The Draft "Expert" - Wk 6 2026 NFL Draft Quarterback Prospect Rankings
- Logan Blackman
- Oct 10
- 32 min read
Hello everyone and welcome back to yet another Draft "Expert" blog post! As you could probably tell by the title, in this one we will be revealing my week six quarterback prospect rankings for the 2026 NFL Draft!
Now, this past week was a little different than the previous ones. Not necessarily because of anything good or bad, but because so many quarterbacks had bye weeks. Like if you were to look at last week's top five, each of those quarterbacks did not play (John Mateer didn't have a bye, but he didn't play due to injury).
I guess that could be seen a bad thing since we had less college football to watch. Despite there not being as many games this past weekend, some new faces appear in this week's list, with one person making their officially official debut in the top-10, as well as someone creeping into the top five.
All in all I am very excited for you guys to check out this week's blog post! So without any further delay I Logan Blackman, host of the Logan Blackman Show and self proclaimed Draft "Expert," am proud to present my week six quarterback prospect rankings for the 2026 NFL Draft! Enjoy!
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1. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Wk 6 - BYE
Season - 89/122 1,208 yds 16 touchdowns 1 interception/30 carries 102 yds 2 touchdowns
Wk 1 - 6
Wk 2 - 5
Wk 3 - 3
Wk 4 - 3
Wk 5 - 1
Wk 6 - 1
Wk 7 - @ no.3 Oregon
2. Dante Moore, Oregon
Wk 6 - BYE
Season - 100/134 1,210 yds 14 touchdowns 1 interception/24 carries 122 yds 0 touchdowns
Wk 1 - N/R
Wk 2 - N/R
Wk 3 - 5
Wk 4 - 4
Wk 5 - 2
Wk 6 - 2
Wk 7 - v no.7 Indiana
3. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
Wk 6 - BYE
Season - 58/87 886 yds 4 touchdowns 1 interception/48 carries 98 yds 1 touchdown
Wk 1 - 3
Wk 2 - 2
Wk 3 - 2
Wk 4 - 2
Wk 5 - 3
Wk 6 - 3
Wk 7 - @ no.11 LSU
4. Ty Simpson, Alabama (+3)
Wk 6 - 23/31 340 yds 2 touchdowns 1 interception/9 carries -6 yds 0 touchdowns v no.16 Vanderbilt (30-14 W)
Season - 111/158 1,478 yds 13 touchdowns 1 interception/30 carries 51 yds 2 touchdowns
I can't speak for everyone out there, but I had the upmost confidence in Alabama is take down Vanderbilt this past Saturday. Now, isn't that crazy to think about? I don't know if it's an inditement on Alabama or praise for Vanderbilt because two or three years ago that sentence would have been blatantly obvious, as the Crimson Tide had beaten the Commodores in every match-up they had played in from 1984 up until this past season, where Vanderbilt famously took down the then top ranked Alabama by a score of 40-35. This year though, with it being back in Tuscaloosa, there was just absolutely no way Kalen DeBoer and co. were failing again, as they came away with an impressive 30-14 victory against the then 16th ranked Commodores. Now, there may be some people out there who didn't think Bama would come out with a double digit victory, but given everything that had been happening recently it kind of felt like it was written in the stars. Like, whatever you think about DeBoer and his time at Alabama so far, I don't think they've fallen far enough to where Vanderbilt fans can say they should beat them, especially with it being at home. That mixed with Diego Pavia practicing kneel downs prior to the game starting made it all the more evident, Alabama was not going to get disrespected this time around. In the win quarterback Ty Simpson put on another great showing, going 23/31 for 340-yards with two touchdowns and an interception (his first of the season). Ever since that week one showing against Florida State, Simpson has shown that he really is one of the top quarterback prospects in this year's class (may not be top three yet, but I could definitely see that happening at some point). As for this game specifically though things didn't necessarily start off the smoothest. Despite completing a few passes for 5-10-yard gains, Simpson would be intercepted on fourth and one on Alabama's first drive of the game.
This is just not a good throw from Simpson. I don't really mind them being aggressive by throwing the football on fourth and one, but again, Simpson just has to make a smarter decision as there was a very low chance of this ball getting completed as the defender was in a very ideal position to make a play on the ball. Unfortunate since they got it all the way down to the Vanderbilt 29-yard line, and even more unfortunate as they would capitalize on the turnover by registering their first touchdown of the game midway through the first quarter. Now down seven after throwing his first interception of the season, Simpson would come out firing on Alabama's next possession, hitting Isaiah Horton down the far sideline for a 35-yard gain on second and 20.
