Matt MillerJul 25, 2025, 06:20 AM ETCloseMatt Miller is an NFL draft analyst for ESPN, providing in-depth scouting on the nation’s top pro prospects. A Missouri native, Matt joined ESPN in 2021 and also contributes to SportsCenter, NFL Live and ESPN Radio. Prior to joining ESPN, Matt spent 11 years as a senior draft analyst at Bleacher Report.Follow on X
Matt MillerJul 25, 2025, 06:20 AM ET
CloseMatt Miller is an NFL draft analyst for ESPN, providing in-depth scouting on the nation’s top pro prospects.
A Missouri native, Matt joined ESPN in 2021 and also contributes to SportsCenter, NFL Live and ESPN Radio. Prior to joining ESPN, Matt spent 11 years as a senior draft analyst at Bleacher Report.Follow on X
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There will be plenty of movement in the rankings between now and the start of the2026 NFL draftnext April, but teams are already setting up their boards. That’s where this exercise comes in, as I’m dissecting the early buzz and taking a look at the best players by position.
This isn’t my knee-jerk opinion.
Along with doing my early film study of theprospectsin this class, I talked to scouts and personnel executives around the NFL to form this list. In those discussions, I attempt to answer a few questions: Who’s on top of another deep edge rusher class? Which talented offensive tackle gets the nod right now? And we’ll address theArch Manningphenomenon and whether he’ll be in the class of 2026.
Let’s get started at quarterback, where a few signal-callers are in the mix to be the QB1.
Jump to position:QB|RB|WR|TE|OT|IOLDT|Edge|LB|CB|S
Before we get into it, let’s talk aboutArch Manning. The Texas third-year sophomore is one of the hottest names in college football; he might be the face of the sport despite having only two starts under his belt.
Manning is an electric talent and a promising pro prospect, but he has not proved himself NFL-ready just yet. Scouts agree, with every evaluator polled for this piece believing Manning will not leave Texas following the 2025 season — no matter the team’s level of success.
Now to the other quarterbacks. For the second year in a row, there is no clear-cut QB1 entering the season.
This class doesn’t feature a prospect drawing the praise thatCaleb WilliamsorTrevor Lawrencedid, but we can’t forget about the rise ofJayden DanielsandCameron Wardin back-to-back seasons as fifth-year starters. Scouts are keeping their eyes peeled for up-and-comers such as Indiana’sFernando Mendozaand South Carolina’sLaNorris Sellers, but the current top quarterbacks both play in the South.
Klubnik finished his junior season on a tear. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound passer is smart and can carve up defenses when he gets into a rhythm — much as he didagainst Texasin the College Football Playoff, throwing for 336 yards and three touchdowns in a loss.
Klubnik finished the season with 36 touchdown passes and six interceptions, a massive improvement from his 19-9 ratio in 2023.
play2:04Could LaNorris Sellers and South Carolina make a splash this season?Kirk Herbstreit joins “The Pat McAfee Show” to break down why South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers and Florida’s DJ Lagway are two quarterbacks to keep an eye on during the college football season.
Could LaNorris Sellers and South Carolina make a splash this season?Kirk Herbstreit joins “The Pat McAfee Show” to break down why South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers and Florida’s DJ Lagway are two quarterbacks to keep an eye on during the college football season.
Source: Espnnfl
