The greatest Saturdays of the year are back, and college football enters 2026 without an obvious team ready to run away from the field. While the focus right now is on programs and coaches, eventually, we will play the games, and the quarterback will be king again.
College Saturdays are led by the signal callers who make or break our weekends. This year, we might have as much talent at the position as we’ve had in a decade. Legitimately, five players could all fight for the No. 1 overall pick in next year’s draft and another 10 QBs could earn their way to a first-round pick. Here, we've got 25 quarterbacks worth watching, so let’s count them down.
25. Dylan Raiola, Oregon Ducks
This one might come as a surprise, but there always seems to be one quarterback stuck as a backup who would be a starter for 90 percent of programs across the country. That’s the case with Dylan Raiola. The former Nebraska star transferred to Oregon when it seemed clear that a position would be open. Instead, he sits for at least a year as a backup while he learns in one of the great offenses in the country. With the Ducks, Raiola should still get an opportunity here and there, and he might showcase a level of impact that intrigues the masses. If there is an injury at QB1, the Ducks will still be in position to win the National Championship.
24. Malik Washington, Maryland Terrapins
Malik Washington is sort of an unfinished product at this point, but it won’t take much for the Maryland Terrapin product to take the football world by storm. He is built like a modern-day QB should be, and any evaluator who sees what he can do in practice is floored by his ability. Now it’s time to show he can do it after kickoff. He’s coming off a decently strong freshman season that saw him throw 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions with just under 3,000 yards passing and around 300 yards rushing. We expect those numbers to rocket, but it has to come with wins for it to matter. Maryland is in an interesting place, but with Washington under center, anything is possible.
23. DJ Lagway, Baylor Bears
Let’s be clear; it could not have gone worse for DJ Lagway in Gainesville. The former Gator could not wait to get out of there after a tumultuous couple of years. Now that he’s at Baylor and the spotlight is a little dimmer, he can focus on his quarterback play. The talent is still there. He’s just 21 years old and looks like a guy who got his mojo back in preseason interviews and practices. This is the type of project a coach like Dave Aranda thrives with. Together, they should bring the best out of each other. We can’t put him in the top 20 yet because there are too many sure things in the country this year, but nothing would surprise us with Lagway this season.
22. Conner Weigman, Houston Cougars
Connor Weigman finally put together a healthy season in 2025, throwing for 2,705 yards and 25 touchdowns as Houston enjoyed a breakthrough season. What does the follow-up look like? If Weigman stays healthy and continues to develop, he has the arm talent to fly up this list and draft boards as he puts together a signature season for the Cougars. Houston is looking to make its biggest impact on the Big 12, and this is a division that’s up for grabs. Add that to all the motivation Weigman is facing to make it to the next level with his talent, and he could quickly gain traction as one of the best quarterbacks in the NCAA.
21. Devon Dampier, Utah Utes
There are so many different types of star quarterbacks in college today, but there aren’t many who produce the level of explosiveness of Devon Dampier. He has Lamar Jackson hype, with an ability to rush like a running back and throw the ball a mile. He had more than 450 yards and five touchdowns in the Las Vegas Bowl victory over Nebraska. Coming back for another big season, Dampier’s biggest issue is his height. He’s one of the few starters who stands under 6’0 tall. Still, he drove Utah to 11 wins last season, and he could have a legit shot at the Davey O’Brien Award with the right set of circumstances falling into place. Heck, we could even see Utah in the College Football Playoff.
20. Bryce Underwood, Michigan Wolverines
What’s going to come of Michigan this season? It’s just so hard to tell. The Wolverines have been marred in scandal and inconsistent results since Jim Harbaugh bolted for the NFL. The biggest issue with the Wolverines is the offense, but now that Bryce Underwood has a season under his belt, he should take a step forward in 2026. Everyone in training camp is raving about his performance so far, and it looks like this is a much better signal caller in Year 2. Underwood might be in the top five by the end of the season, but there’s also a ton of risk here. If he doesn’t take a step forward, then it’s clear they don’t have the right player in place and might move on. There’s a lot of variance here, but we’d expect the former.