Just a fantastic throw here from Simpson. With the pocket breaking down around him, he is still able to deliver an incredibly strong throw down the sideline to Horton, who skies up to snatch the ball out of the air while picking up 35-yards on the play. Again, great throw from Simpson and a nice play by Horton to come down with the ball for the big gain. Simpson would fire it across the middle of the field to Rico Scott for 11-more yards (who wound up getting up ended) on first and 20 before the drive would ultimately stall out and they'd have to settle for a field goal. Unfortunately Conor Talty would miss the ensuing 47-yard attempt, leaving the score at 7-0 later on in the first. Alabama's defense would come up big on Vanderbilt's following possession, forcing a fumble out of Diego Pavia after they drove it all the way down to the Crimson Tide 13-yard line. With a new lease on life Alabama would start the next drive off by pounding the rock, with Jam Miller carrying the ball on their first three plays before Kevin Riley would carry it on the following two. Though the run game would get them closer to the 50-yard line, Alabama would still find themselves in a third and three situation. On third down Simpson would register his first pass attempt on the drive, firing it into Germie Bernard for a 17-yard gain down the far sideline.
Again, just a very strong throw here from Simpson, throwing a back shoulder ball to get it to Bernard before the defender could make a play on the ball. Great job by Bernard as well at hanging onto the ball through the contact. That plus the excellent throw from Simpson helped Alabama extend their drive early in the second. A few plays later Simpson would connect with Josh Cuevas on a crossing route for 18-more yards, this time on fourth and seven from the Vanderbilt 35-yard line. A couple plays later Simpson would make a defender miss before firing it to Ryan Williams in the end zone from 14-yards out, giving them their first score of the game.
Great job by Simpson at evading the pressure to the right by sliding up before firing it into Williams for the touchdown. With that, Williams also did a very nice job at giving his quarterback someone to throw to in the end zone. Like I've said a couple times already, just a great overall play from quarterback and receiver, resulting in Alabama's first touchdown of the game. Things wouldn't go as swimmingly for the Crimson Tide on their next possession as they'd be forced to punt the ball away after going three and out. Following a Vanderbilt touchdown to make it 14-7, Alabama would get the ball back with 1:33 left in the half. On the drive, Simpson would connect with Ryan Williams for 10 and 17-yards (the latter coming on third and two) before firing it into Germie Bernard for 13-more yards to get them down to the Vanderbilt 27. The pair would connect again on the following play, only this time for six as Simpson would hit Bernard down the near sideline for what would result in a 27-yard score with 17-seconds left until halftime.
With a defender jumping in his face, Simpson is still able to drive this ball to Bernard in the window between the corner and safety, resulting in the aforementioned touchdown. It may look like Bernard is wide open, but there really isn't as much room to work with as you may expect, as the ball has to have enough air under it to get over the first defender, but also on a line enough so the one over top can't make a play on it. Overall this is just a fantastic throw from Simpson, helping tie the game up with 17-seconds left in the first half. Simpson would come out firing on Alabama's first drive of the second half (following a Vanderbilt punt), hitting Josh Cuevas (who hurled a defender) for 12-yards while getting brought down before scanning the field and finding Ryan Williams down the far sideline for a 54-yard gain (more great adjustment from Williams rather then great throw from Simpson tbh). Despite the big play Alabama would eventually have to settle for a field goal, with Conor Talty converting from 38-yards out to make it 17-14 midway through the third quarter. Simpson would come out throwing the ball again on Alabama's next drive, first connecting with Lotzeir Brooks on the opening play of the drive for 30-yards before hitting Germie Bernard for 20-more yards to get them to the Vanderbilt 28 on third and nine.
One thing about Ty Simpson that I absolutely love is that he is not at all afraid to throw it across the middle of the field. I know the defender fell over while trying to track Bernard (making it an easier throw) but I still think this is a very strong throw from Simpson on third and nine. Following the completion Alabama would be in for a little scare, as Simpson would fumble the ball away after taking a five yard sack that would get returned for a Vanderbilt touchdown. Fortunately for Simpson and co. he would be ruled down, allowing Alabama to eventually settle for a 30-yard field goal to make it 20-14 with 1:17 to go in the third quarter. Prior to the field goal, Simpson would flash the athleticism, picking up 13-yards on the ground with Alabama in a third and six situation.
Like I said in the previous blog post, Simpson doesn't look to run all too often, but when he does he is more than capable and athletic enough to pick up solid gains with his legs. Great job at feeling the pressure coming around the left side of the offensive line before taking it 13-yards up the field for a first down. Again, this run would help lead to a field goal, making it 20-14 later on in the third. Simpson would flash the athleticism again on Alabama's next drive, only this time he would roll to his right, keeping the play alive before dumping it off to Isaiah Horton for a nine yard gain on third and five.
Simpson doesn't limit his athleticism to picking up decent gains with his legs, but he also utilizes it to keep plays alive before finding an open receiver down the field (i.e. the touchdown to Williams). This may have only resulted in a nine yard gain, but it's still awesome to see from Simpson. The Crimson Tide would give Kadyn Proctor the ball on third and one, with the big offensive lineman picking up two yards and a first down, but ultimately they'd have to settle for another Conor Talty field goal, with him converting from 30-yards out to make it 23-14 with 4:08 to go in the game. Alabama would find the end zone again on their next drive, only needing four plays for Jam Miller to take it in from 20-yards out to make the score 30-14 with 17-seconds left in the fourth. That touchdown would ultimately mark the end of the game as the Crimson Tide would get their revenge over the Commodores, taking home a 30-14 victory. I'm not going to lie, Ty Simpson is slowly becoming my favorite quarterback in college football. He can make every throw on the field, is not afraid to test the middle, while also being able to make or extend plays with his legs when required. This week him and the Crimson Tide travel to Columbia, Missouri to take on the 14th ranked Tigers, who have a solid quarterback in their own right in the form of Beau Pribula. Despite being on the road, I think Alabama has hit their stride, and I expect them to come away with their fifth consecutive dub.
Wk 1 - N/R
Wk 2 - N/R
Wk 3 - N/R
Wk 4 - N/R
Wk 5 - 7
Wk 6 - 4
Wk 7 - @ no.14 Missouri
5. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU (-1)
Wk 6 - BYE
Season - 115/171 1,159 yds 7 touchdowns 3 interceptions/15 carries -17 yds 1 touchdown
Wk 1 - 2
Wk 2 - 1
Wk 3 - 1
Wk 4 - 1
Wk 5 - 4
Wk 6 - 5
Wk 7 - v South Carolina
6. John Mateer, Oklahoma (-1)
Wk 6 - OUT v Kent State (44-0 W)
Season - 95/141 1,215 yds 6 touchdowns 3 interceptions/43 carries 190 yds 5 touchdowns
Wk 1 - 9
Wk 2 - 6
Wk 3 - 6
Wk 4 - 5
Wk 5 - 5
Wk 6 - 6
Wk 7 - v Texas (Dallas)
7. Carson Beck, Miami (FL) (+1)
Wk 6 - 20/27 241 yds 4 touchdowns 0 interceptions/3 carries -1 yd 0 touchdowns @ no.18 Florida State (28-22 W)
Season - 102/139 1,213 yds 11 touchdowns 3 interceptions/13 carries 18 yds 1 touchdowns
This Miami Hurricane train just keeps on chugging along as they came up with their third top-25 win of the season this past weekend, taking down their bitter rivals in Florida State by the score of 28-22. I don't know what it was prior to the season starting, but for whatever reason I was afraid that Miami would be one of the more "disappointing" teams this season. Maybe it was because Carson Beck was coming off of an arm injury and hadn't thrown all offseason, or just my lack of faith in Mario Cristobal to not completely fall on his face at some point, but I just didn't trust the Hurricanes. Now, as we sit here following their aforementioned week six victory, I can say whole heartedly that I was wrong, this team is really damn good. I know we're going to spend this section of the blog post talking about Beck, but Miami has some fantastic players on both sides of the ball, with the most notably one being defensive end Rueben Bain, who could very well be the first position player drafted (maybe first overall player drafted) in the coming draft. Though they again have some great players, most of the attention is going to Beck, as he has rediscovered his form from when people considered him to be the best quarterback in this past year's draft prior to the season starting. Now, he's put up great numbers all season, but this past weekend he put on his best showing yet, going 20/27 for 241-yards with four touchdowns (season high) and zero interceptions in the aforementioned 28-20 road win against the then 18th ranked Florida State Seminoles in Tallahassee. Though his overall game was fantastic things didn't start off the smoothest for the Hurricane offense, as they would be forced to punt the ball away after six plays. On that drive Beck would just miss Malachi Toney for what would have been a massive gain for the Miami offense, but would come up big on their following possession by hitting CJ Daniels for a 47-yard gain to get them to the Florida State 19-yard line.
Just a really well thrown ball from Beck, who does an excellent job at looking off the safety to the left before fitting it into Daniels for the aforementioned 47-yard gain. Shame that Daniels couldn't keep his balance, but the pair would connect on a touchdown on a slant from four yards out a few plays later to give Miami their first lead of the game with less than a minute to go in the first quarter. It wouldn't take long for the Hurricanes to find the end zone again. After the defense would come up with an interception Beck would hit Malachi Toney on a beautifully thrown ball from 44-yards out on the first play of the drive to make it 14-3 with 11:25 to go in the second quarter.
You really can't throw a better ball if you tried. Following the flea flicker, Beck drops this thing perfectly in the bucket for Toney to haul in for the score. Also, great job at helping in pass protection by Mark Fletcher Jr., giving Beck that little extra time to hit Toney for the touchdown, again making it 14-3 early on in the second. Again, just a perfect throw. Miami's next couple drives wouldn't see them have the same success, going three and out on their final two drives of the half. That being said it did look like Beck and Toney would hook up for another touchdown, but it would unfortunately be called back due to an illegal shift. Though that touchdown would be wiped off the board the pair would connect again on Miami's first drive of the second half, with Beck finding him on the far hash a couple yards past the first down marker on fourth and two, with Toney taking it in the rest of the way for the 40-yard score to make it 21-3 midway through the third quarter. Miami would keep up their scoring ways on their next drive following another Florida State turnover (second interception of the game) as Beck would hit CJ Daniels on a screen to the flat who would fight through traffic before taking it in from 24-yards out to make it 28-3 later on in the third quarter. The Hurricane offense wouldn't do much of anything for the remainder of the game as they would go punt the ball away after seven plays on their next drive before going three and out and turning it over on downs after failing to convert on fourth and eight from the Florida State 23-yard line with 1:12 left in the game. Despite the Seminoles' best efforts the Hurricanes would hold onto a 28-22 road victory against their hated rivals. If Miami didn't decide to stop playing in the fourth quarter this game could have been much worse, as Beck and the offense were really having their way with the Florida State defense. I've really liked what I've seen from Beck up to this point in the season, and I hope that he continues to play at this clip as the season progresses. Weirdly though Miami has another bye this week, making that two from the past three weeks. That being said they will be back at home on Friday October 17th as they play host to the 4-1 Louisville Cardinals. Last season's game was a lot of fun as the Hurricanes came out on top, let's see if they're up to it again this time around.
Wk 1 - 7
Wk 2 - 9
Wk 3 - 7
Wk 4 - 8
Wk 5 - 8
Wk 6 - 7
Wk 7 - BYE
8. Drew Allar, Penn State (-2)
Wk 6 - 19/26 200 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/11 carries 78 yds 0 touchdowns @ UCLA (42-37 L)
Season - 90/139 963 yds 8 touchdowns 2 interceptions/30 carries 147 yds 0 touchdowns
For the past however many weeks, people all over social media have been bitching and moaning about the AP top-25 lists, stating that it wasn't a true barometer of the current state of college football, and that preseason rankings are weighing too heavily on how the voters viewed certain teams. Well, after this past weekend, I think the bitching and moaning has proved right, as both Texas and Penn State, the preseason top two teams in the nation, have both rightfully stumbled out of the top-25 entirely after losing to Florida and UCLA on the road. Now, if you've listened to any podcast that I've recorded this year, or read any previous blog posts when it comes to Drew Allar, you would know that I have not been sold on Penn State in the slightest this season. Sure they started the season undefeated with a 3-0 record after beating Nevada, Florida International, and Villanova by a combined score of 132-17, but if you actually watched those games you would have seen a team that was playing really inconsistent football, with Allar struggling to find any sustained success despite the supposed talent gap between the teams. After falling to Oregon at home a week ago in double overtime, the Nittany Lions traveled out west to take on an 0-4 UCLA Bruins team that had fired their head coach and had not led for a single second up to this point in the season. Despite them traveling across the country and multiple time zones, many out there viewed this as a "get right game" for Penn State, as they came into this game as -24.5-point favorites. Unfortunately for everyone associated with the Nittany Lions, not only did they not play well, they fell by a score of 42-37, gifting the Bruins their first win of the season. I don't think things could be much worse for Penn State than they are right now, as not only did they fall to a winless team who lost to New Mexico at home by 25, but they all but killed any chance of making the College Football Playoff. Again, they came into this season as the second ranked team in the nation with a realistic shot at actually winning a National Championship, but again, those dreams are done. As for quarterback Drew Allar, statistically he put up some good numbers, going 19/26 for 200-yards (season low) with two touchdowns and no interceptions to go along with a team leading 78-yards on the ground (career high). Regardless of his numbers, a loss like this is embarrassing on all accounts, and will damage his draft stock even more regardless of whether or not you feel that's deserved. On the game though, Allar and the Nittany Lion offense wouldn't see the field until the 7:20 mark in the first quarter. In a 10-0 hole early following a successful onside kick by UCLA, Allar would hit Kyron Hudson along the near sideline after rolling to his left for 15-yards to get them down to the Bruin 24-yard line. He would then connect with Andrew Rappleyea for 11-more yards to get them down to the 15 before Kaytron Allen would take it in himself to give Penn State their first score of the game with about two minutes to go in the quarter. The next couple drives would be rough for the Nittany Lions on offense as they would go three and out on their next possession before turning it over on downs after nine plays after failing to convert on fourth and two with 26-seconds left in the first half, with Allar taking an 11-yard sack. To make matters even worse the Bruins would register a field goal right before half, making the score 27-7 thanks to Mateen Bhaghani's 54-yard attempt. Things would seemingly only get worse for Penn State as on the second play of the third quarter Allar would hit Luke Reynolds across the middle for a 17-yard gain, only for Reynolds to fumble the ball away with UCLA taking over at the Penn State 43-yard line. Thankfully for them Bhaghani would fail to convert from 56-yards out, and the Nittany Lions would make quick work of things on their next drive as Allar would hit Khalil Dinkins down the near sideline for what would result in a 40-yard touchdown to make it 27-14 with 11:28 to go in the third.
