A local judge ruled on Monday that Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby would be eligible to play in the 2026 season. The Lubbock, Texas justice ruled that the injunction filed by Sorsby’s legal team was justified, and that the incoming senior quarterback should only be suspended the first two weeks of the season despite placing over $90,000 in bets over the last three years.

We aren’t lawyers, but there will be appeals and there will be more money spent on attorney’s fees. But we are football evaluators, and Sorsby being eligible means the focus now shifts to his play on the field. We’ll let the legal scholars handle the other side of things.

So, what does the tape say? Who is Sorsby as a prospect?

Brendan Sorsby | QB | Texas Tech

Height: 6-3 | Weight: 235 (listed)

I’ve spent enough years evaluating quarterbacks to know that physical tools can get a player drafted, but consistency determines whether they stay in the league. Sorsby is one of the more intriguing quarterback prospects in college football because he checks many of the boxes NFL teams covet in today’s game. 

Sorsby possesses an NFL-caliber frame with excellent overall thickness through his lower body and shoulders. He looks the part walking onto the field and has the durability to handle designed quarterback runs and absorb contact inside the pocket. His athleticism is an underrated part of his game. While he won’t be confused with the elite running threats at the position, he’s more than capable of extending plays, escaping pressure, and picking up chunk yardage when defenses lose contain. 

As a passer, Sorsby’s best trait is his arm talent. He generates easy velocity without overstriding and can drive the football outside the numbers. The deep ball has enough juice to challenge NFL windows, and he throws with confidence attacking the intermediate middle of the field. He flashes the ability to change arm angles when bodies clutter the pocket, a trait that has become increasingly valuable in modern offensive systems. 

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Where Sorsby has taken the biggest step forward over the last two seasons is ball security. Earlier in his career, he trusted his arm too much and forced throws into leverage disadvantages. More recently, he’s shown better judgment, protecting the football while still maintaining an aggressive mindset. His touchdown-to-interception production reflects a quarterback who understands situational football without becoming overly conservative. 

From a mental processing standpoint, there are still areas that need refinement. Sorsby is at his best when operating within rhythm and structure. Against defenses that disguise coverage late or muddy the picture after the snap, he can be a tick late getting through full-field progressions. There are instances where he’ll predetermine throws or abandon a clean pocket because he senses pressure that isn’t fully there. Those habits won’t consistently work against NFL athletes. 

Mechanically, he can also get a little loose with his feet. When his base narrows, accuracy suffers, particularly on underneath timing routes. He’ll occasionally throw flat-footed instead of driving through his target, causing the ball to sail high. Those issues appear coachable rather than permanent flaws.

What stands out most on film is Sorsby’s ability to create offense when the initial play breaks down. He keeps his eyes downfield, isn’t afraid to take calculated risks, and has enough toughness to stand in against pressure. Offensive coordinators who employ heavy play-action concepts, bootlegs, and designed quarterback movement will maximize his skill set.

Strengths

* Prototypical NFL size and sturdy frame.

* Above-average arm strength with the ability to attack all three levels.

* Dangerous secondary running threat with good pocket mobility.

* Throws well outside of structure and creates explosive plays.

* Improved decision-making and ball security.

* Competitive toughness shows up repeatedly on tape.

Areas for Improvement

* Faster processing versus disguised coverages.

* More consistent footwork and throwing platform.

* Needs to trust protection instead of escaping clean pockets.

* Can improve anticipation on timing concepts.

NFL Comparison: Sam Darnold.

Like Darnold coming out of USC, Sorsby wins with natural arm talent, toughness, and off-script creativity. He’ll occasionally frustrate evaluators with a forced throw or an unnecessary escape from the pocket, but the physical gifts and playmaking instincts are difficult to coach.

Overall Grade: Early Day 2 prospect (Round 2)

In the right offensive system, Sorsby has the tools to develop into an NFL starter. He may never be a pure distributor who wins solely from the pocket, but his combination of size, arm talent, mobility, and competitive makeup gives him a legitimate professional ceiling.

There are great wide receiver prospects. There are elite wide receiver prospects. And then there are the rare outliers who shift the conversation entirely.