19. Rocco Becht, Penn State Nittany Lions
Matt Campbell went to Penn State and he took his quarterback with him. The Nittany Lions are thankful to move on past the 2025 season, when they lost Drew Allar for the season and fired James Franklin. Now, they are relying on Rocco Becht. The fifth-year senior is looking to shake some of the previous inconsistency and prove he was always worth the hype. Campbell is trying to build an offense around Becht’s instincts, and that might work out very well. He is a QB who thrives when he’s playing with confidence. Penn State is a fanbase that is behind you 100% when you’re winning, so if Becht can play well to start the season, they could ride that momentum to the Playoff.
18. Demond Williams Jr., Washington Huskies
Demond Williams was electric in 2025, throwing for more than 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns while adding 611 yards on the ground. That elite production is exactly what makes him so dangerous. If Williams takes another step as a passer, he will not be sitting this low on anyone's board for very long. After losing four games last season, Williams almost left the program, but his return is a sign of commitment, and he should be among the best statistical quarterbacks this season. With a tough schedule, Williams will be tested, but his biggest opponents, including Indiana, are at home, so he has a chance to showcase his skills on the biggest stage.
17. CJ Bailey, NC State Wolfpack
We are betting on talent here. CJ Bailey is a great talent, but it’s hard to tell what is going to happen this year. The NC State coaching staff is in the believer category, and so are we. He has the arm talent to make a huge impact in the ACC. Bailey is the best returning quarterback of the ACC, and the Wolfpack added offensive lineman Jimarion McCrimon in the offseason, a very underrated addition. The issue is that NC State completely revamped the offense, with last year's top rusher, top four pass catchers, and three starting linemen leaving the program. Bailey is the player they need to return, and he can carry an offense as long as the team doesn’t falter around him.
16. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M Aggies
Marcel Reed is going to be categorized as “must-see TV” this season. Now, that can be really good or really bad. Texas A&M fans know what it’s like when it’s really good (flashback to Aggies fans remember the days of Johnny Manziel). His running ability needs to be paired with consistent passing numbers. There have been really promising results in training camp, with it appearing that Reed really worked on his passing mechanics. If our eyes aren’t deceiving us, Reed could turn into a great player in the sport.
15. Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State Cowboys
In the last two seasons, the Oklahoma State Cowboys have been downright embarrassing. Brass there is excited to move on from the worst stretch in the history of this franchise. Surprisingly, they got one of the better quarterbacks willing to lead the way. He joins OK State from North Texas, where he ran one of the most prolific offenses in the country. The Cowboys’ defense is still in that rebuild mode, so new head coach Eddie Morris will rely heavily on Mestemaker to make plays. He has that ability, and he might be one of those high school quarterbacks who fell through the cracks until he found his way to high-class Division I football. Mestemaker is looking to make serious noise in the Big 12, and his arrival is the main reason why the Cowboys are even getting votes for the Top 25.
14. John Mateer, Oklahoma Sooners
We are not used to the Oklahoma Sooners being this low on the list of proposed quarterbacks, but the complete failure of the Jackson Arnold era has the Sooners revamping their depth chart. That forced them to take a ton of licks last season. Their offense, led by John Mateer, was mid. It was mediocre in almost every statistic. So, how does a quarterback who has already shown us that the offense he’s leading can make the top 15 of college quarterbacks? The talent will win the day after a rough first season with the Sooners. He showed flashes of greatness last season, and the bet is on him showing that way more often this season. He isn't afraid to push the football downfield, and his ability to create with his legs makes him dangerous when the first play breaks down. That will matter in a tough SEC schedule.
13. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina Gamecocks
We’ll be honest, even we were surprised that we had LaNorris Sellers so low on the list going into the season, but the top 15 quarterbacks this season are legitimately insane, and Sellers had a very strange season last year. He has as much talent as any quarterback in the country. Legitimately, he could be the best quarterback in the nation if everything falls into place. His physical tools are absurd. So, what went wrong last season? For one, he was sacked 42 times. That’s third most in the nation. He was always under pressure and had no time to make decisions. We’re not sure that got terribly better this season, but we believe in the talent, and the fact that he’s sticking with USC shows that his loyalty could be a positive for his future status as the future of the position.
