2026 NFL Draft QB Exercise

[Sean Mooney 1,937]

Lots of talk in the Shedeur Sanders thread about "experts" and "scouts" and whatnot and how players draft stock change over time. So let's chart this over the next year with the upcoming potential QB class using the NFL DraftBuzz rankings.

I'll give you the current top 10 with, potential draft spots, and their overall grade.

1.) Arch Manning, Texas, Top 5 pick, 93.5 score

2.) Cade Klubnik, Clemson, Top 10 pick, 89.6

3.) Drew Allar, Penn State, Top 10 pick, 89.0

4.) Nico Iamaleava, UCLA, Mid 1st round, 88.0

5.) Garrett Nussmeier, LSU, Mid 1st round, 87.7

6.) LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina, Mid 1st round, 86.5

7.) Sam Leavitt, Arizona State, Late 1st round, 84.6

8.) John Mateer, Oklahoma, Mid 2nd round, 83.6

9.) Miller Moss, Louisville, Late 2nd round, 83.6

10.) Carson Beck, Miami,  Late 2nd, 83.3

 

So that lays the starting point for this exercise/project. I would say at first glance they seem to be pretty ambitious that 7 QBs could go in the 1st round as I just don't see that many teams needing QBs going into the 2026-2027 season...but we will be able to follow now how the projections and rankings change as we get a new season of college stats and development under the belts. Some people will opt to stay in college, someone outside the top 10 will pop up, and there is always the case that Manning completely sh!ts the bed as a QB. 

[WhiteWonder 2,675]

What’s the exercise? When I saw the thread title I assumed it was going to be posters making projections and updating them as the draft approaches but it’s just going to be you updating us on draftbuzz? 
 

As for number of first round QBs, the teams that immediately jump to mind include Indy, Pittsburgh, Cleveland if Shadeur doesn’t prove to be above average, Vegas and Seattle who are both rolling with middling veterans / guys with 1 good season and LA Rams will need an heir to Stafford.  That’s 6 potentially. 
 

I would love to add the Jets to that list but I fear they will trick themselves into believing Fields is a franchise guy. The Giants could be interesting if they have a bad season and top 5 pick again. Unless Dart looks the part, a new regime may opt for their own franchise guy. 

[jerryskids 6,559]

Sam Leavitt is with Arizona State, not Iowa State.  You darn near gave me a coronary.   

[Sean Mooney 1,937]

1 hour ago, WhiteWonder said:

What’s the exercise? When I saw the thread title I assumed it was going to be posters making projections and updating them as the draft approaches but it’s just going to be you updating us on draftbuzz? 
 

As for number of first round QBs, the teams that immediately jump to mind include Indy, Pittsburgh, Cleveland if Shadeur doesn’t prove to be above average, Vegas and Seattle who are both rolling with middling veterans / guys with 1 good season and LA Rams will need an heir to Stafford.  That’s 6 potentially. 
 

I would love to add the Jets to that list but I fear they will trick themselves into believing Fields is a franchise guy. The Giants could be interesting if they have a bad season and top 5 pick again. Unless Dart looks the part, a new regime may opt for their own franchise guy. 

No- posters can make projections. I'm all for it. 

The genesis of the thread comes from some dopes in the Sanders thread bashing scouting places and projections for QB's and everything. So I thought it would be interesting to monitor how the incoming top 10 shifts over the next year. Individual posters ideas may shift over that time as well. 

1 hour ago, jerryskids said:

Sam Leavitt is with Arizona State, not Iowa State.  You darn near gave me a coronary.   

Good catch. I'll fix it

[Maximum Overkill 1,739]

3 hours ago, Sean Mooney said:

Lots of talk in the Shedeur Sanders thread about "experts" and "scouts" and whatnot and how players draft stock change over time. So let's chart this over the next year with the upcoming potential QB class using the NFL DraftBuzz rankings.

I'll give you the current top 10 with, potential draft spots, and their overall grade.

1.) Arch Manning, Texas, Top 5 pick, 93.5 score

2.) Cade Klubnik, Clemson, Top 10 pick, 89.6

3.) Drew Allar, Penn State, Top 10 pick, 89.0

4.) Nico Iamaleava, UCLA, Mid 1st round, 88.0

5.) Garrett Nussmeier, LSU, Mid 1st round, 87.7

6.) LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina, Mid 1st round, 86.5

7.) Sam Leavitt, Arizona State, Late 1st round, 84.6

8.) John Mateer, Oklahoma, Mid 2nd round, 83.6

9.) Miller Moss, Louisville, Late 2nd round, 83.6

10.) Carson Beck, Miami,  Late 2nd, 83.3

 

So that lays the starting point for this exercise/project. I would say at first glance they seem to be pretty ambitious that 7 QBs could go in the 1st round as I just don't see that many teams needing QBs going into the 2026-2027 season...but we will be able to follow now how the projections and rankings change as we get a new season of college stats and development under the belts. Some people will opt to stay in college, someone outside the top 10 will pop up, and there is always the case that Manning completely sh!ts the bed as a QB. 

I think we'll get 4 first round QBs out of that class with Manning being 1.01 if he decides to come out. He hasn't even been the starter yet