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2026 NFL Draft: Stock Report on Top SEC QBs

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Luke Easterling | Last updated Oct 22, 2025 3:49 PM ET

The 2026 NFL Draft should feature a promising class of quarterbacks, many of them hailing from SEC programs.

But as we near the midway point of the 2025 college football season, which of those top passers has impressed, and which ones have disappointed?

On the latest episode of "Best Podcast Available," I sat down with Cole Thompson of "SEC Unfiltered" to talk about which of the SEC's big-name quarterback prospects have lived up to the hype thus far, which ones are tumbling down the board, and which one has been the most pleasant surprise.

The name that's created the most buzz so far this season is Alabama's Ty Simpson, who has emerged as a potential top-10 pick thanks to a strong performance in his first season as the full-time starter for the Crimson Tide.

"The strengths of his game...the completion percentage, hitting the intermediate part of the field, accuracy, touch on the football, and the ability to spread the rock around...that's why you say that any offensive coordinator would be lucky to have him," Thompson said of Simpson. "He does the little things at an elite level, and so efficiently."

No quarterback in the 2026 class has more upside than South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers, but he's yet to show the kind of consistency as a passer than NFL scouts would prefer to see before investing an early first-round pick to make him their franchise quarterback.

That's not all on Sellers, as his supporting cast has struggled to give him consistent protection up front, as well as reliable targets down the field. But it does point to a scenario in which Sellers' eventual pro success could be best served by returning to the college ranks next season for more experience and polish.

"He's got another year of eligibility," Thompson pointed out. "If he doesn't want to go out, if he thinks there's more that needs to be attributed to his game, he can say, 'I want to come back to South Carolina.'"

South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers is still searching for consistency, but his physical traits are off the charts. (Jeff Blake-Imagn Images)© Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Sellers brings rare physical traits to the table that give him a sky-high ceiling as an NFL prospect, including a rocket of a right arm that can launch the ball downfield.

"There's a lot of good in LaNorris Sellers' game," Thompson said. "He's got a deep ball; you just watch it fly."

Another highly touted SEC quarterback that has struggled to find consistency once again this year is LSU's Garrett Nussmeier, who has gone from a potential No. 1 overall pick to a potential Day 2 selection.

While Sellers' upside is buoyed by his raw talent and physical traits, Nussmeier doesn't have those things to hang his hat on while having similar issues with accuracy and decision-making.

LSU's Garrett Nussmeier has gone from a potential No. 1 overall pick to possibly falling out of the first round entirely. (Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images)© Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

"Nussmeier's a statue," Thompson said. "He's gonna stand in the pocket, he's only gonna run when it's the very last resort, he's gonna rely on his arm and his mechanics to be able to win downfield. You've got to put him behind a good offensive line, and he's gonna need some weapons."

The biggest name in the entire 2026 quarterback class heading into this season was Arch Manning at Texas, but his erratic play has sent his draft stock plummeting, leading many to remove him from consideration for next year's draft.

"It's so frustrating after what we saw from him last season, even in a small sample size...but all of that is gone," Thompson said about the degradation of Manning's play this year. "He forgot how to play quarterback...that's what it looks like on every single snap."

To check out the entire conversation, watch the full episode of BPA here: