College Football's Top 25 QBs for 2026 After Transfers and Eligibility Changes
After a high-profile court battle over eligibility and a flurry of moves in and out of the transfer portal, the quarterback carousel across college football has finally slowed.
That could change between now and Week 0, of course, but it would appear that major movement, departures and depth chart shifts have largely come to a halt.
With that in mind, it's time to put our pencils down—if only for a moment—and rank quarterbacks heading into next season.
Let's make something abundantly clear before the outrage flows freely. This exercise wasn't easy. This particular QB class is loaded with intrigue and potential, and that is precisely how these players are being ranked.
What has happened up to this point matters, as it should. But we're ranking quarterbacks based on how we believe they'll play next fall.
With that disclaimer fully formed, here they are.
No. 25-No. 21: Former 5-Stars With Enormous Upside
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25. Nick Minicucci, Delaware
24. Conner Weigman, Houston
23. Devon Dampier, Utah
22. Noah Fifita, Arizona
21. Bryce Underwood, Michigan
This particular section features a handful of players who were former 5-star recruits still looking to see what their ceiling is.
For Conner Weigman, who began his career at Texas A&M, last season's performance at Houston was a massive resurgence.
For Bryce Underwood, who will now play for a new head coach and a new OC at Michigan, it would be shocking if he wasn't approaching superstar status by Thanksgiving.
No. 20-No. 16: Oozing With Potential
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20. Rocco Becht, Penn State
19. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
18. John Mateer, Oklahoma
17. Kevin Jennings, SMU
16. Bear Bachmeier, BYU
This group of QBs features vastly different playing styles.
LaNorris Sellers entered 2025 as one of the most exciting players in football, although the season we expected never materialized at South Carolina. It will be better in 2026, but how much better?
John Mateer was the Heisman favorite at one point, although he never looked quite the same after a midyear injury. Another offseason with the program should go a long way.
As for Bear Bachmeier, what a start. The BYU QB, coming off a superb true freshman season, is poised to get better this year. If he can continue to evolve as a thrower, top 10 here we come.
No. 15-No. 11: Big Years Could Be Ahead
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15. Demond Williams Jr., Washington
14. Brendan Sorsby, Texas Tech
13. Josh Hoover, Indiana
12. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M
11. Byrum Brown, Auburn
What do we possibly do with Josh Hoover?
On one hand, he's (at times) reckless with the football and a little too turnover friendly. On the other, he has incredible physical gifts, and he's heading to Indiana, a school that just turned Fernando Mendoza, a similar type of project, into the No. 1 overall pick.
Byrum Brown is another fascinating player, one who likely won't get nearly enough love. After a 42-touchdown season at USF, however, look for that to change at Auburn.
As for Marcel Reed, well, good luck. If it does all come together, though, he could be a sensational player.
No. 10-No. 6: Welcome to the Hype Zone
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10. Jayden Maiava, USC
9. Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State
8. Gunner Stockton, Georgia
7. CJ Carr, Notre Dame
6. Arch Manning, Texas
Oh, this collection of players has range. There's Drew Mestemaker, the former North Texas QB who threw for more yards than any player in the country last season by a significant margin.
There's Gunner Stockton, who should be a year wiser at Georgia. The same could be said about CJ Carr, who might just be scratching the surface at Notre Dame.
Then, of course, there's Arch Manning. While the start of last season was largely underwhelming, Manning scored 19 touchdowns in his team's final six games while tackling a challenging schedule all season. Texas has added pieces around him, and there's still plenty of room for growth.
Look out.
5. Sam Leavitt, LSU
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His 2025 season at Arizona State was largely limited due to injury, but Leavitt still delivered 15 touchdowns despite missing much of the year. The year prior, he led the Sun Devils to the playoff with a 29-touchdown season.
Playing under Lane Kiffin, surrounded by an overwhelming amount of new talent, there is no reason to believe that Leavitt won't reach a new ceiling in his game, assuming he can stay on the field.
Working under Kiffin after working with Kenny Dillingham, a fellow offensive mastermind, should prove massive for a player still with plenty of room to grow.
Leavitt's ability to beat teams with his arm and his legs is a key differentiator compared to many players above him on this list.
And while Kiffin will likely want to do everything possible to keep him on the field, Leavitt's dual-threat nature should make him an immediate threat in the SEC.
4. Darian Mensah, Miami
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His arrival at Duke, given the hefty NIL price tag, was noteworthy. His move from the Blue Devils to Miami, likely on an even bigger deal and amid far more headlines and controversy, was even more so.
Regardless, Mensah seems poised to take his already elevated game to another level at Miami, where he'll join an offense ripe with plenty of skill-position talent and optimism following an appearance in the national championship game.
In two seasons, he has scored 58 touchdowns and thrown just 12 interceptions. He has an enormous arm, is great in the pocket and will likely continue to evolve in these areas.
With more talent around him and a schedule seemingly conducive for production, there's no reason to believe his strong performance won't take another massive leap upward.
3. Dante Moore, Oregon
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Indeed, the season ended with a bit of a thud, although Indiana did that to plenty of teams this year.
Despite the semifinal loss to the Hoosiers, Moore looked every bit like the elite prospect who was one of the most coveted high school quarterbacks in the country.
His decision to return to the Ducks—and avoid the Jets—makes sense on plenty of levels. Moore still could benefit from having more reps, and he will get to do so on an offense still loaded with skill talent.
And, most notably, he's still just 20 years old.
Coming off a 32-touchdown season, there is still plenty of room for growth and improvement. That's a terrifying thought for most, particularly the rest of the Big Ten.
2. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss
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A year ago, Chambliss was an unknown transfer from Ferris State. Now, one could easily make the case that no player across the sport is more exciting and capable than him.
All of this was made possible by a state court judge who issued an injunction that should allow Chambliss to play this fall. And even without Lane Kiffin, the coach who brought him to Oxford, Chambliss could be even better.
Although he didn't begin the season as the starting QB, Chambliss still accounted for more than 30 touchdowns and threw only three interceptions. He also played superb football in the College Football Playoff, beating Tulane and Georgia while also nearly taking Miami to the brink.
While he could have gone pro, Chambliss is back for one more year. The decision is a massive win for Ole Miss and college football as a whole.
1. Julian Sayin, Ohio State
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One year from now, it will be Sayin being mocked as the No. 1 quarterback prospect in the NFL draft. But let's live in the moment.
Thrust into his first college action last season, he quickly blossomed into one of the best players at the position. In fact, his 77 percent completion percentage was best in the country by nearly five percentage points.
And he will be better.
Sayin played Texas, Indiana and Miami in the 2025 season—three of the best defenses in college football. He wasn't always perfect, but those experiences, coupled with an extra offseason of growth and development, will loom large.
Oh, and he'll be throwing footballs to wideout Jeremiah Smith for one more season.
Remember him?
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