12. Noah Fifita, Arizona Wildcats
We are at the point of the list where anyone can be the best quarterback in the nation. Beat reporters for the Arizona Wildcats are legitimately talking about Heisman Trophy hype. We’re at No. 12! And they aren’t wrong. Noah Fifita is an incredible quarterback prospect. Arizona was expected to be awful last season, but Fifita led them to nine wins. Now, after being in the doldrums of the preseason standings in 2025, the Wildcats are getting Big 12 championship hype from analysts. What we saw from Fifita last season is the sole reason there’s so much hype around this team (but a great coaching job also helps). Fifita might have one of the best minds for the game, and he is a great leader on top of it.
11. Byrum Brown, Auburn Tigers
There’s a meticulous nature to playing the quarterback position. Tom Brady had every aspect of his life planned out to make sure he optimized his time in the NFL. The best focus on preparation. That’s the same mentality that brought Byrum Brown to Auburn. His preparation techniques are already legendary, and he is even teaching them to the next generation of Tigers’ quarterbacks. Preparation is one (very important) thing, but can he play? The simple answer is yes. He has the respect of the locker room like no other quarterback on this list. The former South Florida star followed his head coach to Alabama to make sure he continued his dominance in college. Out of nowhere, Brown is at a big school with big expectations, but everything we know about his makeup so far shows that he can live up to the expectations that come with playing at Auburn.
10. Gunner Stockton, Georgia Bulldogs
Another year and another expectation for Georgia Bulldogs football to be there in the end. In just about everyone’s rankings, Georgia is in the Top 5. And this is almost why Gunner Stockton doesn’t need to be higher than this. Stockton has spent years learning behind elite quarterbacks and now finally gets the opportunity to run the show himself. That experience matters. Knowing what’s expected of a Georgia player proves that he won’t wilt under the pressure. We’ve seen this in years past. The Bulldogs don’t need the most talented player under center. Sometimes, that goes even worse than expected. What they need is someone who can execute in the biggest moments. We’ve already seen Stockton in high-pressure situations, and we’re impressed with the outcome. There will be way more opportunities for him now, and he should dominate like many expect from Georgia.
9. Josh Hoover, Indiana Hoosiers
How does one replace a national champion and the top quarterback in the sport? Fernando Mendoza is now in the NFL, but Indiana wasn't satisfied to just sit here and marvel at their championship trophy. That is the task ahead for Josh Hoover, but he showed at TCU that he might be the right player who's up for the task. He’s already thrown for more than 9,000 yards in college football. There is no active quarterback with more career yards in college than Hoover. He is bringing an insane resume with him to Indiana, and he should be able to thrive with a revamped depth chart. We’re thinking that the Hoosiers are in good hands with Josh Hoover.
8. Sam Leavitt, LSU Tigers
What will become of Lane Kiffin’s LSU Tigers? On one hand, this feels like it could be a disaster waiting to happen. All the smoke around Kiffin, the disastrous ending to his run at Ole Miss, his reputation taking yet another hit, yet, he’s still one of the most desired coaches in college football and is leading a top program in the nation. That hype allowed him to gobble up one of the biggest transfers of the offseason: former Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt. Now, he gets to play under Charlie Weis Jr., who developed Jaxson Dart and Trinidad Chambliss with Kiffin at Ole Miss. He is great at turning good quarterbacks into great ones and great ones into first-round picks. Leavitt has all the tools for greatness. Now he has the coaching to back him up, as long as we get the right version of Lane Kiffin.
7. Darian Mensah, Miami Hurricanes
Like many of the big names on this list, Darian Mensah is looking to replace a superstar quarterback after they went to the NFL. While Carson Beck is slinging it for the Arizona Cardinals, Mensah is looking to repeat the success after Miami’s surprise run to the National Title Game. They came within a play of making things sweaty for Fernando Mendoza and the Hoosiers. Now, Mensah is looking to repeat that success in South Florida. He has size, a big arm, and an ability to create plays outside of structure. The former Duke product was one of the better quarterbacks in 2025, and now he’s a top prospect in 2026. Can he work himself up draft boards with another great run in the ACC? It’s not like he doesn’t know the opponents.
6. Jayden Maiava, USC Trojans
We know that we’ve been saying that anyone can be a top quarterback in the top 15, but we really take a step forward starting here. Jayden Maiava is the modern quarterback incarnate. He is expected to thrive under Lincoln Riley, and honestly, Riley needs him to thrive to keep him in the conversation for current coaching greats (and away from the unemployment line). Maiava was one of the best quarterbacks in the country last year, with a stat line of 3,711 yards and 24 touchdowns while completing 65.8 percent of his passes. He is incredibly difficult to defend. He was named to just about every preseason list (Maxwell Award Watch List, the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award Watch List, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List, the Davey O'Brien Award Watch List, and the Big Ten Football Preseason Honors list). The Trojans have expectations again, and they are expected to compete in the extremely deep Big Ten. If Maiava plays up to his talent level, then they could push the Ohio States and Oregons of the Big Ten world for championship status.
5. Arch Manning, Texas Longhorns
At this point, everyone expected Arch Manning to be number one on this list with a bullet. The son of Cooper Manning seems to have the talent of his uncles, but his issue has been with consistency. There’s something about the pressure of a last name that can feel like the weight of the world. Manning showed an interesting set of skills last season, putting his rushing stats near some of the best in the country. In the Citrus Bowl, he had 155 rushing yards, and he finished the season with 10 rushing touchdowns. He has the ability to take it to another level, and Texas will need that to stay competitive in the SEC. Manning is pushing to be the number-one overall pick in next year’s NFL Draft. He might make it on name value alone. However, a great season for Texas would really lock down his spot.
4. Julian Sayin, Ohio State Buckeyes
Julian Sayin threw for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns while completing 77% of his passes in 2025. Those numbers are absurd, but his accuracy may be the most impressive part of his game. Completing almost 80% of your passes over an entire season is psychotic. Looking at his game log, Sayin never really had a bad game. He won his first 12 games of the season. This year, he’s expected to be special. The Buckeyes are the top team in the country going into the season, and having a top quarterback will keep them in that top spot. Now, he has to do it in the College Football Playoff after he was upset both in the first-round matchup with Miami last season and in the Big Ten Championship Game. In his biggest opportunities, he lost. Will that put a chip on his shoulder or put pressure on his 2026 season?
3. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss Rebels
Trinidad Chambliss would never have been in the league under a different system. However, the college football landscape is under duress, and players are able to take advantage of it right now. Chambliss did not make himself eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft and instead forced his way back to Ole Miss, going to court to give him an extra year of eligibility. His play against top SEC opponents showed he was an NFL talent playing in college. We’re obviously very high on him, but there are some question marks for this dual threat. Lane Kiffin is no longer there, and neither is offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. Chambliss did perform well in the College Football Playoff with Kiffin on a play to Louisiana, so he wasn’t completely reliant on his former coach. Still, we need to be proven right here with Chambliss becoming one of the oldest players in college football this season.
2. CJ Carr, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
CJ Carr is another perfect example of a guy who can have a ceiling that’s sky-high. His 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 66.6 percent completion rate versus just six interceptions are good, but the more interesting number is his 9.4 yards per attempt. He was incredible with the deep ball. His eight touchdowns with zero interceptions on throws of 20-plus yards prove that. He's capable of pushing the ball downfield without taking unnecessary risks. Carr's first season as the starter gave the Irish plenty of reasons to believe he can become one of the best quarterbacks in the country. He showed impressive accuracy, command of the offense, and the ability to consistently make the right decision with the football. Could Notre Dame finally fulfill its destiny as an actual title contender with Carr under center? This seems to be their most talented quarterback since Brady Quinn.
1. Dante Moore, Oregon Ducks
Dante Moore was supposed to be on the New York Jets right now. We talked about how the Oregon Ducks signed Dylan Raiola to be the quarterback of the future. He just didn’t realize that the future was 2027. Moore surprised everyone when he announced he was returning to school to hopefully fulfill Oregon’s destiny and win a National Championship. Moore is insanely polished. He just has his stuff together on the football field. Where he separates from the pack is his accuracy. He doesn’t have the strongest arm, but he makes the decisions that lead to touchdowns. Scoring is always in the back of his mind, whether it’s happening on that play or putting the pieces together for a touchdown drive. He can win from the pocket or moving outside of it. He’s not overly reliant on any one aspect of his game. And that makes him dangerous and also the best player in the country.
Add us as a preferred source on Google