The College Football Playoff quarterfinals are here and there’s a lot to digest as the four teams that earned first round byes will play their first games. Oregon, Ole Miss, Miami and Alabama are all coming in having played in the first round, putting more pressure on the teams that got the first round off. But that’s not the storyline we’re talking about here.
We’re looking at the NFL Draft storylines that could pop up as a result of the CFP quarterfinals round over the next couple of days. What should NFL fans be looking for as they want the eight remaining teams in college football duke it out for a spot in the semifinals? Here are the top draft storylines with the next round of the CFP coming up.
No. 1 pick: Which quarterback shines the brightest?
A quarterback will most likely be taken first overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, we just don’t quite know who that will be yet. Fernando Mendoza has dominated the quarterback spotlight, thanks to winning the Heisman Trophy and leading Indiana to an undefeated season and No. 1 overall seed in the CFP. That said, Oregon's Dante Moore has been a consensus selection as the second quarterback taken.
The one thing to watch is which quarterback looks better in their respective quarterfinal game? Alabama and Texas Tech each have really good defenses so that won’t factor into one quarterback having inflated stats. The fact that both matchups are really good, it will give NFL scouts and draft junkies the perfect stage to evaluate Moore and Mendoza.
Can Moore play well enough to move up draft boards? Can Mendoza fortify his spot as the first quarterback taken? All that will be on display on Thursday and it’s safe to say what happens in their respective games could follow them into the NFL Draft.
Ohio State dominating the early part of the NFL Draft
Carnell Tate, Caleb Downs and Arvell Reese all have first-round grades and it’s clear that Ohio State will be well represented in the NFL Draft. Caleb Downs and Carnell Tate probably won’t fall past the top 10, at least that’s what CBS Sports’ mock draft is predicting. It’s also probably true. I’d be surprised to see Tate fall past the Browns and, honestly, if Tate is taken before the Browns come on the clock, I could see them taking Downs.
CBS Sports has Arvell Reese mocked to the New York Giants, which would be an interesting move. The only reason this is odd is because they drafted Abdul Carter and already have Brian Burns and Kavon Thibodeaux. It’s only so many times you can draft EDGE rushers high. That said, Reese is good enough to be a coverage linebacker as well, which could be intriguing.
Regardless, this Ohio State trio of players are quietly disrupting the quarterback narrative and with the Buckeyes finally set to make their 2026 CFP debut, we’ll all get to see just how good these guys truly are. Don’t forget, it’s also an early look at Jeremiah Smith, who will have one more year before he can declare for the draft.
Draft sleepers could improve their stock with big CFP quarterfinals performances
We all know about the most talked about players, but the sleepers on the other hand, there’s quite a few that could force teams to move them up their draft boards ahead of April. Here’s a look at some sleepers to keep an eye on during the quarterfinals.
Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss, QB
Trinidad Chambliss is trying to get one more year of eligibility in college, but if he and Ole Miss handle business against Georgia, he may not even need that extra year; he could end up being drafted this year. Now, by no means am I saying he’s going to be a first-round pick. But he’s shown that he can play against the best college defenses, which goes a long way toward NFL development.
Germie Bernard, Alabama, WR
All of the talk about Alabama’s skill players before this season was Ryan Williams. That said, Germie Bernard has been the most impactful in the receiving core this year and with a big game against Indiana, could catch a couple NFL GMs attention. Bernard had 802 yards and seven touchdown catches. A big game in the Rose Bowl could give him a big bump in the NFL Draft conversation.
Max Klare, Ohio State, TE
Kenyon Sadiq is the consensus No. 1 tight end, but Max Klare has the potential to be one of the biggest steals if he can break out against Miami. Klare landed in Ohio by way of Purdue and usually in these types of games, it’s the players you don’t expect that take off. Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate should have big games, but if Klare can give Miami fits all night, it just might land him in Day 2 of the draft.