy outside the numbers by hitting an open Antonio Williams for an 18-yard gain. The dude just stays calm in the pocket and delivers a very nice ball for the first down.
I know in the end Klubnik hits an open T.J. Moore for the seven yard score, but on fourth and six and needing a touchdown to try and get back into the game, Klubnik does an excellent job at getting outside the pocket, staying calm, and delivering a nice ball knowing that he's going to take a shot from the defender. Again, in the end Moore was open, but credit goes to Klubik for keeping not only the play alive, but the Tigers alive as well.
Knowing damn well he's going to take a shot from the Texas defender, Klubnik remains tall in the pocket and delivers a beautiful ball to T.J. Moore for a 30-yard gain. Also, great concentration shown by Moore here as the defender was all over him, but you really can't ask for a much better placed ball than that from Klubnik.

  • Like I said before, Klubnik may be the most accurate quarterback in this draft class when it comes to throwing outside the numbers. He is a very confident thrower and is able to navigate the pocket really well in the face of pressure, as his athleticism allows him to create more opportunities for himself. Overall he's got a very nice toolset for the next level and could very well end up being the first quarterback taken in the draft if he continues to improve like he did last year.

6. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (Cal)

2024 Season Stats - 265/386 3,004 yds 16 touchdowns 6 interceptions/87 carries 105 yds 2 touchdowns (Cal)

  • 6'5" 225 lbs.; 21 y/o

  • Indiana's Fernando Mendoza may be one of the quarterbacks I'm most excited to see this upcoming season. A transfer from Cal, Mendoza is coming from an offense that was as blazay as possible to Curt Cignetti's high powered Indiana team should make for a very fun connection. Mendoza was a bright spot for a Golden Bears team that finished the season with a 6-7 record. Despite missing the final two games of the season due to illness (and entering the transfer portal prior to their bowl game against UNLV) Mendoza was seen as one of the top passers in a conference that featured the likes of Kyle McCord, Cam Ward, Cade Klubnik, ansd Tyler Shough, with the first two were first and second in the nation in passing yards. A two year starter at Cal Mendoza can boast one of the top arms in the draft, possessing excellent timing to go along with an explosive release. He's also a very solid athlete (despite the lower rushing yard total) who can make throws on the run while also being able to pick up solid gains on the ground when needed, breaking off more than a couple 20+ yard runs this past season. Mendoza may not be getting a ton of first round hype right now, but his combination of size (6'5" 225 lbs.) and arm talent (mixed in Cignetti's offense) could definitely get him there when this is all said and done.

Wk 13 - 25/36 299 yds 3 touchdowns 0 interceptions/11 carries 35 yds 0 touchdowns v Stanford (24-21 W)

Like I said earlier, Mendoza may not have put up an insane amount of rushing yards this year but he is more than capable of breaking off big time runs when he needs to. With nothing open down the field, Mendoza smartly tucks it under his arm, taking what the defense gave him for what would end up being a 50-yard pick-up on the ground.
On third and four with Stanford bringing everybody, Mendoza knows he has to get this ball out quick. Knowing that he's going to take a little shot from the defender coming off the edge, Mendoza remains calm and tall in the pocket, delivering a very nice back shoulder ball to Trond Grizzell for the 16-yard touchdown. Also, nice adjustment by Grizzell on the play.
Very strong and confident throw across the middle of the field here by Mendoza, connecting with Grazzell on another third down to keep the drive alive before halftime.
I know at face value this is just a little dump off pass that would end up going for 21-yards. Though that may be the case, Mendoza still does an excellent job at sliding in the pocket and avoiding the oncoming pass rush before dumping it off to Jack Endries for the aforementioned 21-yard gain. With the rushing coming in unblocked may other quarterbacks would have panicked and taken a sack, but again, Mendoza does an excellent job and helps pick up a big gain.
A strong and confident throw outside the numbers here by Mendoza, fitting it into Grazzell with a defender tight in coverage. Mendoza put this ball in a spot where only his intended receiver could get it, and it helped pick up a nice 30-yards on second and 14.
This pass really had no reason to be completed as the Stanford defender had very solid positioning on the play. But like I talked about before, Mendoza has a very explosive arm, and he was able to fit it into Nyziah Hunter for a 16-yard gain. It's like the ball went through the defenders arm on this play, doesn't make sense how the pass wasn't at least broken up.
With pressure coming around the edge on third and six, Mendoza does an excellent job at stepping up in the pocket and delivering a strike on the move to Jonathan Brady (who will join him at Indiana) for a 30-yard touchdown. I know Brady created a decent amount of separation on this play, but I don't want to take anything away from Mendoza's pocket mobility and his ability to throw on the run, getting Cal back to within five (they failed on a two point conversion) in the fourth.
With Stanford sending damn near everybody, Mendoza has to be quick at getting this ball out on third and 11. Seeing his favorite target in a one-on-one match-up, he knows exactly where to go and delivers a strike for the score. The dude took an absolute shot on the play, but he was still able to deliver a strong and confident throw for the touchdown to give Cal the lead late in the game (they would convert on the two point conversion to make it 24-21).

