New Names Emerging For Potential Day 1 QBs

Recent expectations that standout underclassmen quarterbacks Dante Moore (Oregon) and Ty Simpson (Alabama) will stay in college for at least another year have reduced the number of likely first-round quarterbacks in the class from three to one. With the value of quarterbacks tending to vary drastically in relation to the scarcity at the position, new names are sure to rise.

Dane Brugler of The Athletic released his updated prospect rankings about a month ago, and gone from the top of the rankings were former projected prospects like Texas’ Arch Manning, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Penn State’s Drew Allar, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, and several others. Only Indiana Heisman-favorite Fernando Mendoza remained as a prospect widely considered to be a Day 1 pick.

Mendoza was joined a new pair of names, though, as the two emerging new starters at the powerhouse programs mentioned in the first paragraph proved to be more productive in their first seasons as starters. With Moore and Simpson no longer considered surefire 2026 prospects, Mendoza is the lone name atop the class with first-round considerations. Rarely does that stay the case as the pre-draft process goes on, though. Desperation for savior arms tends to elevate names considered worthy of later rounds to the early rounds based on scarcity alone.

We saw this two years ago, when Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels were considered the only two first-round worthy passers of the class early on in the pre-draft process. When it became clear that several teams were looking to draft a top quarterback in the first round, other names quickly started climbing the board. Drake Maye, considered a late-first-rounder at best early on, elevated all the way up to No. 3 overall. Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy, and Bo Nix were all considered Day 2 or 3 picks early on, but all three ended up in the top 12 picks of the draft.

Last year, Cam Ward was widely seen as the only first-round passer in the class, though Shedeur Sanders was seen as a possible late first-round possibility. Sanders’ wildly unprecedented slide aside, Jaxson Dart found his way into the first round after spending much of the pre-draft process as a likely Day 2 pick.

According to ESPN’s Matt Miller, a name to look for in that same sense is Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby. Sorsby started his collegiate career at Indiana, serving as the main starter as a redshirt freshman in 2023. When then-head coach Tom Allen was fired, Sorsby made the move to become a Bearcat. Sorsby has just finished his third year as a full-time starter and his second in Cinci.

Sorsby showed promise starting for the Hoosiers, throwing 15 touchdowns to just five interceptions, but his accuracy left a lot to be desired. In his first year with the Bearcats, he improved his completion percentage but got a bit undisciplined throwing 18 touchdowns to seven interceptions. This season, Sorsby put up his most efficient campaign with 27 touchdowns to just five interceptions. He also has impressive mobility averaging about 500 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns in each of his season at Cincinnati.

It’s far too early to call Sorsby a first-round prospect, but he’ll have plenty of time to improve his stock if he decides to declare after his redshirt junior year concludes. Plus, several other names are sure to emerge as teams dust off every possibility hoping to find a diamond in the rough. As names continue to drop out of first-round consideration for 2026, history has told us that others are sure to rise in their place.