Analyst predicts another massive QB run in early 2026 NFL mock draft

The NFL is still a passing league, and that's not going to change in the near future. 

Yes, some teams, like the defending Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles have started to prioritize the running game, but star quarterbacks still make the world go 'round in the NFL.

If your team has one, you can win a Super Bowl. If not, you're part of the pack desperately searching for one.

That search has traditionally begun in the NFL Draft, which makes sense, and it's worth noting that ESPN analyst Field Yates believes several quarterback-needy teams are going to take a shot early in the 2026 NFL Draft.

With the college football season quickly approaching, Yates put together a mock draft of the first round. In it, he predicted that six quarterbacks would be selected in the first round, which would tie the high-water mark for first-round quarterbacks selected set in 1983 and tied in 2024.

In the 1983 NFL Draft, six quarterbacks were taken, and several became superstars. That list included John Elway, Todd Blackledge, Jim Kelly, Tony Eason, Ken O'Brien and Dan Marino.

In 2024, six quarterbacks went in the first round, and so far, the reviews are pretty good for that crop. That group included Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix.

In 2026, Yates predicts Texas quarterback Arch Manning will go to the Cleveland Browns at No. 1 overall, though Manning may ultimately decide to go back to Texas after the 2025 season concludes.

"Yes, Archie Manning recently stated that his grandson will stay at Texas for at least two seasons, a belief many in the scouting community share. But ultimately, Arch is eligible to declare in 2026, and if he performs up to his potential, he might just have to consider the NFL leap in this coming draft class," Yates wrote. "So I'm including him ... for now."

The New York Jets would take South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers at No. 2, the New Orleans Saints would pick Clemson's Cade Klubnik at No. 3, the Los Angles Rams would grab Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt at No. 9, the Indianapolis Colts would select Penn State's Drew Allar at No. 11 and the Pittsburgh Steelers would nab LSU's Garrett Nussmeier at No. 16.  

Much can change between now and the end of the college football season, but it's pretty much a consensus that Manning, Nussmeier and Klubnik are the top quarterbacks in the country. Sellers is an intriguing up-and-comer with dual-threat capabilities. Allar has been consistently good for Penn State and Leavitt is quickly elevating his status at ASU.

Any of these quarterbacks going in the first round in any order would not be a surprise. Some of them slipping into the second round could also be a possibility.

We'll have to wait and see how it shakes out, but one thing is for certain. If your favorite NFL team needs a quarterback, this will be a good draft to try to get one in.