  • The first transfer on this list, Indiana's Fernando Mendoza will again be one of the more exciting quarterbacks to watch this coming season. Good size with a strong arm and good mobility, if the Hoosiers are able to replicate what they did last year there's no reason why Mendoza can't enter first round conversations. Like he said this past season, he was a game manager his first year, now he wants to control it, he should be a lot of fun to watch this season.

7. Sam Leavitt, Arizona State

2024 Season Stats - 216/350 2,885 yds 24 touchdowns 6 interceptions/110 carries 443 yds 5 touchdowns

  • 6'2" 200 lbs.; 20 y/o

  • Like most of his teammates, Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt really flew under the radar under later on in the season last time out. Projected to finish dead last in the conference at Big 12 media days, the Sun Devils not only avoided the bottom spot, but also took home the conference title in their first year, finishing with an impressive 11-3 record while coming in as a four seed in the first ever 12-team College Football Playoff. To say Arizona State exceeded expectations would be a drastic understatement. I mean, how many teams out there can you think of that were projected to finish dead last in their conference by the respected media before going on to win the whole damn thing, while also taking Texas to double overtime in the second round of the aforementioned Playoff. Though running back Cam Skattebo grabbed most of the headlines (and deservingly so) but quarterback Sam Leavitt was no slouch in his own right. A transfer from Michigan State in his first year as the starter, Leavitt accounted for 2,885-yards with 24-touchdowns and six interceptions to go along with 443-yards on the ground and five further touchdowns. Though he's not the most intimidating presence, Leavitt is an excellent athlete who makes really smart decisions with the ball in his hand. Rarely putting the ball in harms way, Leavitt only registered five turnover worthy throws this past season, tied for third nationally. Along with that he possesses very good pocket awareness, rarely looking flustered while also being able to pick up big chunks with his legs. Though he doesn't have the quickest release, Leavitt also possesses a good arm and is quick when it comes to processing down the field. With Skattebo gone, all the attention in Arizona State's offense will turn to Leavitt, lets see if he's up to the challenge.

CFP First Round - 24/46 222 yds 0 touchdowns 1 interception/13 carries 60 yds 0 touchdowns v no.5 Texas (39-31 2OT L)

Starting to his left, Leavitt does an excellent job at feeling the pressure to his right and getting outside of the pocket. Getting chased by two Texas defenders, Leavitt throws a perfect ball to Troy Omeire for a 23-yard gain on third and seven. You really can't ask for much more from Leavitt on this play.
Leavitt is one of the better athletes from the position in this year's class. Keeping it the entire way as there was no one coming off the edge, Leavitt does a very nice job at bouncing it to the outside and getting around the defenders, picking up 28-yards on the ground.
After a little half roll to his right, Leavitt launches it down the far sideline to Skattebo for a 62-yard gain. He knew exactly where he wanted to go with this ball and delivered a near perfect one down the sideline for a really nice gain.
You love to see this from your quarterback on third and 14. With everyone covered down the field, Leavitt smartly tucks it and tries to get as much as he can to (I assume) get them to fourth and manageable. Instead, he breaks through a few tackles and picks up the first down. He had no right to pick up the first on this play, which is what makes it that much more impressive.
This throw is just late and too far inside. If he gets this ball more to the outside it may have been completed and may have gone for a touchdown, but unfortunately for him the Texas defender read it well and ultimately came down with the interception.

  • I know he didn't register a touchdown against Texas, but against one of the nation's top defenses I thought Leavitt put forth a very solid performance, both as a passer and as a runner. I think it's clear to see why Leavitt is generating some hype going into this season. He has the arm, athleticism, and is smart with the ball in his hands, everything you could really ask for in a quarterback. Like I mentioned before though, I am intrigued to see how he does this year with everyone's eyes squarely on him. Will he live up to the hype, or will he crumble? I think he has all the tools to succeed this season, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see, right?

