FRISCO, Texas — One NFL scout estimated there are greater than a dozen school quarterbacks who have already got draftable grades for 2026, double what it usually is that this time of 12 months.
One other veteran scout says it is protected to venture a “excellent 12 months” for quarterbacks within the 2026 NFL draft class, a stark distinction from the 2025 draft when solely 5 gamers had been taken within the first two days. A 3rd scout tasks there will not be any No. 1-pick no-brainers like Caleb Williams on this class, however a number of “Jaxson Dart-type gamers” with manufacturing and expertise.
And scouts do not flinch at this prediction: We’re getting into a golden age of high quality quarterbacks with what’s coming this 12 months and subsequent in school soccer. Whereas the highest-end quarterbacks are nonetheless to be decided, the sheer quantity of robust prospects is unusually excessive. And no league forecasts that chance higher than the Massive 12, which has at the very least a half-dozen quarterbacks who already venture as NFL draft picks.
NFL scouts inform ESPN it is not too early to venture seven draftable prospects from the Massive 12, although a fourth scout advised ESPN: “I believe there’s a number of intriguing guys, however I nonetheless assume all of them should show it.”
Nationally, the case for the highest of the draft has been made in way-too-early mock drafts. Take your decide from Penn State’s Drew Allar, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers. All may claw their method into the QB1 dialog for 2026.
The spicy wise-guy take is Ole Miss’ Austin Simmons, and there is additionally Miami’s Carson Beck, Oklahoma’s John Mateer and Arkansas’ Taylen Green.
And the projections for this 12 months’s bumper crop of faculty quarterbacks do not even embrace Texas’ Arch Manning, who most NFL groups are viewing as a possible high prospect within the 2027 draft, when he’ll be part of Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola and Florida’s DJ Lagway.
The Massive 12 is led by ASU’s Leavitt, who has first-round potential if he continues on his trajectory, however there are a number of gamers rising on NFL radars: Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson, Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby, Iowa State’s Rocco Becht, Kansas State’s Avery Johnson, TCU’s Josh Hoover and Texas Tech’s Behren Morton. None are surefire top-50 picks, however there is a case that one or two of them may get there to affix Leavitt.
Their presence — and retention — has been an enormous credibility increase to the Massive 12.
“I believe that is a very powerful issue … is that these children mentioned, ‘No, we’ll keep proper the place we’re at as a result of we consider in what we’re doing at their respective colleges.’ It is a actually good quarterback league this 12 months,” Kansas State coach Chris Klieman advised ESPN. “I am certain Sam had alternatives. I am certain Rocco had alternatives. I am certain Avery had alternatives, and I do not know all the opposite ones. I do know there’s a number of ’em coming again.”
Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham summed up the identical level extra succinctly: “To me, recruiting is lifeless. Retention is alive.”
There’s tantalizing expertise, however not sufficient constant productiveness from Kansas’ Jalon Daniels and Houston’s Conner Weigman to insert them into that high tier. Arizona’s Noah Fifita flashed in 2023 earlier than struggling final season. The highest-to-bottom Massive 12 crop, which has been dinged a bit by Jake Retzlaff‘s planned transfer from BYU, places it within the dialog with any league within the nation for high quarterback class. Per ESPN Analysis, the Massive 12 can have 150 FBS wins with its projected crew of QB starters. That’s led by Colorado’s Kaidon Salter, who went 23-6 at Liberty and can battle ESPN’s No. 12 total recruit, freshman Julian Lewis, for the beginning spot.
The 150 wins amongst starters would put the Massive 12 in competition with the ACC for probably the most FBS wins amongst starters returning, with the ACC barely forward at 151 if Max Johnson is UNC’s starter. If it is switch Gio Lopez beneath heart at UNC, the ACC would drop to 144.
Regardless, the credibility of the Massive 12 within the big-picture dialog of faculty soccer this 12 months is rooted in its quarterback expertise. Leavitt led ASU to the CFP and 11 wins, Becht has probably the most wins of any of the returning quarterbacks within the league (18-9) and Morton is subsequent (15-9).
Johnson is 10-4 as a starter and is 17 kilos of lean muscle mass heavier this 12 months, higher geared up for the pounding that comes along with his working. Hoover closed robust sufficient final 12 months that he declined curiosity from Tennessee to remain in Fort Price. Robertson left the Manning Academy buzzing as a potential breakout in NFL scouts’ eyes this 12 months.
And, lastly, scouts have been eager on the scale and potential of Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby, who’s 6-foot-3 and 235 kilos and has one of many increased ceilings of this Massive 12 crop. Marveled one scout: “He can flick the ball 50 yards down the sector effortlessly.”
Who will rise from this crop? It will be one of many fascinating questions, and one of many causes the Massive 12 is such an intriguing convention.
The one protected Massive 12 projection is that we must always know shortly no matter quarterback will stand up amid the thicket of robust competitors. In Week 0, Kansas State performs Iowa State in Eire to showcase Johnson and Becht.
Sorsby and Cincinnati get their likelihood the opening Thursday of Week 1 towards Nebraska in Kansas Metropolis. Robertson and Baylor host Auburn the opening Friday. Additionally on Friday, we’ll get readability on the Colorado quarterback state of affairs when it hosts Georgia Tech.
On the opening Saturday, Utah performs at UCLA. That may showcase one of many league’s most intriguing and necessary quarterbacks: switch Devon Dampier, an elite athlete who rushed for 19 touchdowns in a first-team All-Mountain West season at New Mexico final 12 months.
On the opening Monday evening of the season, TCU’s Josh Hoover can have an intriguing showcase at North Carolina, enjoying its first sport beneath new coach Invoice Belichick. Hoover quietly set TCU’s single-season passing document final 12 months with 3,949 yards. He is seen by the NFL as extra of a third- or fourth-round-type projection, however a breakout opener may jump-start that.
“We’re a deep convention and quarterbacks, a number of groups have their quarterbacks coming again,” mentioned Texas Tech’s Joey McGuire. “And I believe it is actually necessary for us as a league to play effectively early.”
NFL scouts constantly see Leavitt as the perfect NFL prospect within the Massive 12. He is getting into his third 12 months in school after transferring from Michigan State, and he laughed off his early inclusion in some mock drafts.
He mentioned Dillingham advised him on the flight to Massive 12 media days that solely 20% of first-round mock draft picks from this time of 12 months find yourself there.
“It instilled a bit of little bit of a actuality examine,” Leavitt mentioned with amusing.
Dillingham coached Bo Nix at Oregon and helped his renaissance after transferring from Auburn. Dillingham did not flinch when requested if Leavitt may find yourself as a top-15 decide as effectively.
“Sure, 100%,” Dillingham advised ESPN. “He is aggressive. He cares. He is clever. All of the soccer stuff everyone sees. Everyone sees the expertise. He additionally cares, he is clever, he is aggressive. He has the off-the-field X elements that enable him to realize that stage.”
The great thing about the school soccer season is {that a} handful of quarterbacks will barnstorm out of nowhere to the mainstream, simply as Leavitt did final season. And the Massive 12 seems to be the proper incubator to launch just a few extra in 2025. One factor’s for sure: The NFL’s eyes are already squarely on the league’s deep crop.