Pretty simple throw here from Allar, as no one follows Dinkins down the field for an easy 40-yard touchdown. Though it wasn't anything too difficult, I still like seeing Allar make these kind of throws. Penn State's defense and special teams unit(s) would come up big on UCLA's next drive, sacking Nico Iamaleava for 11 and six yards before blocking their ensuing punt and returning it for a touchdown, making it 27-21 midway through the third. Despite the sacks on their last drive, Iamaleava would come up big in the ground game for the Bruins, picking up 52-yards before eventually punching it in from a yard out to give them a 34-21 lead with 2:55 to go in the third quarter. Speaking of picking up big gains on the ground, Allar would pick up 20, 10, and 27-yards with his legs on Penn State's next possession, helping set up an eventual two yard touchdown run by Kaytron Allen to bring them back to within six at the start of the fourth.
Allar may not be the most athletically gifted quarterback out there, but when you need him to (or when he wants to) he can pick up decent gains using his legs as he is more often then not bigger and stronger than those trying to tackle him. At 6'5" 235 lbs., when he gets moving he can be hard to stop, as he showed on this drive for Penn State as he eventually helped make the score 34-28 early on in the fourth quarter. Allar would make more big plays for the Nittany Lions following another UCLA touchdown (plus two point conversion) that would make it 42-28 midway through the quarter. After picking up 11-more yards on the ground, while also connecting with Luke Reynolds and Trebor Pena for 17 and 12-yards, he would hit Kyron Hudson in the end zone on a beautifully thrown ball from 15-yards out to make it 42-35 with 4:11 left in regulation.
Again, just a beautifully thrown ball here from Allar, putting the ball in a spot where only his receiver could make a play on it. As we saw last week against Oregon, when everything is synced up Allar can throw a really pretty fade ball, and in this case it helped pull the Nittany Lions closer later on in the fourth quarter. Penn State's defense would come up big on UCLA's next drive, stuffing them at the line of scrimmage while trying to go for it on fourth and one from their own 34-yard line. Unfortunately the offense wouldn't be able to repay the defense. Despite getting it all the way down to the UCLA nine yard line, Allar would get blown up in the backfield trying to pick up the first with his legs on fourth and two, essentially sealing the game for the Bruins. Following a safety with 17-seconds left, the Bruins would hold on to beat the then seventh ranked Nittany Lions by the score of 42-37, in the most shocking upset of the season so far. Like I mentioned before, I have not been convinced by Penn State in any capacity up to this point in the season. Saying that I did not think they would fall to a team that had never held a lead at any point so far this season. With this loss Penn State dropped completely out of the top-25, and rightfully so. Hopefully they're able to come away with a victory against Northwestern this coming weekend. Before the season started I don't think a lot of people would have thought these two teams would have the same record, but that's the beauty of college football.
Wk 1 - 1
Wk 2 - 3
Wk 3 - 3
Wk 4 - 6
Wk 5 - 6
Wk 6 - 8
Wk 7 - v Northwestern
9. Darian Mensah, Duke (NEW)
Wk 6 - Wk 6 - 22/30 265 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/2 carries -18 yds 0 touchdowns @ Cal (45-21 W)
Season - 143/205 1,838 yds 15 touchdowns 2 interceptions/23 carries -48 yds 0 touchdowns
Darian Mesnah has quietly been one of the best quarterbacks in all of college football so far this season. Maybe it's because he plays for Duke but this dude has been putting on an absolute clinic from the quarterback position. I mean, for those who watched him during his freshman season at Tulane saw the talent, but when he entered his name into the transfer portal all eyes turned to him to see where he'd wind up. As one of the best quarterbacks in the portal, I think there was some surprise that he chose to enroll at Duke, a team who's offense was pretty much non-existent last season as they ranked near bottom in the ACC in regards to total offense (only above Stanford and Florida State, who combined for five wins last season). Though they did have an average (at best) passing attack with Maalik Murphy under center, the offense in total has seen a massive boost in production, as they rank third in the conference in total and passing offense, with Mensah ranking second in the nation in passing yards and fourth in regards to passing touchdowns all while registering just two interceptions. Like I said before, Mensah has been one of the best quarterbacks throughout this college football season, and though I think he may come back to college for another year, I think he's becoming one of the better quarterbacks available for selection for next April's draft. He's made numerous big time throws and big time plays this season, and this past week against Cal saw him do just that as he helped the Blue Devils secure a 45-21 road victory, gifting the Golden Bears their second loss on the season. In the game Mensah would go 22/30 for 265-yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. And though those numbers may be on the lower side of things compared to some of his previous games, he still did enough to warrant a spot in the top-10. That being said things didn't really start out the greatest for Mensah and the Duke offense, as they'd be forced to punt the ball away after just four plays following a Cal touchdown to open up the game. Things would get worse before they would get better as the Golden Bears would register another touchdown on their second drive of the game, putting the Blue Devils in a 14-0 hole later on in the first quarter. Thankfully Mensah and the offense would wake up on their second drive, with Mensah connecting with Cooper Barkate across the middle for 15 before hitting Jake Taylor for a further 16 on third and two to get them to the Cal 30-yard line.