8. Carson Beck, Miami (FL) (Georgia)

2024 Season Stats - 290/448 3,485 yds 28 touchdowns 12 interceptions/55 carries 71 yds 1 touchdown (Georgia)

  • 6'4" 220 lbs.; 23 y/o

  • Once seen as one of the draft's top quarterback options, former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck has moved schools this offseason, transferring to Miami (FL) to try and replace this year's first overall pick, Cam Ward. Easier said than done, am I right? That being said Beck is a solid quarterback who took a lot of flack this past season for some mightily inconsistent performance. Like I alluded to before, Beck was widely considered to be the top quarterback in the draft last offseason, with him and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders seen as the top two options going into the season. Though he put forth a solid showing in a week one blowout against Clemson, people really started turning Beck following Georgia's road loss to Alabama, a game where Beck completed 54% of his passes while register three touchdowns and four total turnovers (three interceptions and a fumble). He also gave up a safety in the game as well, getting flagged for intentional grounding while he was in the end zone. Beck really struggled to find his footing after that game, registering seven touchdowns and nine interceptions through Georgia's next five games. That being said Beck strung some nice performances together to close out the season, registering 11-touchdowns and zero interceptions in their final three regular season games, before ending his season by getting knocked out against Texas in the SEC Championship game. Overall, Beck possesses the ideal size team's are looking for in quarterbacks at the next level. Best when working in the short and intermediate game, Beck has a decently quick release and is very accurate when working those parts of the field. That being said Beck is a very confidence based player, and can sometimes get into a funk when things aren't going his way. Overall I think he can get back to being in the first round conversation (especially in Miami's offense), but I need to see some consistency from him before I place him any higher than here.

Wk 14 - 28/43 297 yds 5 touchdowns 0 interceptions/7 carries 10 yds 0 touchdowns v Georgia Tech (44-42 8OT W)

Despite a defender getting a hand in his face Beck is still able to deliver a strong throw to Bell for the nice 15-yard gain on third and four. With a defender over top and two either side of Bell there wasn't necessarily a whole lot of room to work with, but Beck made it work by putting it where it needed to be for the first down.
With the defender(s) over top Beck does a nice job at throwing this ball back shoulder. Very nice job by Luckie as well on the play as he's able to adjust his body and come down with the ball after a nice 17-yard pick up.
Very impressive throw by Beck, placing it right over the outstretched arm of the Georgia Tech defender and into Lovett for the 17-yard score. The dude fit this ball in a tight window between four different defenders, with Lovett making a very nice catch and controlling it through the contact to come down with it for six. This is again a very impressive throw from Beck to help close the gap on the Yellow Jackets later on in the fourth quarter.
Like we've talked about in previous blog posts, Beck isn't a statue per se, but he's definitely not known for his running ability. That being said these past couple weeks we've seen him utilize his legs more and more, with this 10-yard pickup being one of the biggest run plays for Georgia this season. Sure it's a 10-yard run on paper, but Beck starts to take off when he's at like the 23-yard line, so one could say this is really a 20-yard pickup on the ground for Beck that would help set up his eventual three yard touchdown pass to Dominic Lovett to tie the game up at 27 with a minute to go in the fourth quarter.
With the pump fake sucking the slot defender down that opened up a hole in the secondary for Beck to hit Humphreys for the score. With the defender over top though the throw from Beck needed to be quick and on a line, as anything less would've seen this ball potentially picked off and maybe returned in the opposite direction for six. This is a very good play design and a very solid throw from Beck to help put Georgia up early in overtime.
The Georgia Tech safety seemed to be caught in two minds on this play. On one hand he wanted to follow Jones out of the backfield, but on the other he knew he had to keep his assignment and try to get after Beck. Unfortunately neither worked out, as Beck was able to float a very nice ball into Jones while rolling out to his left for the 25-yard touchdown on their opening play in the second overtime period.

  • Carson Beck will be one to watch this upcoming season. After failing to live up to last season's lofty expectations, Beck has a lot of work to do to get back in that first round conversation. He possesses specific traits teams will be looking for, it's just a matter of if he's able to string consistent performances together. He's got a new lease on life down in Miami and I'm excited to see how he handles it.

