Arch Manning

Stock Still High For Texas QB Arch Manning

December 10th, 2025 at 10:15pm CST by Ely Allen

In the first few days following the 2025 NFL Draft, rumors were already abuzz that Texas quarterback Arch Manning was the favorite to follow in his uncles’ footsteps as the future No. 1 overall pick of the event in 2026. Months later, it became clear scouts had fallen out of love with the 2026 crop of passers, after expressing hope for improvement over last year’s.

Several quarterbacks projected to emerge as stars failed to meet expectations early, and Manning was not spared from that group. It seemed as if Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza was the only early name who lived up to the hype, though he was joined by new standout starters Ty Simpson (Alabama) and Dante Moore (Oregon). According to Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports, though, Manning’s stock hasn’t dropped nearly as much as you might think. In conversations with three college scouts and two NFL executives, all five evaluators told Vacchiano that Manning would still be a Day 1 pick; three of them said he’d still be QB1.

There are a couple factors at play here. Namely, Manning’s first season wasn’t nearly as bad as people may think, the 21-year-old still oozes talent and potential, and his last name still carries a lot of weight in the NFL.

Manning came into the 2025 season with sky-high expectations, mostly dictated by the media but also fueled by flashes of success shown in backup duty to Dolphins rookie Quinn Ewers. In his redshirt freshman year, a pair of performances in mop up duty against UTSA and as an injury replacement starter against Mississippi State, Manning showed what could be, completing 35 of 43 passes for a completion percentage of 81 and throwing for a combined 548 yards and six touchdowns in the two contests. As a result, many expected an immediate emergence as a Heisman-favorite when Manning was named the new starter.

There’s no way around it, the start of his first season as a starter was rough. Struggles against a tough Ohio State defense were to be expected, but when Manning’s issues carried over into intended cupcake games versus San Jose State and UTEP, cries of overrated began to fall. Eventually, though, Manning started to come around, churning out some strong performances over tougher teams as he got his feet wet. In three late-season games against Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, and Arkansas, Manning averaged 354 passing yards while throwing 10 touchdowns to one pick and completing 66 percent of his passes.

Vacchiano’s sources argue that Manning’s first season as a starter is only a disappointment when compared to the impossible expectations that had been set up for him before he was ever even named starter. Taking a step back and viewing the improvements that took place over time, Manning had a season most schools would be perfectly happy with.

In addition, Manning showed that he was learning to use so many of the tools that impressed scouts to begin with. He has a deceptive mobility — 244 rushing yards for eight touchdowns — given his prototypical quarterback frame at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds. There’s still plenty that needs polishing in Manning’s game, but at times this year, he displayed the arm, the legs, the head, and the overall ability to play quarterback at a high level.

NFL scouts and execs will view him the same way, too. Knowing there will be some wrinkles to iron out will do little to discourage some teams from adding a Manning to their franchise. Vacchiano quoted one executive telling him not to “underestimate the power of the Manning name.” He is viewed best as a project, though, not an NFL-ready product. Most seem to think he’d benefit best from sitting a year or two before starting à la Patrick Mahomes or Jordan Love. A dream scenario Vacchiano offered sees Rams head coach Sean McVay parking Manning behind Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles for a year or two.

Manning has until January 14 to declare for the draft as an underclassman, but ultimately, he is still expected to return to school for another year, at least. Some expect him to follow his family’s example and fully exhaust his collegiate eligibility, but others believe it’ll be hard to keep him from coming out in 2027 at the latest. If he were to make the decision to depart from Austin after just one year as the starter, though, he may just fulfill those early expectations of becoming a No. 1 overall pick after all.

NFL Evaluators Down On 2026 QB Draft Class

November 14th, 2025 at 3:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 2024 NFL draft saw a record-breaking six quarterbacks selected within the first 12 selections of the event. Things were much different last year with Cam Ward and Jaxson Dart the only passers to hear their names called.

Ahead of the current season, many felt a rebound would be coming at the position. Based on how things have played out so far, however, that stance has shifted around the league. As Jeff Howe of The Athletic writes (subscription required), there are “serious concerns” about the 2026 class and its potential.

“I don’t love any of [the quarterbacks] right now,” one NFL executive said. “We’re trying to grasp onto somebody because there isn’t anybody, and it’s such a flavor of the week. Good luck right now.”

Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza has been among the most impressive signal-callers of the college season so far. He is viewed by many as the top prospect set to declare for the 2026 draft as a result, although opinions are split on his ceiling at the NFL level. Ty Simpson has enjoyed a strong first season as Alabama’s starter, but in addition to a lack of experience he has generated concerns related to his physical traits.

Other highly-touted prospects like Oregon’s Dante Moore, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, and Texas’ Arch Manning are not guaranteed to turn pro in 2026. Moore and Sellers are still 20 years old and could benefit from another year of development at the college level. Manning, currently a redshirt sophomore, has long been expected to stay in school through at least the 2026 season.

That would strengthen a 2027 class that already includes Florida’s DJ Lagway and Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola, which will impact roster-building strategies over the next year-and-a-half. Few things are more important to an NFL team than finding a franchise quarterback, and time and time again, the draft has proven to be the best way of doing that.

Teams’ approaches will vary based on their timeline, draft capital, and need. The Jets and the Browns could certainly use an upgrade under center and have amassed a number of first-round picks that could allow them to acquire their desired prospect next spring. The Raiders, Rams, Steelers, and Cardinals could all be seeking new signal-callers in the next two years, but may stick with their veterans in 2026 with an eye on the 2027 draft.

There are also a number of familiar names in the 2026 draft like Penn State’s Drew Allar, Miami’s Carson Beck, and Clemson’s Cade Klubnik – all multi-year starters who never put it all together in college. And of course, quarterback prospects still have plenty of time to rise and fall in the rankings, especially those in the 2027 class.

Nikhil Mehta contributed to this article.

‘Teams Split On’ Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza’s Ceiling

November 12th, 2025 at 10:36pm CST by Ely Allen

As usual, those “way too early” mock drafts and prospect rankings are looking drastically different six months later. Many of those players projected to take huge leaps to first-round stardom have been humbled at the college level, while relative unknowns have begun to make their case for being selected in the top 32.

Our first look into the 2026 QB options focused mostly on existing tape, though a few inexperienced options were expected to shine. The one everyone will recognize is Longhorns passer Arch Manning. The NFL legacy got off to a rough start in his first season as a full-time starter, completing 55.29 percent of his passes for six touchdowns and three interceptions against Ohio State, San Jose State, and UTEP. He’s since put up some impressive performances against Sam Houston, Mississippi State, and Vanderbilt but not without a few duds at Florida and Kentucky peppered in. As a result, scouting opinions on Manning as the potential QB1 of the class have seemingly cooled.

Scouts hoped LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier would continue to put up big numbers while, preferably, lowering his propensity for throwing interceptions; he had a touchdown:interception ratio of 11:7 before becoming a starter and a ratio of 29:12 last year. Nussmeier has failed to fulfill such hopes, going 2-4 in SEC play while throwing seven touchdowns and four interceptions in those games. This past weekend, Nussmeier was benched against the rival Crimson Tide in hopes that Mississippi State transfer Michael Van Buren Jr. could breathe new life into a struggling offense.

In Happy Valley, once promising five-star recruit Drew Allar has also faced a brutal 2025 campaign that could really harm his draft stock. Once lauded as the second quarterback in FBS history to throw for 25 or more touchdowns and two or fewer interceptions, albeit while only completing 59.9 percent of his passes, scouts hoped Allar would finally be able to put it all together with accuracy, production, and strong performances against difficult competition. Allar unfortunately wasn’t able to deliver on these hopes before suffering a season-ending ankle injury.

Of the other college QBs that we mentioned back then, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik has similarly regressed along with his struggling Tigers. South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers has looked like a shell of himself since sustaining an injury in a home loss to Vanderbilt. Nico Iamaleava‘s transfer to UCLA has not resulted in dividends equal to his NIL deal. At Ole Miss, Jaxson Dart‘s successor Austin Simmons lost the starting job to Ferris State transfer Trinidad Chambliss. Lastly, Oklahoma’s John Mateer hasn’t quite captured the magic his fellow Washington State transfer Cam Ward did last year at Miami.

The quarterbacks who have mostly delivered on the expectations placed on them thus far have been the Big 12 trio of Sam Leavitt at Arizona State, Sawyer Robinson at Baylor, and Avery Johnson at Kansas State and Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. In fact, Mendoza hasn’t just met expectations under Curt Cignetti, he’s exceeded them.

According to ESPN’s Matt Miller, Mendoza has “clearly established himself as the top quarterback in the 2026 class.” Miller cites the redshirt junior’s pocket poise, arm talent, and ability to make big plays in crucial moments. Jordan Reid, Miller’s peer at ESPN, tried to temper Miller’s praise based on competition that could still push Mendoza for QB1 honors, but he also lauded the Hoosier’s ideal size and experience as a starter.

The two prospects with potential to unseat Mendoza are redshirt sophomore Dante Moore at Oregon and redshirt junior Ty Simpson at Alabama. Both passers are shorter and lighter than Mendoza. Moore is getting his first starting opportunity since getting benched as a true freshman starter at UCLA in 2023. Simpson’s only starts have come in the nine games he’s played this season.

Simpson’s inexperience as a starter doesn’t show in his gameplay, though. Completing 66.9 percent of his passes for over 273 yards per game and 21 touchdowns to only one interception, Simpson has shown impressive processing and decision-making abilities in an extremely small sample size. Moore’s play isn’t quite so clean, as his inexperience still shows here and there, but he’s made significant leaps since his days as a Bruin.

Dane Brugler of The Athletic released some midseason draft rankings yesterday, listing only four quarterbacks in his top 50 prospects: Simpson at No. 2, Mendoza at No. 7, Moore at No. 12, and Sellers at No. 15. The lack of starting experience of Simpson and the continued need for development of Moore and Sellers have many believing an additional year of college could be best for all three.

Brugler’s analysis of Mendoza seems to mirror the ambivalence of the ESPN duo as he claims “NFL teams are split on (Mendoza’s) ceiling as a pro.” The 22-year-old has made a significant leap in his move from Berkeley to Bloomington, but some believe he may not develop much further than he already has under Cignetti. That being said, those scouts are still “very encouraged by his floor,” as Brugler puts it, thanks to a high football IQ, strong accuracy, and an even-keeled demeanor.

There is still a month left of college football before bowls and playoff games begin, so there’s still plenty of time for several of the above-mentioned passers to stake their claim as the most-deserving arm. At the moment, though, there are at least some teams who have Mendoza at the top of a currently muddy QB board.

Concern About Arch Manning In Scouting World

October 3rd, 2025 at 10:27pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Texas quarterback and potential top 2026/2027 draft prospect Arch Manning has not lived up to the hype in his first season as the Longhorns’ starting quarterback.

Among qualified FBS quarterbacks, Manning ranks 42nd in yards per attempt (8.4), 62nd in yards per game (222), and 88th in completion percentage (61.3%). Those numbers fall far short of the expectations for the preseason Heisman favorite, and it is impacting his perception at the NFL level.

Manning’s particularly rough performance against Ohio State in the season opener has created “real concern about him within the scouting world,” per Bruce Feldman of The Athletic. The 21-year-old has been scrutinized for his entire playing career due to his family tree with much of the college football world talking about his potential for the last two years.

“He’s talented, but he needs to get rid of what’s going on with him,” said one of Feldman’s NFL sources. “I don’t know if it’s all mental, but I do know he’s dealing with a level of pressure that nobody else we’re talking about is dealing with.”

This is also Manning’s first year as a full-time starter, and that is not the only change to the Longhorns offense. They have several new starters, including four along the offensive line, so some early missteps are understandable, but NFL scouts will be looking for Manning to bounce back in a big way for the rest of the year.

Unsurprisingly, Feldman’s sources within the Texas program are more optimistic about Manning, particularly his athleticism and natural throwing ability. They may also be more confident that he will stay in college for four years. Many suspect that will be the case because his uncles Peyton and Eli Manning did the same thing on the advice of their father (Arch’s grandfather and namesake) Archie Manning. Sticking around in Austin in 2026 will give Arch Manning more time to develop in college and potentially recover from a disappointing 2025 season before entering the 2027 draft.

Joe Flacco To Take Bulk Of Browns’ First-Team Reps; Shedeur Sanders Highly Unlikely To Win Job

July 30th, 2025 at 8:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

The extraordinarily rare four-man quarterback competition unfolding in Cleveland is ongoing, but adjustments are being made. Kenny Pickett is out with a hamstring injury, giving Joe Flacco a wider runway to reacquire the job.

While Pickett recovers, Kevin Stefanski said (via ESPN.com’s Daniel Oyefusi) Flacco will take the bulk of the first-team reps. Flacco did not take as many offseason reps, but because of his 2023 Browns showing, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer indicates he received what amounted to a first-round bye in this battle ahead of training camp.

Flacco proved he remained a capable starter during a serviceable but unremarkable Colts stint, but his elevating a battered Browns offense to a playoff berth in 2023 carries considerable weight. The Browns are obviously evaluating how a 40-year-old Flacco differs from his 38-year-old version, but with Pickett down, the 18th-year veteran has a chance to impress and start a season opener for the first time since filling in for Zach Wilson in 2022. This would be Flacco’s 14th time earning a Week 1 NFL start.

As Flacco enjoys a strong opportunity to grab the reins, Shedeur Sanders does not look to have a chance at the Week 1 gig. Sanders entered the Browns’ offseason program “far behind” Flacco, Pickett and third-rounder Dillon Gabriel, Breer adds, and is trying to catch up. Sanders received extensive criticism for his strange approach to the pre-draft process, but beyond proving difficult in interviews with teams (as a recruiting-type mentality is believed to have taken place on the QB’s part), Sanders drew attention for being behind from a football knowhow perspective, according to Breer.

The two-year Colorado starter being as far behind as he was during pre-draft meetings surprised some, Breer adds, and he fell into fourth place during the Browns’ offseason workouts due in part to lagging on the football IQ front. To open camp, the first-team reps primarily went to Flacco and Pickett, with Gabriel taking the leftover work. Operating as an inverse option to Sanders thus far, Gabriel has impressed with his football IQ while presenting a less-than-ideal frame (at 5-foot-10) and skillset.

The Browns plan to stop sending out two offensive units simultaneously, a tactic deployed due to the unique four-man QB battle, according to Stefanski. This transition will lead to fewer reps, further increasing Sanders’ degree of difficulty as a developmental option. As it stands, Sanders faces a “Super Bowl LI”-like uphill climb to win the job, Breer concludes, adding he has gained ground since workouts started.

Although Sanders was a much-rumored first-round candidate, falling to fifth for myriad reasons made it unrealistic he would win the Browns’ Week 1 job. Fifth-round rookies are almost never in QB competitions in the first place, making this training camp more of a developmental stage for the second-generation pro.

At the preseason’s conclusion, the Browns will need to decide if they want to carry four quarterbacks — a genuine possibility — on their 53-man roster. Gabriel looks close to a roster lock here, with Sanders the wild card. Pickett’s injury would open a door for the Browns regarding an IR move, as a way to retain both rookies, but it would seem unlikely the team would proceed that way with a player firmly in the mix for the Week 1 job. (The team is not planning to trade one of its rookie arms.) Sanders would need to pass through waivers to reach Cleveland’s practice squad, further complicating the situation.

Jimmy Haslam also fielded a question about Arch Manning this week. While the owner cannot realistically comment on the Browns’ path to the soon-to-be Texas starter, he did voice a belief (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot) the QB will stay in school for the 2026 season (kicking the can to the 2027 draft). Haslam mentioned his relationship with the Manning family in offering that prediction.

Even if Manning is unlikely to declare for the 2026 draft, next year is projected to include a much deeper class compared to 2025. The Browns having two first-round picks seemingly came in preparation for that. For now, Gabriel and Sanders continue to make their cases about future duty while the Flacco-Pickett veteran matchup represents the far more likely decider for Week 1 this season.

An Early Look At 2026 NFL Draft QB Options

May 2nd, 2025 at 9:58pm CST by Ely Allen

2025 was a proclaimed down year for quarterback prospects in the draft. New Titans quarterback Cam Ward was certainly deserving of his first-round status, but no other passers really commanded a first-round grade. Jaxson Dart ended up slipping into the back end of the first thanks to a trade up by the Giants, but Tyler Shough, Jalen Milroe, and Shedeur Sanders all slipped down to later rounds in Green Bay.

While the lack of elite talent behind Ward certainly contributed to lessened interest in reaching for passers in the first round, the potential quality of the 2026 NFL Draft class may have played a part, as well. This is especially apparent with teams like the Browns and Rams, who didn’t acquire first-round passers this year but did acquire 2026 first-round picks. Those two picks in 2026 will come in handy as Jeff Howe of The Athletic tells us that “personnel departments have been optimistic for months about the group” of passers that could declare for the next draft.

One of the main factors that could contribute to a strong quarterback class in 2026 is the status of Texas passer Arch Manning. Grandson of Archie Manning and nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, Arch’s tenure as the Longhorns’ starter has been highly anticipated as new Dolphins passer Quinn Ewers closed out his career.

