Top Quarterbacks – 2026 NFL Draft Preseason Watch List

John B. Everett
Aug 8
6 min read

Updated: Aug 15

After a down year for the QB position in the NFL Draft, the prospective top upper classmen signal callers could be a bounce back class that delivers several potential franchise QBs to NFL teams in need next April. Although there is no clear-cut leader in this class, there are several prospects that have the combination of physical tools, mental makeup, and game experience to be drafted first overall next year.

Top of the Class

1. Drew Allar / Penn State

Prototypical height, frame, and mass. Quick release with a clean, over the top delivery. Very good throwing mechanics. Extremely strong arm – throws with desired zip and can throw any pass in the route tree. Throws with very good accuracy, timing, touch, and ball placement – especially when he gets a clean pocket. Very good decision maker – rarely forces the ball into coverage and may be too cautious, fearing making mistakes. Not a true mobile QB but athletic enough to run if the opportunity presents itself – mostly scrambles to buy time for his receivers to get open. Field vision is still developing – tends to stare down his primary receiver, leading the defender to the ball.

2. Carson Beck / Miami, Fl

Ideal height and build. Very strong arm – ball gets there with zip. Excellent field vision and reads coverages like a pro. Compact, over the top delivery with excellent release speed. Throws with fantastic touch. Very accurate and timing is solid. Athletic but prefers to stand tall in the pocket and deliver the ball. Sneaky speed in the open field and can gain yards easily with his feet. Processes quickly and delivers the ball on time. Mature and confident. Natural leader. Not easily rattled by pressure. Throws with NFL-level anticipation. Regressed in 2024 in terms of field vision and decision making where he makes some head scratching throws – 12 INTs thrown in 2024 v 6 INTs thrown in 2023.

3. Cade Klubnik / Clemson

Looks the part with desired height and frame for the position. Former 5-star and #1 QB recruit in the country. Very good throwing motion – clean, over the top delivery. Very good release speed. Very strong arm capable of making every NFL throw. Throws with good accuracy, timing, and touch. Athletic and can break off a long run but is primarily a pocket passer. Stands tall in the pocket, takes the hit, and delivers a well thrown ball. Needs to throw with better anticipation – waits for the receiver to get open and takes unnecessary hits in the pocket as a result. Has improved steadily throughout his career and will be Clemson’s starting QB for the fourth consecutive year in 2025.

4. Garrett Nussmeier / LSU

Looks the part with the desired height, frame, and build for the position. Son of long time NFL QB Doug, now the Offensive Coordinator for the New Orleans Saints. Plays like you would expect a QB’s son to play – smart, mature, calm, and displaying natural leadership skills. Reads coverages well despite only having one year of starting experience. Very good pre-snap field vision surveying the defensive alignment. Very good arm strength. Accurate. Throws with good timing and touch. Improving in his ability to throw with anticipation. More of a pocket passer than a mobile threat but can buy time in the pocket with his feet. Good ballhandler and is adept at play action fakes.

5. LaNorris Sellers / South Carolina

Very good frame with well-distributed mass and good height. Only one year of starting experience - lack of experience shows in his decision-making where he seems overwhelmed at times but steadily improved throughout the 2024 season. Great athlete with speed, elusiveness, and power in the open field. Field vision is still developing – can be fooled by disguised coverages. Needs to read defenses pre-snap better to decipher blitzes more effectively. Generally, very accurate but needs development in throwing with better anticipation and touch.

6. Sam Leavitt / Arizona State

Leavitt only has one year of starting experience at Arizona State but he displayed the arm, athleticism, and leadership skills to project as an eventual NFL starting QB. Leavitt led the Sun Devils to the Big 12 title and a near upset of Texas in the Fiesta Bowl. Leavitt displays natural leadership skills and performs well in pressure packed situations. WR Jordyn Tyson returns, giving Leavitt one of the best receivers in America but the Sun Devils have to replace All-American RB Cam Skattebo, who was drafted by the Giants last April. If Leavitt can reproduce last year’s statistics without the services of Skattebo, he looks like a first-round draft pick next spring.

7. Arch Manning / Texas

The most intriguing name on this list, Manning is entering his first year as the starting QB in Austin. Manning started for the Longhorns when Quinn Ewers was injured last year and provided glimpses of the star potential he possesses. Arch, the nephew of Peyton and Eli, has the mobility and athleticism that is reminiscent of his grandfather, Archie, and is a true running threat – unlike his uncles. In fact, Manning was Texas’ short yardage and goal line QB in 2024, scoring nine rushing TDs. Unlike every other QB mentioned on this list, Manning has not had the responsibility to lead a team week in, week out. But we will begin to know a lot more about whether or not Manning is all he is reported to be in week one when the Longhorns travel to Columbus and take on the defending National Champion Buckeyes on August 30.

Other Names to Monitor:

· Haynes King / Georgia Tech. Extremely athletic. All the physical tools required to succeed at the NFL-level but needs continued development in working through progressions. King has never played a full season and avoidance of nagging injuries in 2025 would improve his draft outlook.

· John Mateer / Oklahoma. Former starting QB for Washington State, Mateer is a gutsy, athletic leader who inspires his teammates through his toughness and perseverance. Could excel in Norman where he is surrounded with far superior supporting talent than he had in Pullman, and retains Ben Arbuckle as his offensive coordinator when he took the same job in Norman.

· Maalik Murphy / Oregon State. Murphy had a productive season at Duke in 2024 but needs to cut back on turnovers (12 interceptions thrown) but is a great athlete possessing the desired size (6’5” / 235 lbs) and has a cannon for an arm. Murphy needs to get more comfortable in the pocket and read coverages better but he has elite tools worth developing.

· Luke Altmyer / Illinois. Altmyer is headed into his third season as the starter in Champaign. He is a sneaky good athlete with very good throwing mechanics and has steadily improved over the last two years. Altmyer needs to sharpen his decision-making skills and throw his receivers open with more consistency his senior season.

· Kaidon Salter / Colorado. Salter replaces Shedeur Sanders as the Buffaloes’ signal caller after leading Liberty to a Fiesta Bowl berth after the 2023 season, and for two seasons as the starting QB in Lynchburg. Salter is undersized but extremely mobile and athletic. He has a very good arm and is a natural leader. His lack of size (6’0 / 190 lbs) is his biggest drawback entering his lone year as a starter in the Big 12.

· Mark Gronowski / Iowa. The starting QB for two-time FCS National Champion South Dakota State, Gronowski is transferring to the Hawkeyes and is poised to tackle one of the toughest jobs in college football – Iowa starting QB. The Hawkeyes annually field one of the toughest and most productive defenses in FBS but the offense has been unproductive, unimaginative, and putrid for several seasons. Gronowski has NFL-desired size, mobility, and arm strength but having been the QB for the Jackrabbits, he typically had superior talent to the opposition. Now we get to see what he can do against Big Ten-level talent.

· Fernando Mendoza / Indiana. Mendoza has toiled on some poor teams at Cal but now has the opportunity to play with a winner. The Hoosiers stunned the college football world last year making a playoff run and coach Curt Cignetti is handing the keys over to Mendoza in an attempt to keep the magic going. Mendoza has prototypical size (6’5” / 225 lbs), a strong arm, and an innovative offensive scheme in which to operate in Bloomington. A season of full health could lead Mendoza’s name to be called early next April.

· Miller Moss / Louisville. Moss flashed at times while starting at USC but struggled against top competition, eventually losing his starting job. Coach Jeff Brohm is a noted developer of QBs – the Cardinals starting QB last year, Tyler Shough, is expected to be named the starter as a rookie in New Orleans – and Moss has NFL-level tools, so the pairing may be a match made in Heaven. Moss’ development is an intriguing story as the 2025 season is about ready to launch.