9. John Mateer, Oklahoma (Washington State)

2024 Season Stats - 224/347 3,139 yds 29 touchdowns 7 interceptions/178 carries 826 yds 15 touchdowns (Washington State)

  • 6'1" 219 lbs.; 21 y/o

  • Arguably the most sought after quarterback in this year's transfer portal, numerous teams out there were trying to secure the services of Washington State's John Mateer. In the end, Brent Venables and the Oklahoma Sooners brought him in to replace outgoing former five star Jackson Arnold, as Mateer followed his offensive coordinator and quarterback coach, Ben Arbuckle. Despite only being the 'main guy' at Washington State for one season (as he sat behind Cam Ward), Mateer put up some impressive numbers in the vaunted PAC-2, throwing for 3,139-yards with 29-touchdowns and seven interceptions to go along with 826-yards and 15-touchdowns on the ground (running a lot of quarterback keepers and quarterback counters), with those last two numbers outpacing every other quarterback in this top 10 (even LaNorris Sellers). Though he may not be the biggest quarterback in this class at 6'1" 219, Mateer is a natural dual threat quarterback who forced 55-missed tackles this past season. Along with his athleticism Mateer does possess a strong arm and is really good when rolling outside the pocket and making throws on the run. Though he can be a little too over confident at times (which is both a good thing and a bad thing) Mateer is someone who could help put Oklahoma back on the map. If he's able to carry with Washington State form down to Norman, we could be looking at a very special season from their new quarterback.

Wk 4 - 26/46 390 yds 4 touchdowns 2 interceptions/18 carries 111 yds 1 touchdown v San Jose State (54-52 2OT W)

With no one initially open to the right, Mateer rolls slightly to the left and hits Kyle Williams down the far sideline for a 28-yard gain to get them down to the two yard line. Just an effortless throw here from Mateer, which is made that much more impressive that he's rolling out to his left.
Just a nice heads up play here by Mateer. Rolling out to his left, Mateer doesn't see anyone open so decides to cut it up and try to get what he can. But, right as he gets the defenders to suck in, he tosses it over the top to Cooper Mathers for the four yard touchdown. An absolute gamer move here by Mateer, giving the Cougars the lead in the second.
I know Mathers is able to give Mateer an easier throw by separating himself from the defender, but Mateer still has to deliver this ball knowing damn well he's going to take a nice little shot from the Spartan defender. It may not look like much, but you want to see your quarterback stand tall and deliver strikes all while knowing they're going to get popped in the mouth, and Mateer did just that, doesn't matter if it was only from eight yards out.
The long and short of it is that Mateer just flat out didn't see the Spartan defender on this pass. Trying to hit the in-breaking route by Williams (as the defender was playing eight yards off) Mateer just didn't see the linebacker jump the route on the play for one of the easiest interceptions of his career.
With a defender initially coming free from the right side of the formation, Mateer does a very nice job at stepping up and sliding with the protection before delivering a strike to Kyle Williams for the 13-yard score. The ball just zipped out of his hand to Williams, dropping the angle and getting it around the defenders for the eventual score.
Again, knowing that he's going to take a little shot from the defender, Mateer delivers an excellent ball rolling to his left down the far sideline for what would result in a 31-yard gain. Like I brought up before, Mateer just has a very effortless throwing motion, the ball just leaves his hand so fast and he's able to get it out whether he's in the pocket or rolling out to either side.
With San Jose State dropping eight into coverage, the windows for Mateer to work with are few and far between. That being said he is still able to find Kyle Williams in a gap between the corner and safety for a 32-yard gain. Just a nice strong throw here from Mateer.
This interception really couldn't have come at a worse time, as the Washington State defense picked off an Emmett Brown pass in the first overtime to give the offense a chance to walk off the game. All in all the throw from Mateer here is just late. Mixing that with the fact that this is a really long throw (far hash to near sideline front pylon) makes this an interception damn near every time, no matter who's throwing the football. There was just very little to no chance of this ball ending up in a Cougar receiver's hands.
Initially ruled short, this play would ultimately be ruled a successful two point conversion following Mateer's interception in the first overtime. Like I brought up before, the dude is just a gamer, making a defender miss at the line before beating more defenders to the front pylon for the score.

  • I've said it more than one occasion throughout this section but I'll say it again, John Mateer is just a gamer. You never really know what you're going to get from him each and every play but I can promise you that it's going to be exciting. A good athlete with a good arm and quick release, Mateer is someone who could really be involved in Heisman conversations if he's able to help Oklahoma navigate through a tough schedule. I'm really excited to see what he does this season, especially if he's able to make plays this year like he did at Washington State.

10. Sawyer Robertson, Baylor

2024 Season Stats - 229/368 3,071 yds 28 touchdowns 8 interceptions/63 carries 230 yds 4 touchdowns

  • 6'4" 220 lbs.; 22 y/o

  • A name that I've been seeing more and more this offseason when it comes to the top quarterbacks in next year's class is Baylor's Sawyer Robertson. Starting off as the back-up to Toledo transfer Dequan Finn, Robertson took over as Baylor's starter after Finn missed their third game of the season against Air Force due to injury following a rough game against Utah in week two. Despite picking up a win against the aforementioned Falcons, Baylor went on to lose each of their next three games against Colorado, BYU, and Iowa State, with two of those games being on the road and two against top 25 opponents (Iowa State is in both categories). After those loses Baylor would get things right, with Robertson quarterbacking them to six straight wins to close out the regular season, where he finished with 3,071-yards with 28-touchdowns and eight interceptions along with a further 230-yards on the ground and four touchdowns. Despite again not being the starter to kick off the season, Robertson more than proved that this was his team moving forward. Another quarterback with a baseball background, Robertson is a really good downfield passer (who ranked fourth nationally in regards to downfield accuracy) along with being a good athlete with the ball in his hands. An overall effortless thrower, Robertson can make numerous plays off script and can let it rip from any angle, not afraid to roll outside the pocket and extend plays when necessary. At 6'4" 220, Robertson can boast some pretty high upside and I'm excited to see how he does as Baylor's full time starter going into the season.

Bowl Game - 30/51 445 yds 2 touchdowns 1 interception/4 carries 3 yds 0 touchdowns v LSU (44-31 L) (Kinder's Texas Bowl)

This is just an unfortunate interception here for Robertson as his pass bounces off his running back's face mask and into the grateful arms of the LSU defender, who takes it back 41-yards for the score. There's really nothing negative to say about this from Robertson's perspective as it should've been just a simple pitch and catch on a screen pass. It's unfortunate but sometimes these things happen.
With the corner following the motioning receiver, Robertson knows that he's got a nice window to work with and gets it to Josh Cameron for a 17-yard gain, throwing right off the inside hip of the defender in coverage. Robertson put a lot on this throw, which you can tell surprised Cameron who bobbled it for a couple yards before bringing it in.
Very nice confident throw from Robertson to hit Cameron on the back shoulder throw for a 21-yard touchdown. Initially ruled incomplete, this type of throw deserves to be marked down as a touchdown, regardless of how many feet the receiver got down in bounds. In all seriousness this was a really impressive throw from Robertson and it helped get Baylor back to within seven at the start of the second quarter.
With the speedy Ashtyn Hawkins matched up against a safety in the slot, Robertson knew exactly where he was going to go and delivered a very nice ball for what would result in a 35-yard gain. With pressure coming late up the middle, Robertson stays calm and again delivers a very nice ball down the near sideline.
Very confident back shoulder throw here by Robertson, hitting Josh Cameron down the sideline for a 15-yard gain. If you know me you know how much I like a good back shoulder throw, which Robertson again hits on for the decent gain.
I know this play isn't anything too spectacular, but Robertson does a very nice job at securing the high snap before turning up field and picking up a first down on fourth and six. Some quarterbacks in that position would have panicked and tried to force the issue, but Robertson remains calm and is able to pick up a first down with his legs.

  • Like I mentioned before, Robertson will be one of the more intriguing prospects in this class when the draft rolls around. Good size with a good arm and good athleticism, Robertson can make a bunch of plays for you from the quarterback position. He's got a lot of upside, I just hope that he's able to reach it this coming season in his second season as the full time starter.


Others

*alphabetical order

  • Luke Altmyer, Illinois

  • Jackson Arnold, Auburn (Oklahoma)

  • Rocco Becht, Iowa State

  • Aidan Chiles, Michigan State

  • Jalon Daniels, Kansas

  • Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech

  • Noah Fifita, Arizona

  • Taylen Green, Arkansas

  • Mark Gronowski, Iowa (South Dakota State)

  • Eli Holstein, Pitt

  • Nico Iamaleava, UCLA (Tennessee)

  • Avery Johnson, Kansas State

  • Haynes King, Georgia Tech

  • Jayden Maiava, USC

  • Dante Moore, Oregon

  • Miller Moss, Louisville (USC)

  • Malachi Nelson, UTEP (Boise State)

  • Kaidon Salter, Colorado (Liberty)

  • Ty Simpson, Alabama

  • Conner Weigman, Houston (Texas A&M)


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