Manning has shown plenty of promise in limited time. In 12 games (two starts), Manning has completed 66 percent of his passes for 939 yards, nine touchdowns, and two interceptions, adding four more scores on the ground. It will be interesting to see if the youth comes out of school after only three years. Though the grandfather, Archie, came out of Ole Miss after only three seasons to go second overall in the 1971 NFL Draft, he highly encouraged Peyton and Eli to stay four years apiece at their respective alma maters. Enough hype off of a strong season may be enough to lure Arch out of Austin next year, but there’s always a chance he returns to campus and diminishes the 2026 class a bit.

Even without Manning, though, there’s still plenty of talent in next year’s class. LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier and Penn State’s Drew Allar have consistently been billed as the next big NFL arms in college football, projecting consistently as future first-round picks. Unfortunately, the 2024 season did little to support either’s claim for a top draft spot.

After an impressive performance (395 passing yards, three touchdowns) in the Tigers’ bowl game victory over Wisconsin in 2023 (his first start), Nussmeier returned to Baton Rouge to start all 13 games in his redshirt junior season with plenty of hype. In some respects, he absolutely delivered. His 4,052 passing yards were second in the SEC this year behind only Dart (4,279), second in school history behind only Joe Burrow (5,671), and 10th in SEC history. Dart accomplished his number with 127 fewer pass attempts, though, while Burrow threw for 1,619 more yards on just two more attempts. Nussmeier also tied with Ewers and Carson Beck for the most interceptions (12) in the SEC last year. If Nussmeier can develop a more efficient passing game with more looks downfield while limiting turnovers, he may be able to retain his first-round stock next year. It would also benefit him to develop a bit more mobility; he currently has -96 career rushing yards (sacks count as negative rushing attempts in college).

At one point a five-star recruit and the top quarterback in the 2022 recruiting class, according to 247Sports, Allar has, so far, failed to live up to the hype in Happy Valley. After appearing in 10 games as a true freshman, Allar became the Nittany Lions’ full-time starter as a sophomore in 2023. He only completed 59.9 percent of his passes for 2,631 yards that season, but he became the second quarterback in FBS history to throw for 25 or more touchdowns and two or fewer interceptions after Hendon Hooker did so with 27 and two, respectively, in 2022. Allar improved his completion percentage (66.5) and passing yardage (3,327) in 16 games in 2024 (only a slight rise in yards per game), but his 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions indicated a step back. He does boast some rushing ability, though, with 560 yards and 11 touchdowns in three years. Penn State hasn’t been known for big passing numbers as they’ve transitioned from Trace McSorley to Sean Clifford to Allar, but one would expect Allar’s five-star talent to elevate the passing attack a bit more than it has. If he continues to put up lackluster numbers, he’ll still likely hear his name called in the draft, it just may not be in the first round.

One passer who may have passed both Nussmeier and Allar with his 2024 performance was Clemson’s Cade Klubnik. Another five-star recruit, and the second-ranked quarterback under Allar in the 2022 recruiting class, Klubnik was incredibly underwhelming in his first two years with the Tigers. Last year, though, Klubnik passed for 3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns, and only six interceptions while rushing for 463 yards and seven more scores. His performance led Clemson to an ACC Championship and a College Football Playoff berth. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded Klubnik as the eighth-best passer last season in the NCAA, over both Nussmeier (23rd) and Allar (32nd).

Another name drawing plenty of first-round interest is South Carolina dual-threat quarterback LaNorris Sellers. Like Manning, and unlike Nussmeier, Allar, and Klubnik, Sellers will only be a redshirt sophomore next season, but he showed flashes of serious star potential in 2024 that has scouts licking their chops. Barely registering any time as a true freshman, Sellers entered this past fall as the Gamecocks’ starter. Missing a game and a half with injury, Sellers put up a 65.6 percent completion rate, 2,534 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, and seven interceptions, while rushing for 674 yards and seven more scores. He got off to a slow start, but starting with the team’s seventh matchup of the year, Sellers blew up, averaging 249 passing yards per game and 65 rushing yards per game while scoring 18 touchdowns (14 passing, four rushing) and throwing only three picks. The team ended the regular season on a six-game winning streak before losing its bowl game.

Two other names that scouts are dog-earring early are Nico Iamaleava and Fernando Mendoza, who have both transferred to new schools for 2025. Iamaleava is heading to UCLA after two seasons in Tennessee. Becoming a full-time starter for the Volunteers as a redshirt freshman, Iamaleava helped Tennessee win 10 games. His passing numbers (2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns, five interceptions) and rushing numbers (358 yards, three touchdowns) were only small contributions, though, for a team that was carried by a strong run game and defense. Still, Iamaleava’s ball security should be valued on a Bruins team that saw Ethan Garbers throw 11 interceptions in a disappointing senior campaign last year.

Mendoza is heading to Indiana after nearly two full years as the starter at Cal. Mendoza took over as the Golden Bears’ starter in the sixth game of the team’s 2023 campaign and started every game for the rest of the year. He started 11 games for Cal in 2024, averaging 273.1 yards per game for 16 touchdowns and only six interceptions. He also displays some decent mobility out of the pocket. Mendoza and former Indiana passer Kurtis Rourke will essentially switch cities with Rourke landing with the 49ers in the draft. Under head coach Curt Cignetti, Mendoza could have a breakout year with the Hoosiers.

And these are just the preseason names marked with first-round potential. At this time last year, Ward was considered a likely Day 3 option. Howe notes options like Ward’s successor at Miami, Beck, Dart’s successor at Ole Miss, Austin Simmons, Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt, Baylor’s Sawyer Robinson, and Kansas State’s Avery Johnson all as names that could skyrocket up the board with strong 2025 campaigns. Another one of Ward’s successors, John Mateer, who followed Ward as the starter at Washington State last year, is primed to be a contender, as well, in 2025 after transferring to Oklahoma.

For now, this is a ton of speculation. With the nature of the draft and transfer portal, so many of these quarterbacks’ teams will look extremely different in 2025, and it could really affect their performances as a result, potentially making 2026’s quarterback crop as thin as 2025’s. Small school or FCS passers could force their way into the conversation, as well. Or any number of these players could defer to the 2027 NFL Draft and make that year’s class even stronger. Regardless, teams like the Browns and Rams, with extra first-round picks next year, are feeling much more optimistic about the quarterback depth of the 2026 NFL Draft.

QB Draft Rumors: Titans, Saints, Manning

April 4th, 2025 at 10:13pm CST by Ely Allen

As the 2025 NFL Draft continues to draw nearer and nearer, we continue to see momentum towards the Titans selecting Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick. While the team’s president of football operations, Chad Brinker, spoke recently about the time the team has spent evaluating top options like Ward, Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, or Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, he also spoke about a patient, disciplined approach that could entail trading back.

“We are going to go through the whole thing, and I think probably here in two weeks, we’re going to have a good idea of where things are headed,” Brinker told the media, per Titans senior writer/editor Jim Wyatt. “And there’s a chance a team calls, and it makes you stop for a second and think, ‘Hey, we might need to consider this.’ But all of this is a part of being disciplined and being thorough.”

Dianna Russini of The Athletic seemed to imply that there are some in the building who are pushing for the team to trade out of the No. 1 overall spot. Russini, in a recent interview, talked about how those in the building with this view see so many question marks on the roster and so many positions of need. If a team gives them an offer that allows them to cover more ground in repairing what needs to be fixed, they feel as if the team needs to seriously consider that option.

Here are a few other rumors concerning quarterback prospects in the coming draft (and beyond):

In an interview on NFL Network yesterday, Ian Rapoport noted the Saints as a team that could go after a quarterback early in the draft. The team recently restructured Derek Carr‘s contract, ensuring that they wouldn’t be forced to draft a quarterback later this month, but Rapoport posits that New Orleans still needs a quarterback of the future. If necessary, the team could take a passer at ninth overall or trade back later into the first round, if they believe the guy they want will still be there. Notably, Jason La Canfora of The Washington Post told us today that officials from two NFL clubs have “suggested the Saints’ brass is…infatuated with Texas’s Quinn Ewers in the second round.”
La Canfora also cited a scout who believes that Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe is “almost a lock to go in the second round.” Milroe has been making the rounds in the pre-draft process with several teams who have needs at quarterback. La Canfora’s source cited Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson as examples of guys who didn’t necessarily have elite accuracy or passing ability coming out of the draft but, eventually, added those attributes to their natural athleticism. Milroe is viewed as an elite athlete, and if teams believe they can improve on accuracy and passing traits that, at this moment, don’t seem NFL-ready, there’s no reason he can’t hear his name called on Day 1 or 2.
One last thing La Canfora mentioned was that “nearly everyone in the scouting community has opined on the Giants being infatuated with Texas quarterback Arch Manning.” Manning is obviously the nephew of long-time New York franchise passer Eli Manning. The issue with this thought is that they would need to tank in 2025 to be in a position to select Arch, and even then, both Eli and his brother, Peyton Manning, spent four years in college. If Arch follows in his uncles’ footsteps, the Giants would have to tank for two straight seasons in order to have a chance at him. A lot can happen in two years, and given that Manning has only played in 12 collegiate games and made only two starts for the Longhorns, his draft stock could easily change over that time.

