If there is a silver lining to the Los Angeles Rams losing on Sunday, it’s that the Atlanta Falcons also lost. That makes one of the Rams’ first round picks that much better with the Falcons sitting at 1-2
through three weeks.
Every week throughout the college football season, I will be watching some of the top quarterback prospects for 2026 and rating their performances. Now that we are four weeks into the college football season, I thought it would be a good time to do a power rankings of how I see the college quarterbacks at this point. If the first four weeks have shown anything, it is that while this class may not be as good at the top as it was hyped up to be, there is some value in some of the quarterbacks whose stock will continue to rise.
1. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
Through four weeks, Nussmeier is my top quarterback in this draft class. He simply has the poise and confidence that others on this list have lacked at times. The LSU quarterback has been the most consistent player at the position and it’s easy to see him processing defenses live. That’s something that you don’t see a lot from other college quarterbacks. Said one NFL Scout on Nussmeier,
“Instinctive and finds a way…He’s got a great feel for the position and a good arm.”
Nussmeier may not be the most exciting quarterback prospect given that he’s more of a pocket passer. However, he does show some ability to improvise and make plays outside the pocket. Four of LSU’s next five opponents are ranked teams in the SEC. The other is South Carolina with LaNorris Sellers. Nussemeier has risen to the occasion every step of the way so far.
2. John Mateer, Oklahoma
John Mateer might be that quarterback this season that shoots up draft boards because of a great final season in college. From the end of the third quarter into the fourth quarter, Mateer completed 11 straight passes against Auburn. One of those was a fantastic throw along the right sideline that dropped right into his wide receiver’s hands. On the next play, Mateer called his own number and ran for the go-ahead touchdown.
In a recent poll done by ESPN, Mateer got three votes from NFL Scouts on who they thought would be the top projected quarterback in the upcoming draft. If Mateer plays well through the rest of the SEC schedule, it’s hard not to see him rising further. This is a quarterback that screams McVay. He has the intangibles and is able to make plays with his legs while not relying on them. Mateer is also very comfortable from the pocket and at 21 would be a great option to sit behind Matthew Stafford.
3. Carson Beck, Miami
Carson Beck has been an interesting evaluation through four weeks. He has one of the best pass-blocking offensive lines in college football and a very good group of wide receivers. This is a case where multiple things can be true at the same time. Beck is probably benefitting from the situation around him in Miami. At the same time, he’s also reminding people why he was considered a first-round talent. As one NFL Scout said, “Let’s see if Beck can continue his renaissance, because there’s enough ability there.”
Beck didn’t have a great game against Florida and will have a bye week before going up against Florida State. It’s easy to see Beck as a starter in a McVay offense. Still, when watching Beck, it’s hard not to see a Jimmy Garoppolo caliber of quarterback. He’s someone that’s going to need to be in a great situation and likely won’t elevate those around him. That doesn’t mean he can’t be a quality starter.
4. Drew Allar, Penn State
Penn State is finally out of its cupcake schedule and are set to begin their Big Ten slate. Because Allar hasn’t played a quality opponent, he’s been tough to evaluate so far this season. The game against Oregon on Saturday will be a big test and then in early November, the Nittany Lions will travel to Ohio State before hosting Indiana.
Allar has a lot to prove over the next month and a half. It’s very possible his first round draft stock will be decided over that period. If Allar shows enough in those games, he is probably a top-10 pick. However, if the same Allar over the last two years shows up in those games, he’s probably more of a second round player. Allar has a big arm and can do some special things, but needs to find consistency or he may just be another Will Levis.
5. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Saturday was the first time that Fernando Mendoza played a quality opponent this season and did he deliver. Against a top-10 opponent, Mendoza went 21-for-23 while throwing five touchdowns. Much like Mateer, it would not be surprising to see Mendoza skyrocket up quarterback rankings over the next few months. Against Illinois, Mendoza became only the second FBS player with five passing touchdowns and a 90 percent completion percentage against an AP ranked opponent in the last 30 years.