With a defender in his face, Mensah delivers a very good ball over the top to Taylor for the aforementioned 16-yard gain. Just an excellent job at remaining calm in the pocket after the play fake, getting the ball over the initial linebacker and putting it in a spot where only his 6'5" tight end could go up and get it. Mensah would then connect with Que'Sean Brown down the near sideline for a further 18-yards which would help set up a 12-yard touchdown run by Nate Sheppard to get Duke back to within seven with 2:38 left in the first quarter. Cal would respond with a touchdown of their own to make it 21-7 at the start of the second quarter, and things wouldn't start off so great on Duke's following drive as they'd find themselves in a third and 11 situation. That being said Mensah would come up big for the Blue Devils, hitting Cooper Barkate between the hashmarks and the numbers for a 15-yard gain.
With Cal sending pressure, Mensah does an excellent job at sliding to his left in order to give himself more time. He then fires it into an open Barkate for the aforementioned 15-yard gain, helping them get to the Cal side of the 50 on third and 11. A few plays later Mensah and Barkate would connect again for 15-yards, pushing them deeper into Cal territory and getting them down to the 14-yard line.
Just a nice, strong, and confident throw here from Mensah, fitting it into Barkate down the hash for the 15-yard gain. Much like the throw he had earlier to Taylor, Mensah does a nice job at getting this ball over the initial linebacker while also putting the ball in a spot where only his receiver could make a play on it. Great throw from Mensah, and great catch by Barkate to get them into the red zone. A few plays later Anderson Castle would punch it in from two yards out to make it 21-14 midway through the second quarter. The Duke defense would come up big on Cal's next drive, picking off Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele's pass at their own 12 before returning it all the way back to the Blue Devil 48-yard line. Though a holding call on the return would push them back a little bit, that play marked a big time turning point in the game, as both the offense and defense would play lights out the remainder of the first half. It would only take the Blue Devil offense three plays to find the end zone on their next possession, with Mensah connecting with Landen King for 33-yards on their opening play before hitting Que'Sean Brown from 26-yards out to tie the game up at 21 with 5:50 to go in the quarter.
Two really solid passes here from Mensah. On the first one, Mensah once again does an excellent job at getting the ball to his receiver over the out stretched arm of the linebacker. Up to this point in the game he's had a few passes that show off impressive touch, with him getting the ball over the defender and into a spot where only his receiver can come down with the ball. On the touchdown pass it's a really simple throw to an open receiver but again, he is able to show off impressive touch, dropped right in the bucket for Brown who makes a nice catch for the score that would again tie the game up later on in the second. The defense would come up big once again on Cal's next possession as they forced them to punt the ball away after going three and out. The offense would do more of the same, with Mensah connecting with Que'Sean Brown for 26-yards on third and nine to get them down to the Cal three yard line, helping eventually set up a one yard touchdown run by Anderson Castle to give Duke their first lead of the game.
You really couldn't ask for a much better throw from Mensah, as with a defender's hand in his face he's able to hit Brown in a tight window for a 26-yard gain. You really can't place a ball much better than this if you're Mensah, getting it to his receiver before any of the four defenders in the area could make a play on it, smartly placing this on Brown's body rather than lead him into the path of the defender. Also, great job by Brown at falling forward after taking the hit, just a fantastic play overall that again helped Duke eventually take their first lead of the game with 1:10 left in the first half. The Blue Devil offense would get another chance to come away with points as the defense would force the Golden Bears to punt after making them go three and out again. With 44-seconds left Mensah would help guide them down the field, hitting Que'Sean Brown while on the run for 15 before finding him again for a further 22-yards to get them down to the Cal 18-yard line.
Really strong throw here from Mensah, unloading it to Brown who makes a nice catch through the contact to help pick up 22-yards while driving them deeper into Cal territory. Great job by both quarterback and receiver as they beat the Golden Bears zone defense for the nice gain. A few plays later Todd Pelino would convert from 25-yards out to further extend Duke's advantage going into the locker room, with the score now reading 31-21. Despite the strong end to the first half, Duke would come out very slow to start things off in the second half, going three and out on all three of their possession in the third quarter before punting the ball away after seven plays to kick off the fourth. The Blue Devils would finally start to get things going on their second drive of the fourth quarter with Jaquez Moore and the run game driving Duke down the field before Mensah would hit Cooper Barkate in the end zone from 10-yards out to make it 38-21 midway through the fourth quarter.