Interest In 2026-27 QB Prospects Outshining 2025 NFL Draft

November 15th, 2024 at 8:09pm CST by Ely Allen

There will inevitably be some teams at the end of the 2024 NFL season that will be aching for a new quarterback for 2025. Rumors abound concerning the job security of Daniel Jones in New York, no one seems to be taking firm control of the starting job in Las Vegas, and uncertainty surrounds the recent investments in the position made in Indianapolis, Cleveland, Carolina, and Tennessee. The 2025 NFL Draft class may not offer enough answers for all these teams, so many are doing their research on the next couple of draft classes.

That doesn’t mean there are no options in 2025. Two passers seem to top the list for the upcoming draft: Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward. Sanders and his father (head coach and NFL legend Deion Sanders) have worked hard over the past two seasons to put the Buffaloes on track for a berth in the Big 12 title game and a chance at the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. Not quite elite with his arm or his legs, Sanders succeeds on technique utilizing good timing and ball placement to lead his offense. Having only played under his father in college, scouts have concerns about Sanders’ maturity and leadership abilities.

Ward, who formerly declared for the 2024 NFL Draft before withdrawing to transfer from Washington State to Coral Gables, has earned his place in the first-round conversation. Starting as a zero-star recruit at Incarnate Ward at the FCS level, Ward found a home in Pullman before joining the Hurricanes. The 22-year-old has led the Canes to a 9-1 record, throwing for 348 yards and three touchdowns in the team’s only loss. His composure in the pocket and elite arm talent make him an enticing prospect but can lead him into making some questionable decisions. He’s an obvious contender for the Heisman trophy, but his draft stock is still far from solidified.

Behind Sanders and Ward, there’s a pretty significant drop off to players like LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, Georgia’s Carson Beck, and Penn State’s Drew Allar. All four players hold mid-round intrigue, but there’s plenty of time for any of them to work their way into the first-round conversations late like we saw Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix do last year.

While a couple teams will be in a position to take a quarterback early in the 2025 draft, and some may decide that Sanders or Ward are a fit for their organization, others are already doing their homework on the next few classes of college passers. Two redshirt freshmen and one true freshman have scouts licking their chops before they’ve even reached draft eligibility.

In Austin, redshirt freshman Arch Manning has been quietly building a ton of anticipation from the bench. The grandson of former Saints quarterback Archie Manning and son of Peyton and Eli’s brother Cooper, Manning has waited patiently behind the Longhorns’ starting passer Quinn Ewers. Seeing time in six games in relief of Ewers in 2024, Manning has shined in spurts for Texas.

Another NFL legacy player, Dylan Raiola — son of long-time Lions center Dominic Raiola — started off his true freshman season for Nebraska hot before falling off in recent weeks. After drawing early comparisons to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (mostly visually), Raiola came on strong in his collegiate start, throwing nine touchdowns to only two interceptions in his first five games. Since then, the Cornhuskers passer has cooled off quite a bit throwing only one touchdown to six picks.

Lastly, South Carolina has a redshirt freshman passer in LaNorris Sellers whose name is resounding in NFL scouting circles already. While his arm isn’t electric quite yet, Sellers has been effective en route to a 5-3 record as a starter. He also adds some dynamism with his legs averaging about 50 rushing yards per game on his way to four scores on the ground.

The talk for players like Manning, Raiola, and Sellers is obviously far too premature, as can be seen by Raiola’s midseason slump. The existence of such conversations, though, seems to underline the lack of excitement from the NFL in the 2025 draft class. Sanders and Ward are well on their way to hearing their names on the first night of the draft, but Nussmeier, Milroe, Beck, Allar, and others have some work ahead of them if they’re going to convince NFL squads to take a shot on them this offseason.