The 2026 NFL Draft Won't Need Arch Manning

But while this kind of confirmation (even if it's not from Arch himself) might seem like a disappointment for anyone who was looking forward to the latest signal-calling Manning to be available for their favorite NFL team next April, a quick look at the rest of the prospects eligible for the 2026 draft should soften the blow right away.

Even without Manning in the mix, there's a plethora of high-profile quarterbacks who are expected to garner consideration for the No. 1 overall pick next year, should they live up to the hype and expectation they carry into the 2025 college football season.

South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers has the most upside, thanks to his huge frame and rare combination of athleticism, arm talent, and playmaking ability. Should he smooth out his rough edges as a pocket passer and improve his accuracy and decision-making, he could easily prove worthy of next year's top pick as a dual-threat weapon with limitless upside.

Penn State's Drew Allar made huge improvements last season, becoming a more consistent passer from the pocket and making better decisions with the ball. He's big and athletic himself, with all the physical tools NFL teams love at the position.

Clemson's Cade Klubnik made a similar leap to Allar for the Tigers last season, finally looking like a highly touted recruit he was coming out of high school. After some early struggles the year before, Klubnik looked like a completely different player in 2024, with more confidence in what he was seeing down the field. If he keeps that trajectory up in 2025, he'll warrant top-five buzz.

LSU's Garrett Nussmeier is another high-profile passer with the physical and mental tools to be a true franchise quarterback at the next level. He's another one who will be chasing consistency this season, but if he can finally reach his ceiling on a weekly basis, there's no reason he can't be the top quarterback in next year's class.

Beyond that massive top tier of big names, you can find underrated gems who are still flying under the radar among the quarterbacks eligible for next year's draft.

Fernando Mendoza, a transfer from Cal, has high expectations after landing at Indiana. Iowa State's Rocco Becht might be the most underrated quarterback in the country. Arizona State's Sam Leavitt, Tennessee transfer Nico Iamaleava at UCLA, Washington State transfer John Mateer at Oklahoma, and Michigan State's Aidan Chiles should all turn plenty of heads this season, too.

Oh, and if your favorite team doesn't need a quarterback? Yeah, they'll still have plenty of blue-chip prospects to choose from.

Clemson has a pair of elite front-line defenders in edge rusher T.J. Parker and interior force Peter Woods, while Ohio State safety Caleb Downs is the best overall player in the entire class heading into the season. There's another star running back in Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love, and it's a fantastic year to need a franchise offensive tackle (on either side of the line). This should be a banner year for edge defenders, and do-it-all Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. looks special.

It always felt like a long shot that Manning would leave school early, especially after having to wait so long for his turn as the full-time starter in Austin. But even without him, the 2026 draft should be loaded with talent at quarterback, with at least four passers who could end up deserving that No. 1 overall slot, and a ton of high-end players at other positions.