Once again, just an excellent job by Mensah at putting the ball in a spot where only his receiver could make a play on it. Though I'm not the biggest fan of jump balls in the end zone overall, when they work they can truly be something beautiful to look at. Like, with a defender in his face while throwing off his back foot, Mensah is able to deliver a strong and accurate throw to Barkate who's able to reach up and snatch the ball out of the air despite the defender being suction cupped to him. Just a great overall play that helped Duke extend their lead in the fourth. The run game would play a big role in the Blue Devils next possession as Nate Sheppard would take it in from 46-yards out on the second play of the drive to make it 45-21 with 5:50 to go in the game. An interception by the defense on Cal's next drive would ultimately seal it, as Duke would come away with an impressive 45-21 road victory in conference play. After finding themselves down 21-7 early on in the second quarter, both the offense and defense really stepped up to score 38-unanswered points to help secure the win. As for Mensah, he again made numerous big time throws for the Blue Devils, showing great poise and calmness in the pocket, while also showing off excellent touch and placement on his throws. Mensah played a great game once again, with him and Duke carrying a three game win streak into the bye week (with two of those wins coming on the road). After the bye though the Blue Devils play host to an undefeated Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets team who have beaten Duke in each of their last four match-ups, though three of those four have been in Atlanta. Should be a fun one in Durham come the 18th.
Wk 1 - N/R
Wk 2 - N/R
Wk 3 - N/R
Wk 4 - N/R
Wk 5 - N/R
Wk 6 - 9
Wk 7 - BYE
10. Josh Hoover, TCU (NEW)
Wk 6 - 23/33 275 yds 4 touchdowns 0 interceptions/8 carries 20 yds 1 touchdown v Colorado (35-21 W)
Season - 113/168 1,517 yds 15 touchdowns 4 interceptions/26 carries 12 yds 2 touchdowns
I'm glad to see Josh Hoover back amongst the top-10. Last week, both him and TCU in general had a rough go of things as they suffered their first loss of the season to Arizona State on the road. In that game Hoover threw for a season low in passing yards (242) while also registering zero touchdowns (first time this season) and two interceptions all while pretty much getting out played by Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt, who himself is trying to rebuild his draft stock. Much like the conference they play in the quarterback scene in the Big 12 is pretty crazy, with three, four, or maybe even five guys claiming to be the "top guy" in the land. Now so far throughout the season my pick of the conference's "top guy" was Baylor's Sawyer Robertson, but after this past weekend I think I have swayed my opinion to Hoover, who I actually ranked above Robertson is my week four prospect rankings. I just think Hoover was playing in a real groove this past weekend, as he went 23/33 for 275-yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions, along with a further 20-yards on the ground and a touchdown there to boot as TCU bounced back from last week's loss with a 35-21 home victory against a Colorado team who fell to an undefeated BYU team at home the previous week. Though things wound up going well for the Horned Frogs, the game didn't necessarily start off the smoothest as in the first quarter they were turn the ball over on downs after failing to convert on fourth and five from the Colorado 46 before Nate McCashland would fail to convert on a 30-yard field goal attempt after a 12-play drive that got them to the Colorado 13-yard line. That being said on the second drive Hoover would help the Horned Frogs pick up a key first down, hitting Eric McAlister across the middle of the field for a 15-yard gain on third and nine.
Just an absolute strike from Hoover to hit McAlister across the middle for the aforementioned 15-yard gain. Hoover does a great job at stepping up the pocket and firing the ball off of the linebacker's inside shoulder before McAlister has even made it past him. He also does a nice job at putting the ball right on his receiver's body, as to avoid him taking a hit and/or the defender making a play on the ball. Hoover would connect with Joseph Manjack IV on a screen that would pick up 29-yards before taking it up the middle himself for 10-more on third and nine from the Colorado 11, getting them down to the one yard line. Unfortunately they would move back to the 16 a couple plays later due to an offensive pass interference call before picking up three yards to get them back to the 13 where McCashland would miss on his 30-yard attempt, keeping the score tied at zero with 5:27 to go in the first. TCU would be forced to punt it away after going three and out on their next possession, with Hoover taking a taking a 14-yard sack on third and 12 from their own 23-yard line (he would fumble it too, though he would recover it). Now finding themselves down 14-0, Hoover and co. would get the ball back with 6:27 to go in the second quarter. On the first play of the drive Hoover would drive one into Manjack, who would go down to get it for a 15-yard gain.
This is just really good ball placement here by Hoover. I know to the naked eye it may look like a low throw (and it is) but with the defender in the area Hoover drives this ball low and forces Manjack to make a play on it, which he does. On these types of throws you have to have faith in your playmakers to make plays, which is exactly what happened here. Hoover would then connect with DJ Rogers for 14 and Jordan Dwyer for 13 before Kevorian Barnes would get them down to the one yard line via a 13-yard run, where Hoover would punch it in himself to give TCU their first score of the game, making it 14-7 with 2:38 to go in the second quarter. The TCU defense would come up with a big interception on Colorado's next drive, helping set the offense up at the Buffalo 33. Two plays later, Hoover would hit Eric McAlister in the end zone from 23-yards out to tie the game at 14 with 1:23 to go in the half.
