The Los Angeles Rams are one of three teams with two first round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. With Matthew Stafford managing injuries and getting older, it is widely presumed that the Rams will target Stafford’s successor in next year’s draft. The 2026 quarterback class is being labeled as a very good one, making it that much more important to pay attention to these players throughout the season.
Week 1 of the college football season got underway over the weekend with Arch Manning, Garrett Nussmeier, Cade Klubnik and others all starting their 2025-26 campaigns. While some of the performances were lackluster, it’s a strong reminder that Week 1 is just one game in a long season and overall process. Many of these players are 20 or 21 years old. They are not finished products and will improve with experience. You don’t come to conclusions in September and the Rams will have their choices.
Every week throughout the college football season, I will be watching some of the top quarterback prospects for 2026 and rating their performances. My ratings will also take into account the opponent that the quarterback faced.
This past weekend, I watched Ohio State-Texas, Penn State-Nevada, LSU-Clemson, South Carolina-Virginia Tech, and Notre Dame-Miami very closely and took notes. Below is an accumulation of what I saw. Let’s go quarterback by quarterback and break down how each performed.
1a. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
Nussmeier didn’t start well, but he grew into it and got more comfortable as the game progressed. Nussmeier looked very poised in the pocket and displayed good touch and accuracy against a good Clemson defense. One of his better throws came just outside the red zone on the move. The LSU quarterback threw an accurate ball across his body to find an open receiver. He had another ball along the sideline that was perfectly placed in the bucket for his wide receiver to haul in. Nussmeier’s pocket movement and ability to keep his eyes downfield really stood out against a Clemson defensive line that was finding success.
To put it simply, Nussmeier was clinical. He finished 28-for-38 for 230 yards and a touchdown. Most importantly, he didn’t make a mistake to cost his team in what was a defensive battle. Out of the quarterbacks who played over the weekend, Nussmeier was one that looked the most “pro ready”.
Player Performance Rating: 8/10
1b. Carson Beck, Miami
Right behind him, Carson Beck also showed why he belongs in the early-round conversation. Beck may not have the same upside as some of the other quarterback prospects for 2026. With that said, his experience was evident against Notre Dame on Sunday Night. The Fighting Irish have one of the better defenses in the country and Beck never got flustered. Beck showed that he is someone that could come in and start right away if needed.
Beck stood tall in the pocket and was calm, cool, and collected the entire night. Instead of receivers that dropped passes last year at Georgia, he had receivers making incredible catches. Beck displayed NFL-level processing and good pocket presence. On his first touchdown pass, he was forced off his spot, reset, and still threw an accurate ball downfield. After last season, Beck’s draft stock plummeted. A good season at Miami may put him back in the first round conversation.
Player Performance Rating: 8/10
3. Drew Allar, Penn State
Drew Allar didn’t face the same level of competition, but his performance was still worth noting. Had Allar played against a top-level defense, he would be right there with Nussmeier and Beck. With that said, Allar did what was expected of him against a Nevada defense that’s nothing to write home about. The big test will come in three weeks against Oregon. The worst thing that Allar could have done is not play well against Nevada. However, he was a very efficient 22-for-26 for 217 yards and a touchdown.
There are a lot of questions when it comes to Allar heading into this college football season and what he’s capable of as a quarterback. People remember the interception that ended the game in the College Football Playoff last year. Returning to Penn State was probably the correct decision and he’ll get to show what he can do without Tyler Warren. Against Nevada, Allar displayed good post-snap processing and pocket movement. His best throw of the day came on the move as he evaded pressure, rolling to his left. Allar managed an accurate ball to the end zone for a touchdown.
Player Performance Rating: 7.5/10
4. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
The quarterback that many were most excited to watch over the weekend was South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers. It’s possible that the Rams felt that way as well with general manager Les Snead in attendance. It’s also worth noting that Mike Shula is South Carolina’s offensive coordinator. He is the uncle of Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula. Additionally, Joe DeCamillis is South Carolina’s assistant coach. DeCamillis was with the Rams in 2021 and 2022. There are connections here.
However, Sellers’ performance against Virginia Tech showed that he still only had 13 games of starting experience. He still needs to display the ability to win from the pocket and process things post-snap much quicker. Sellers has some Anthony Richardson to him in the sense that the good is very good and his athleticism allows him to create game-changing explosive plays. With that said, there is also some bad that an offense has to be able to navigate through. With more experience, Sellers needs to be more consistent. Still, in the fourth quarter, it was Sellers that threw a 64-yard touchdown to put the game away. On the next drive he used his legs to ice it.
Player Performance Rating: 6/10
5. Cade Klubnik, Clemson
Cade Klubnik, meanwhile, had one of the tougher assignments of the weekend. Klubnik is one of the more polarizing quarterback prospects with some having him as a first round pick and others have a Day 3 grade on him. Watching Klubnik, there’s no doubt that the talent and athleticism is there. While he gave Clemson a chance at the end, he also wasn’t good enough throughout the game. The pressure from LSU clearly got to him at times. His interception came on a pass that sailed high because he couldn’t follow through on his motion. It’s worth noting that he did have some drops f
The issue for Klubnik and Clemson now is that they will be able to steamroll through a weaker ACC. They do have Florida State who upset Alabama in November and UNC may pose a challenge on defense with Bill Belichick in charge of the defense. At the same time, there’s a chance Klubnik doesn’t see a top team until the College Football Playoff. Until then, Klubnik needs to show some growth and continue to improve.
Player Performance Rating: 5/10
6. Arch Manning, Texas
All eyes were on Arch Manning, who entered the weekend with the most hype of any quarterback. Unfortunately, it may have been the most disappointing performance of the weekend. It was very clear that Manning was inexperienced as Ohio State and Matt Patricia threw the kitchen sink at the Texas quarterback. Only 37 percent of his throws were on target. The pressure clearly got to him which caused some inaccuracy. His throwing motion seemed awkward and elongated and the mechanics simply weren’t there.
Manning did have some good moments in the fourth quarter, but most of the game was a struggle. Many have ‘sharpied’ Manning as the number one overall pick. However, Saturday made it evident that we still need to ‘wait and see.’ Most of his experience prior to this season came against Louisiana Monroe and a bad Mississippi State team. Manning may be very good, but he needs experience and the media needs to pump the brakes. The jury may be more out than people think when it comes to Manning as the number one pick.
Player Performance Rating: 4.5/10
Others to Watch: Sam Leavitt & John Mateer
Beyond the headline names, a few other quarterbacks made impressions worth monitoring. Much like Allar, Sam Leavitt did what was expected of him against a FCS team in Northern Arizona. The Big 12 isn’t very good this year, but that’s when the season will start for Leavitt. Mississippi State could provide a tougher challenge next week as well.
The quarterback that had everybody talking over the weekend was John Mateer from Oklahoma. He has the potential to be the quarterback that shoots up draft boards over the next few months. He broke Baker Mayfield’s record for most passing yards in their Oklahoma debut. However, it was against Illinois State. Oklahoma will play Michigan next week and that will be one to watch.
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