Can These Top QB Prospects Contend for the No. 1 Pick in the 2026 NFL Draft?

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Luke Easterling | Last updated Jun 24, 2025 1:52 PM ET

This year's NFL Draft class featured a fairly lackluster group of quarterbacks, despite Miami's Cam Ward being the sensible No. 1 overall pick to the Tennessee Titans.

The 2026 quarterback class has the potential to be a much stronger group, with a populous tier at the top that's full of talent and upside, but there's still plenty for all of them to prove on the field.

On the latest episode of "Best Podcast Available," I sat down with Doug Farrar to talk about a couple of the top passers in this class who have the chance to emerge from the pack and launch themselves into consideration for next year's No. 1 overall pick, and he picked a pair of signal-callers from the Palmetto State.

South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers has rare physical traits for the position, and a combination of arm talent, athleticism and playmaking ability that could make him a superstar at the next level, but he still needs some refinement in one important area of his game.

"Sellers needs a bigger and better plan as a quarterback," Farrar said. "His mechanics will have him throwing wild and high too often, and that's when your lower body and upper body tend to have an argument. A lot of his picks last year were based on defenses converging, which tells me he needs to speed up his reads and his progressions."

Sellers does his best work when things break down, thanks to a solid frame that allows him to play through contact in the pocket, along with the athletic ability, instincts, and arm strength to create highlight-reel plays on the margins.

"The athleticism is clear," Farrar said. "He blew it up as a runner and a passer outside the pocket."

Much was made about Ward's athleticism and playmaking ability outside the pocket heading into the 2025 draft, but if Sellers wants to ascend to the top of the board in 2026, he'll have to get closer to being the effective, consistent pocket passer Ward was for the Canes last season.

"If Sellers wants to hit that mark, he's gonna have to do a lot of work in the pocket," Farrar said.

Farrar also mentioned Clemson's Cade Klubnik as someone who impressed him during offseason film study. A highly touted recruit coming out of high school, Klubnik struggled for the Tigers out of the gate, but showed marked improvement last year, making huge strides in key areas of his game that will translate to success at the next level if he keeps developing in the right direction.

"He stands out to me, because he's not afraid to make tight-window throws down the field," Farrar said of Klubnik. "He's got really good touch and timing on the ball; he can vary his velocity, depending on the route, depending on where the coverage is. He's had enough snaps now to where he's understanding what he's seeing, and knows how to respond accordingly."

Farrar couldn't help but steer the conversation back to Sellers, who has the highest ceiling of any quarterback in the country not named Arch Manning.

"I think Sellers is the most intriguing guy, because the pocket stuff isn't horrible, he just needs reps," Farrar said. "He needs more experience, and if he gets another year of that, and he elevates his pocket palette, even if it's not to the Cam Ward degree, but just somewhere in that area . . . that could be a No. 1 pick."

To check out the entire conversation, including a deep dive on all the top prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft class, watch the full episode of BPA: