- South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers and LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier are ranked as the top two prospects after Week 1.
- Texas quarterback Arch Manning had a disappointing start to his season in a loss to Ohio State.
- The weekly rankings consider raw statistics, advanced metrics, and game film to evaluate the passers.
College football is in full swing as the calendar turns to September. Fans got a treat to start the season with three games between top-10 ranked teams in Week 1: Texas-Ohio State, LSU-Clemson and Notre Dame-Miami.
Two of those three matchups included quarterbacks that NFL fans will want to know about come draft season. Unlike the 2025 NFL Draft class, there are a handful of draft-eligible quarterbacks who have a good chance at making it in the first round.
The biggest name of all is Arch Manning, the nephew of Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning and Super Bowl champion Eli Manning. His Texas Longhorns fell on the road to the Ohio State Buckeyes in Week 1 in the opening game of his first season as a starter.
Behind him are names to know in the context of both the College Football Playoff (CFP) and the NFL Draft. LSU, Clemson, Penn State and Texas are all likely to be in contention for CFP berths behind quarterbacks with first-round talent.
We’ll be taking stock of these passers weekly throughout the college football season and ranking the top eight after the latest week with two more designated as the next up. We’ll be using raw statistics, advanced metrics from Pro Football Focus (PFF) and game film to generate these rankings.
Here’s how things shape up after Week 1:
2026 NFL Draft QB prospect rankings
1. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
- Week 1 vs. Virginia Tech: 12-19 (63.2%) passing, 209 yards, one touchdown; 12 carries, 55 yards, one touchdown
Sellers moves into the top spot after a solid season opener against one of the toughest defenses in the ACC. Virginia Tech gave No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward some trouble last season and was the only defense to force him to throw multiple interceptions all season.
Sellers didn’t put on a show but made a few plays that will have NFL scouts excited about him in the top 10 of next year’s draft. He shrugged off multiple tacklers and tight-roped his way down the sideline for a key fourth-quarter third-down conversion.
Sellers’ athleticism is no surprise at this point of his career. That’s been one of his calling cards as a 6-foot-3, 240-pound former soccer player. But he made a few throws to show he’s not a purely running quarterback at this stage of his development.
Sellers’ physical tools will make him a first-round pick barring serious injury. How high he goes will come down to how he performs as a passer in the next few months.
2. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
- Week 1 at Clemson: 28-38 (73.6%) passing, 232 yards, one touchdown; five carries, 12 yards
LSU is 1-0 to start a season for the first time since 2019, thanks in no small part to Nussmeier. He entered the season as a likely first-round pick because of his arm talent, anticipation and pocket presence. A matchup on the road against No. 4 Clemson was a tough early-season test for the son of New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier.
Clemson boasts NFL talent on the defensive line (Peter Woods, T.J. Parker) and the secondary (Avieon Terrell). Nussmeier played up to the competition and got the ball out quickly against Clemson’s rushers with an average time to throw of 2.09 seconds, per PFF.
Yes, LSU’s staff schemed up a quick passing game with an average depth of target of 4.4 yards (for comparison Sellers’ was 7.9) but he still showed the type of command and pre-snap acumen NFL teams are looking for.
His touchdown pass to Trey’Dez Green to put LSU up for good was one of his best throws all game.
3. Arch Manning, Texas
- Week 1 at Ohio State: 17-30 (56.7%), 170 yards, one touchdown, one interception; nine carries, 39 yards
You’ve likely heard all about Manning’s struggles in Week 1 against defending champion Ohio State. His first attempt of the day was disappointing: a play-action rollout to his right in a zone-beating route concept. His pass fell far short of an open DeAndre Moore Jr. for what would’ve been an easy first down.
There’d be more of that throughout the game with multiple throws that fell short of the target or sailed over a receiver.
The Buckeyes brought a solid plan on defense to the season opener and have one of the top prospects in the entire 2026 class in safety Caleb Downs. But Manning made mistakes in some key moments, like this interception in the third quarter:
The sky certainly is not falling. Manning will be a top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft if he declares and has plenty of time to grow as one of the most-hyped starters in recent college football history. His talent is undeniable, even in a disappointing loss like this on the road.