Indiana is at Iowa on Saturday before a bye week prior to playing at Oregon. If Indiana continues to play at this pace, Mendoza could enter the first round conversation. He’s one of the more exciting quarterbacks in college football this season.
6. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
Every time that I start to take a step back on LaNorris Sellers, he reels me right back in. While the Gamecocks lost to Mizzou, Sellers played his best game of the season. His athleticism pops off of the screen and he’s able to get a lot of zip on the ball. There aren’t many quarterbacks who can make the plays that Sellers does. According to ESPN’s poll, Sellers is the projected top quarterback,
“He’s got most physical talent. His ability to scramble and make plays with his feet as a runner. He’s instinctive and the ball comes out quick. He’s got a unique talent level. The kid, his story and how he got there. He’s got a toughness to him. It intrigues people. He’s got the makeup, intangibles and ability to run. He’s got the most potential to be an impact player.”
While Sellers has the talent, he would probably benefit from another year at the college level. He’s still very raw and needs to continue developing. Sitting behind Stafford would be a good situation, but this also doesn’t feel like the type of quarterback McVay would want. It would feel like Kyle Shanahan falling into the same athleticism trap that he did with Trey Lance. Sellers is one of my favorite quarterbacks in this class, but it’s hard to see the fit with the Rams.
7. Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
Saturday was the first time I watched Sawyer Robertson closely. While he had played well to start the season, he was finally tested against a good Arizona State team. Baylor came up short, but it was hard to not be impressed with some aspects of his game. There are flashes of really good throws into tight windows as seen in the touchdown below. At the same time, he can struggle with accuracy.
Robertson likely isn’t going to enter the first-round conversations. Much of his game is good, but not great and then he has his flaws. At this point, Robertson more of a mid-round quarterback that you look to develop. Still, he’s a fun player to watch.
8. Sam Leavitt, Arizona State
Leavitt probably had his best game of the year against Baylor. He was 22-for-32 for 221 yards and a touchdown. He also added 61 yards on the ground. Much like Sellers, Leavitt is probably a player that would benefit from returning to school for another year. He made some nice plays with his arm against Baylor, but relies too much on his athleticism at times.
With that said, Leavitt clearly has the arm talent and creates positive plays out of structure on a weekly basis. There is a very good player here, but he would be better off waiting to come out in 2027.
9. Conner Weigman, Houston
Weigman was a player that I was high on last year, but he just didn’t have the season that some expected. While he didn’t play this past week, Weigman may enter my weekly watch rotation. He’s having a fantastic year at Houston and showing off some of the athleticism and arm talent that make him an intriguing prospect.
I want to see more of him as a passer, but Weigman could be one of ‘my guys’ come draft season. He may not get the hype of some of the others on this list, but he is very quietly having a good year.
10. Cade Klubnik, Clemson
At this point, I am probably out on Cade Klubnik. There’s no doubt that he has the tools, but he lacks a lot of the consistency needed to warrant being taken as high as he’s been projected. This is another player that you take in the third round and hope to get the most out of him. There has been a lack of accountability from Clemson this year and Klubnik is part of that. It’s ok to show frustration after a game, but you still have to be accountable as the starting quarterback.
These types of answers are a red flag. The Tigers are now 1-3 after being projected as potential national championship contenders. If Klubnik responds well, there is still time to improve. However, all signs currently point to that not being the case.
Who to Watch this week
- TCU @ Arizona State: 9/26, 9 p.m. – Sam Leavitt
- Houston @ Oregon State: 9/26, 10:30 p.m. – Conner Weigman
- LSU @ Ole Miss: 9/27, 3:30 p.m. – Garrett Nussmeier
- Indiana @ Iowa: 9/27, 3:30 p.m. – Fernando Mendoza
- Oregon @ Penn State: 9/27, 7:30 p.m. – Drew Allar
- Kentucky @ South Carolina: 9/27, 7:45 p.m. – LaNorris Sellers
The big game here will be Oregon at Penn State. As mentioned earlier, this is an opportunity for Drew Allar to prove himself. Garrett Nussmeier and Fernando Mendoza both have a tough conference opponents on the road. On Friday night, I’ll be locked in on Conner Weigman against Oregon State.