You really can't ask for a much better throw from your quarterback than this. Like I've spoken about numerous times before, throwing from the near hash to the far sideline 20+ yards down the field is a really hard throw, and to place it perfectly and in a spot where only his receiver could get it makes it that much more impressive. With the defender tight in coverage, the window to fit this ball in is really small. Despite that Hoover is still able to place this ball perfectly in their for the 23-yard touchdown, tying the game up at 14 with 1:32 left in the second quarter. Colorado really should have registered a touchdown before the half as they drove all the way down to the TCU two yard line. Unfortunately for them Kaidon Salter would be intercepted on the final play of the half, keeping the score tied at 14. Things would start off pretty slow for the Horned Frogs to kick things off in the second half, as they'd be forced to punt the ball away after six plays on their opening drive. Things would start improving on their following possession, a drive that would be kicked off with Hoover hitting Chase Curtis down the hash for a 27-yard gain.
A really strong throw here from Hoover. Starting with his eyes to the left, Hoover flips back to the right before firing it into Curtis for the aforementioned 27-yard gain, finding a window between the Colorado defenders. The pair would hook up again a few plays later, with Hoover dumping it off to Curtis a couple yards past the line of scrimmage who would make a defender miss before taking it 11-yards down the field to pick up a first down on third and 11. A few plays later Hoover would register his second passing touchdown of the game, hitting a wide open Lafayette Kaiuway in the end zone from 10-yards out on fourth and two to give TCU their first lead of the game. The Horned Frogs would go three and out on their next couple possessions. On the second one though the Colorado punt returner, Kam Mikell would fumble the ensuing punt. Three plays after the fumble Hoover would hit Joseph Manjack IV in the end zone from 18-yards out to give them a 28-21 lead with 5:44 left in the fourth.
This is just a great play overall from both the quarterback and wide receiver. On third and one with pressure barreling down on him, Hoover puts the ball in a spot where only his receiver could get it, and Manjack makes a fantastic one handed catch to come down with it in the end zone for the score. Like I've spoken about numerous before, sometimes you just have to let your playmakers make plays, which is exactly what Hoover did on this play. Hoover would only attempt two passes on TCU's next drive, first connecting with Major Everhart along the line of scrimmage that would ultimately go for 19-yards before hitting Eric McAlister in the end zone from 21-yards out to make the score 35-21 with 19-seconds left in the game.
On fourth and two with little to no time left in the game, Hoover tosses up a beautiful ball to McAlister who makes a fantastic toe tapping catching in the end zone for the 21-yard score. This is just a perfect way to end the game for the Horned Frogs, who came away with an impressive come from behind 35-21 home victory in conference play. Like I said before, this was a very nice bounce back game for TCU after falling the previous week against Arizona State. As for Hoover, he again showed why he currently holds the claim as the Big 12's best quarterback. He made numerous big time throws for the Horned Frogs throughout the game, tossing up beautiful balls while also helping them convert on a couple third and fourth down attempts. This week Hoover and co. go back on the road to take on the Kansas State Wildcats. Despite currently sitting with a 2-4 record, Kansas State's play has definitely started to pick up the past couple weeks. Though I think TCU should be able to take of business, they can't afford to go into this game sleepwalking, as the Wildcats could make them pay.
Wk 1 - N/R
Wk 2 - N/R
Wk 3 - N/R
Wk 4 - 9
Wk 5 - N/R
Wk 6 - 10
Wk 7 - @ Kansas State
Others
Luke Altmyer, Illinois (NEW)
Wk 6 - 19/22 390 yds 1 touchdown 0 interceptions/8 carries 3 yds 0 touchdowns @ Purdue (43-27 W)
Season - 109/148 1,573 yds 11 touchdowns 0 interceptions/39 carries -8 yds 2 touchdowns
Rocco Becht, Iowa State
Wk 6 - 30/48 314 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/12 carries 17 yds 2 touchdowns @ Cincinnati (38-30 L)
Season - 109/168 1,417 yds 9 touchdowns 2 interceptions/48 carries 55 yds 7 touchdowns
Nico Iamaleava, UCLA
Wk 6 - 17/24 166 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/16 carries 128 yds 3 touchdowns v no.7 Penn State (42-37 W)
Season - 98/148 954 yds 6 touchdowns 3 interceptions/60 carries 332 yds 4 touchdowns
Cade Klubnik. Clemson
Wk 6 - 22/24 254 yds 4 touchdowns 0 interceptions/4 carries -4 yds 0 touchdowns @ North Carolina (38-10 W)
Season - 111/172 1,250 yds 10 touchdowns 4 interceptions/38 carries 56 yds 1 touchdown
Sawyer Robertson, Baylor (10)
Wk 6 - 25/39 345 yds 2 touchdowns 1 interception/3 carries 2 yds 0 touchdowns v Kansas State (35-34 W)
Season - 158/248 2,058 yds 19 touchdowns 4 interceptions/23 carries 11 yds 1 touchdown
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