4. Drew Allar, Penn State
- Week 1 vs. Nevada: 22-26 (84.6%) passing, 217 yards, one touchdown; five carries, 31 yards
Allar and the Nittany Lions built a 27-3 lead by halftime and cruised to a 46-11 win at home against Nevada. He didn’t have nearly the test of the top three passers on this ranking. That’ll come later in the season.
Still, Allar made some highlight throws you’d like to see against a lesser opponent at home. His touchdown strike to Kyron Hudson late in the first half looks very similar to the kinds of throws he’ll be expected to make in the NFL.
Allar’s physical tools are outstanding and he’s shown steady growth as a passer since Penn State made a change at offensive coordinator. He likely would’ve been a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and he’ll reinforce that status as the season goes on. Penn State looks to be in contention in the playoffs, so the stage is set for Allar to thrive.
5. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
- Week 1 vs. Old Dominion: 18-31 (54.5%) passing, 193 yards; five carries, 39 yards, one touchdown
Mendoza transferred from Cal to Indiana this season on the heels of the Hoosiers’ first CFP appearance. He was the lone passer not to throw a touchdown of the top five in these rankings but that isn’t entirely his fault.
Arguably his best throw of the game against Old Dominion fell incomplete on what would’ve certainly been a touchdown late in the second quarter.
He played with solid timing but lacked the types of plays we’d hoped to see against a team that’s not on par with the Big Ten’s best. Mendoza acknowledged that he didn’t play well in the opener and has a chance to right that in Week 2 at home against Kennesaw State.
With his size (6-foot-5, 225 pounds), arm talent and mobility, there are tools and lots of good tape to make him a worthy first-rounder. He just needs to show up bigger in these moments.
6. Cade Klubnik, Clemson
- Week 1 vs. LSU: 19-38 (50%) passing, 231 yards, one interception; seven rushes, 22 yards
Like Manning, Klubnik’s first throw of Week 1 didn’t set the tone well for the rest of the day. A quick drop from shotgun on an in-breaking route from the slot wobbled well out of reach of both wide receiver Antonio Williams and his nearest defender.
It took until Klubnik’s fifth dropback for him to complete his first pass. The LSU defense got after him in a big way – his 18 pressures were more than any of the passers in the top five of these rankings. His interception came on an unblocked pressure on his right in what appeared to be a miscommunication by the offensive line.
On the plus side, Klubnik’s dual-threat ability was on display throughout the game. He didn’t hesitate to use his legs to gain extra yards if pressure got to him and that resulted in some key first downs. There are positives to Klubnik’s game but this was a shaky start to the season.
7. Sam Leavitt, Arizona State
- Week 1 vs. Northern Arizona: 24-38 (63.2%) passing, 257 yards, two touchdowns, one interception; five carries, 94 yards, two touchdowns
Arizona State made a run to the CFP in 2024 with an offense focused on running back Cam Skattebo. With Skattebo on to the NFL, Leavitt’s expected to take on a bigger role this season – his second as a starter – and he delivered in the opening game.
His arm talent is undeniable and he has a solid frame at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds. His scrambling ability can make a difference and he made plays with his feet against Northern Arizona, including an impressive 52-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
Leavitt should have a good connection with Jordyn Tyson, one of the best draft-eligible wide receivers in the country. That’ll give him a foundation to showcase his talent every week.
8. John Mateer, Oklahoma
- Week 1 vs. Illinois State: 30-37 (81.1%) passing, 392 yards, three touchdowns, one interception; six carries, 28 yards, one touchdown
If you’re looking for the ideal start to the season, Mateer’s got you covered. The transfer from Washington State set a school record for most yards in an Oklahoma debut and set a career-high for passing yards as well.
A significant caveat, similar to Allar’s evaluation, is that this occurred against non-conference competition in Illinois State. Some of the throws he made in small windows against zone coverage may not be there later in the season.
Still, he made plays on seam routes and showcased his arm talent with multiple deep shots. It took until the final minute of the first quarter for Mateer to find the end zone on a touchdown run but he made plays throughout the day.
This week’s game against Michigan will be very telling, as it represents a level of competition that should test the transfer quarterback.
Next two up: Miller Moss, Louisville; Taylen Green, Arkansas