The field for the College Football Playoff has been set. There will be no Texas, which also means no Arch Manning. However, there will be a handful of players to watch throughout the College Football Playoff and those players will have a lot to prove with more eyes on them closer to the beginning of the draft process. Here are the five draft eligible quarterbacks with the most to prove over the next month.
1. Ty Simpson, Alabama
Simpson will have the most to prove during the College Football Playoff, especially after his performance against Georgia in the SEC Championship game. Georgia dominated in the trenches which put Simpson under a lot of pressure. That pressure sped up Simpson’s process, forcing inaccurate throws and other mistakes. He finished just 19-for-39 with a touchdown and an interception. There is still a lot to like about Simpson’s game, but the last four weeks haven’t been as good as the previous four.
The question becomes whether or not Simpson is someone that is capable of elevating those around him and creating out of structure. Is he closer to Jared Goff than Joe Burrow as a prospect? A quarterback is always going to be tied down to their situation to some extent. However, that’s more true for some quarterbacks than others. Simpson can still have a strong playoff and solidify himself as a first-round pick. Heading into the Playoff, he may be better suited to return to school.
2. Dante Moore, Oregon
If Dante Moore didn’t play another down of college football, he would very likely be a top-5 pick in next year’s draft. There have been some questions on whether or not Moore would return to Oregon. Will Stein was the quarterback coach and just took the head coaching job at Kentucky. That changes things for Moore. If Simpson stays, that leaves the quarterback class pretty thin at the top. Moore may benefit to declare this year rather than wait and enter a better 2027 class.
Moore has looked very good this season and will look to continue that in the College Football Playoffs. If Oregon defeats James Madison, they play Texas Tech who has one of the best defenses in the country. Fernando Mendoza may be QB1, but if Moore plays well, he will have the opportunity to close that gap.
3. Carson Beck, Miami
Throughout the season, it has been thought that Miami has a team that can compete for a national championship. For them to achieve that, all they needed was a quarterback that could keep the train on the tracks. Miami got the final non-G5 Playoff spot. It’s time for Carson Beck to deliver when it matters. Beck had a strong win in Week 1 against Notre Dame, but didn’t play well in two losses to SMU and Louisville.
The thought with Beck is that he is a quarterback with a high floor as a prospect, but a low ceiling. He’s reminiscent of Jimmy Garoppolo or Jared Goff in the sense that it’s not if he’ll give a defense opportunities, but when. If Beck can limit those mistakes and deliver against good teams, starting with Texas A&M, he could sneak into the back half of the first round.
4. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
At this point, Mendoza likely has the QB1 spot locked up. He played well against Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game against what was a very good defense. A bad game at this point isn’t going to do anything other than close the gap between him and whoever QB2 will be. Mendoza has shown that he can stand in the pocket, take big hits, and still deliver clutch throws.
Still, Mendoza is worth watching. With the quarterback class not as strong this year, teams may be more willing to trade out of the top pick. It shouldn’t be seen as impossible for the Rams to trade up to the top pick if that’s something that they would want to do.
5. John Mateer, Oklahoma
This isn’t to say that I’m out on John Mateer, but everything that he needs to prove is something that needs to happen over the course of an offseason. Mateer has a live arm and can hit all levels of the field, but his athleticism and ability to run has become too much of an aspect of his game. He tends to bail on plays and tries to make something happen which leads to negative plays. His deep ball is also a pretty big weakness currently. At this point, he will likely return to Oklahoma which would be the correct decision.
Mateer is someone that we can get excited for in 2027, but shouldn’t be an option in 2026. There are also some concerns about his ability to stay healthy given his play style. He hasn’t been the same since his thumb injury and could become a borderline first-round pick with some refinement.
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