Ohio State’s Ohio State Buckeyes star Jeremiah Smith belongs in that final category.

By the time Smith becomes draft eligible in 2027, evaluators across the league may be discussing him in the same breath as the greatest receiver prospects of the modern era: Calvin Johnson, Julio Jones, A.J. Green, Ja’Marr Chase, and Marvin Harrison Jr.. That’s not media hype anymore. It’s where the tape leads you.

Smith exploded onto the national scene as a true freshman, posting 76 receptions for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns while immediately becoming the focal point of one of college football’s most talented offenses. The scary part? He still plays like a player who is only scratching the surface of what he can become as a route-runner and technician.

Height/Weight

• 6-foot-3

• 223 pounds

Play Style Overview

Smith is a prototype “X” receiver with elite ball skills, advanced route-running nuance, and rare body control for a player his age. He combines the catch radius and physical dominance of a classic boundary target with the movement skills of a smaller separator.

The first thing that jumps off the tape is how effortless everything looks. Corners can crowd him at the line, bail into off coverage, shade safety help over the top—it rarely matters. Smith wins at every level of the field.

Unlike many physically gifted college receivers, Smith doesn’t rely solely on size and athleticism. His game is already technically refined. NFL executives have openly praised how advanced he is as a route runner and coverage manipulator at such a young age.

He’s not simply a jump-ball artist. He’s a complete receiver that’s been well-coached and developed by a proven coach in Brian Hartline.

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Strengths

Elite Ball Skills and Catch Radius

Smith plays above the rim in a way very few prospects can. His timing, hand strength, and spatial awareness allow him to dominate in contested situations without needing to wildly outmuscle defenders.

He consistently finishes through contact and adjusts naturally to poorly placed throws. Quarterbacks can miss high, low, or behind him, and Smith still finds a way to make the play look routine.

This is where the Calvin Johnson and Julio Jones comparisons start to surface. Like those players, Smith erases mistakes from the quarterback. He’s like a great catcher that expands the strike zone. Or a great centerfielder that erases deep hits with his recovery speed.

Advanced Route Running for His Age

Most young receivers win because they’re simply better athletes than the corners covering them. Smith already understands leverage, pacing, stem manipulation, and blind-spot positioning at a veteran level.

Ohio State has developed elite NFL-ready receivers for years, but Smith looked more polished as a freshman than many Buckeye stars did entering the draft.

His ability to sink his hips and separate on in-breaking routes is especially impressive for a bigger receiver. That flexibility and body control give him a much larger route tree projection than most players with his frame.

Explosive Vertical Threat

Smith eats cushion instantly. Defensive backs panic once he gets into his stride because he can stack corners and win vertically with either speed or physicality.

He tracks the football naturally over his shoulder and shows outstanding late hands downfield. Safeties are often too late arriving because Smith maintains speed while locating the ball.

He’s the type of receiver who changes coverage structures before the snap.

Competitive Toughness

One of the most encouraging traits on tape is how hard he plays. Smith competes as a blocker, fights through contact in the middle of the field, and consistently shows urgency when the ball isn’t coming his way.

For a superstar receiver with NFL stardom already projected onto him, his play demeanor remains highly team-oriented. This is an area scouts point out that was missed when studying former Buckeye Harrison Jr., so it’ll be watched closely with Smith in his final season and in the pre-draft process.

Weaknesses

Yards After Catch Consistency

This is more nitpick than major flaw, but there are moments where Smith leaves additional yardage on the field after the catch. One evaluator specifically pointed to his post-contact production as an area for growth.

He has good run-after-catch ability, but he isn’t yet the same type of violent open-field creator that players like Ja’Marr Chase or Deebo Samuel were coming out of college.

Smith wins before and at the catch point more often than after it.

Can Continue Adding Functional Strength

Even at over 220 pounds, Smith still has room to develop physically. NFL corners will challenge him with more physical press techniques and attempt to disrupt timing at the line.

There are occasional reps where stronger defensive backs can reroute him early in the stem. Adding another layer of functional upper-body strength could make him nearly impossible to disrupt.

Occasional Reliance on Natural Talent

Like many elite prospects, Smith can sometimes coast on superiority rather than maximizing every detail of the route. Because he’s often simply better than everyone else on the field, there are reps where the urgency or precision wanes slightly.

Ironically, this is common among truly elite prospects. Once he’s surrounded by NFL-caliber athletes every week, those details usually sharpen quickly.

NFL Comparison

Best Comparison: Julio Jones

The cleanest projection for Smith is a blend of Julio Jones and A.J. Green.

Like Julio, Smith combines explosive vertical acceleration with rare physicality and catch-point dominance. Defenders bounce off him, yet he still moves with the fluidity of a smaller athlete.

Like Green, there’s an effortless smoothness to his game. He never appears rushed. Everything is under control.

Smith may not possess Calvin Johnson’s once-in-a-generation size/speed profile, but stylistically he belongs in that tier of receiver prospect conversation.

Final Evaluation

Jeremiah Smith enters the 2026 season as the best player in college football and one of the most gifted receiver prospects scouts have evaluated in years.

The combination of production, technical refinement, physical tools, and age is almost unprecedented. He isn’t simply dominating because he’s older or more physically mature than his competition. He’s doing this while still developing.

That’s what separates future top-five picks from future All-Pros.

Barring injury, Smith projects as a franchise WR1 capable of transforming an NFL passing game immediately. He has legitimate “best receiver prospect of the decade” upside and already looks like a future top-three overall selection in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Grade: Blue-Chip / Top-5 Overall Prospect

NFL Projection: Immediate WR1

Ceiling: All-Pro, perennial Pro Bowl receiver

Floor: High-end NFL No. 1 receiver

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The board is starting to take shape.

With the college football season approaching and NFL front offices already deep into preliminary evaluations, this is the point in the cycle where early impressions begin to turn into real traction. Traits get validated. Buzz starts to circulate. And for the first time, you can start connecting teams to players in a way that feels grounded—not just speculative.

That’s where this mock draft comes in.

This isn’t a projection based solely on need or a surface-level read of rosters. It’s built from early tape study, conversations with sources around the league, and an understanding of how teams prioritize premium positions—quarterback, offensive tackle, edge rusher, and cornerback—at the top of the draft.

You’ll see quarterbacks pushed up the board. You’ll see traits bet on over production. And you’ll see the early foundation of what could be one of the more talent-rich classes in recent memory start to come into focus.

It’s early. It’s fluid. And it’s exactly where you want to be if you’re trying to stay ahead of the draft.

Let’s get into it.

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1. Arizona Cardinals — Arch Manning, QB, Texas

2026 1st Rounder: RB Jeremiyah Love

Get ready for a year of debate about Manning—mostly from people who haven’t watched him play. His play down the stretch last year was QB1 quality. Had he entered the draft this year, he would have been the No. 1 overall pick. The only question will be if he enters the 2027 draft or waits for 2028.

2. Miami Dolphins — Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State

2026 1st Rounder: OG Kaydn Proctor, CB Chris Johnson

Drafting a quarterback would be in consideration here, but if Malik Willis shows flashes it would be hard to pass on Smith. A rare talent at wide receiver, he’s on par with Julio Jones or Calvin Johnson as a pure physical freak at the position. There will be teams with a need at quarterback that consider taking the wide receiver over a passer based on his talent.

3. New York Jets — Dante Moore, QB, Oregon

2026 1st Rounder: DE David Bailey, TE Kenyon Sadiq, WR Omar Cooper Jr.

With three first-rounders in 2027, the Jets may try to move up the board for a quarterback, but expect whichever team holds No. 1 next year to hold onto it for dear life. The Jets still get a great quarterback in Moore; a player that would have pushed Fernando Mendoza for 1.01 this year.

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While 2026 played out publicly, the focus inside The Draft Scout shifted toward something scouts and NFL front offices are already quietly circling: the 2027 NFL Draft class.

And after months of digging—summer scouting, background work, and early tape study—the early takeaway is simple:

This class has real star power at the top.

Not hype. Not projection for projection’s sake. Legitimate, franchise-altering talent at quarterback, edge rusher, cornerback, and offensive tackle—the positions that define drafts and reshape rosters. And still great depth at running back, linebacker and safety.

Buckle up. This is your first look at the names you’ll be hearing for the next 12+ months.

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If you’ve been checking in on The Draft Scout and noticed things have been a little… quiet this cycle, you’re not wrong.

But that silence wasn’t inactivity.

It was building behind the scenes for a legendary future.

While much of the draft world was locked in on the 2026 class, we shifted our focus behind the scenes—building, evaluating, and stacking intel…

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The odds go up. The smoke thickens. And somewhere between what teams should do and what they’re telling people they might do, value starts to emerge. That’s where this exercise lives.

With the 2026 NFL Draft approaching, sportsbooks like BetOnline.ag have begun to sharpen their markets on the top nine picks—creating a window into how the league is being perceived from the outside. But as always, those numbers don’t tell the full story. They reflect movement, not motive. Momentum, not conviction.

That gap—between the odds and what teams are actually thinking—is where the best bets are found.

This isn’t about chasing favorites. It’s about identifying where intel, roster needs, and draft dynamics intersect in a way the market hasn’t fully caught up to yet. Quarterback uncertainty at the top. A defensive class teams trust more than the public does. Skill players with wider ranges than their odds suggest.

Put it all together, and the top 10 isn’t nearly as settled as it looks.

Let’s dig into the numbers—and the noise—to find the bets worth making.

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2nd Overall Pick

Arvell Reese 5/11 (-220)

David Bailey 2/1

Rueben Bain Jr. 12/1

Sonny Styles 25/1

Ty Simpson 40/1

Caleb Downs 50/1

Jeremiyah Love 50/1

The mock drafts are all saying David Bailey here, but the intel we have says Reese is the pick. This isn’t a big money maker on it’s own, but if you can include it as part of a draft odds parlay, do it. Reese is going to be the pick.

3rd Overall Pick

David Bailey 5/2 (+250)

Arvell Reese 14/5 (+280)

Francis Mauigoa 3/1

Jeremiyah Love 9/1

Sonny Styles 18/1

Rueben Bain Jr 10/1

Monroe Freeling 16/1

Spencer Fano 18/1

Ty Simpson 18/1

Caleb Downs 33/1

Carnell Tate 66/1

The late intel we’re picking up says the Cardinals love Love. If Reese is off the board, and they don’t trade the pick for a team targeting David Bailey, Love is likely to be the selection. These odds are too juicy to pass up.

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What We’re Hearing: Inside the league as the 2026 NFL Draft comes into focus

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The NFL offseason is a beautiful kind of chaos: a three-month stretch where hope is cheap, cap space is finite, and every general manager believes his franchise is exactly two or three moves away from glory.

As the 2025 season fades in the rearview and the 2026 campaign begins to take shape, all 32 teams are staring at the same whiteboard: holes to fil…

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The Kansas City Chiefs aren’t broken—but they’re no longer insulated from consequences.

Patrick Mahomes’ injury is a reminder of something the league has quietly been chasing for years: eventually, even dynasties have to confront reality. Kansas City’s margin for error is thinner than it’s been in a decade, the roster is aging in key spots, and the salary cap math that once felt manageable is starting to bite.

This isn’t about panic. It’s about planning.

Fixing the Chiefs means protecting their most valuable asset, rebalancing a top-heavy cap structure, and finding sustainable answers around Mahomes—not just short-term patches. The window is still open, but how Kansas City handles the next 12–24 months will determine whether they stay ahead of the league or finally fall back into the pack.

Let’s break down how to fix the roster—now and for the future.

Round 1, Pick 12 — David Bailey, DE, Texas Tech

With Patrick Mahomes dealing with his first major injury and his cap number continuing to rise, Kansas City’s margin for error has narrowed as we near the post-Travis Kelce and post-Chris Jones era of the dynasty. The Chiefs don’t need splash additions on defense—they need reliable pressure, depth, and cost-controlled upside. Bailey checks all three boxes.

From a scheme perspective, Bailey fits what Steve Spagnuolo values at EDGE despite not having the ideal measurables for the Chiefs’ defense. He plays with consistent effort, understands leverage, and shows the ability to align in multiple spots along the front. Texas Tech used him both on the edge and reduced inside on passing downs, a trait that translates well to Kansas City’s pressure packages. He’s not a one-move rusher; Bailey wins with motor, hand activity, and the ability to counter when initial rush plans stall.

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The NFL season is hitting its breaking point, and so is the draft landscape. Contenders are exposed. Pretenders are unraveling. And half the league is quietly shifting focus to April while pretending they’re not.

Perfect time for a fresh one-round mock draft.

This update isn’t just about who goes where—it’s about how the board is changing, which teams are ready to pivot, and which prospects are forcing themselves into Round 1 conversations. You’re about to see surprises, scheme fits you didn’t expect, and a few picks that might make fanbases yell at the screen.

If you want the scouting breakdowns, the board movement, and the why behind every pick, now’s the time to subscribe. Draft season moves fast, and our best intel never stays free for long.

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One round. Thirty-two decisions. Let’s get into it.

1. Tennessee Titans — Arvell Reese, LB/ED, Ohio State

In a mock draft with no trades, the Titans stick and pick the best overall player in the class. In the real world, they’ll try to trade down and add weapons and protection for quarterback Cam Ward.

2. New York Giants — Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami

Another situation where a trade probably happens in the real world. The Giants get a true-blue right tackle to protect Jaxson Dart and open up rushing lanes for Cam Skattebo.

3. New Orleans Saints — Dante Moore, QB, Oregon

The first quarterback is off the board, and there’s a scenario in which Tyler Shough plays well enough down the stretch to make this a trade out spot for New Orleans. Moore is the best quarterback in the group if he declares after starting for one year at Oregon.

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Every Saturday gives us new tape. Every Sunday changes what teams need. And every week, the gap between what fans think they know and what the league is actually preparing for gets a little wider.

That’s why this update matters.

The Draft Scout’s Top 25 Big Board isn’t a snapshot of one Saturday afternoon or a reaction to one highlight clip—it’s a living, evolving evaluation built on full-game study, coach and scout calls, and a year-round process. And as the college football season settles into the stretch run, the board is shifting in real time.

Some prospects are locking in Round 1 résumés. Some are fading. And a few are about to make the kind of late-season jump that only shows up if you’re watching every snap.

If you want the full positional breakdowns, expanded scouting reports, and weekly movement as the draft picture crystallizes, make sure you’re subscribed. This is where the draft conversation starts—and where you’ll stay a step ahead of everyone else.

Let’s dive in.

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Top 25 Overall

1. Caleb Downs, SAF, Ohio State

2. Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami

3. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

4. Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

5. Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State

6. Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama

7. Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

8. Peter Woods, DL, Clemson

9. Dante Moore, QB, Oregon

10. Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami

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The trade deadline always tells you who’s chasing rings and who’s chasing quarterbacks. Now that the dust has settled, the draft order — and team priorities — are starting to come into focus. Some front offices sold off veterans for future picks, others doubled down for a playoff run. Either way, the moves made this week will echo all the way to April.

So with half a season of tape and a new landscape across the league, here’s how the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft might look after the deadline reshuffle.

1. New Orleans Saints — Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

If the Saints decide the second-half audition at quarterback by rookie Tyler Shough isn’t worthy of a longer leash in 2026, the team will be wise to jump at the strong-armed, pocket presence of Mendoza to run Kellen Moore’s offense.

2. Tennessee Titans — Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami

The Titans are a prime trade down candidate as the team needs picks as much as it needs high-end prospects. Bain is a complete pass-rusher with the power to be a run-down asset, too. This isn’t a one-year rebuild in Tennessee, though, and help for quarterback Cam Ward is the biggest priority.

3. New York Jets — Dante Moore, QB, Oregon

It’s clear that Justin Fields is not the franchise quarterback for the Jets, and the team’s addition of three first-round draft picks via the trade deadline is proof of that. Moore, who might be a 2027 prospect, has a live arm and the mobility needed to make plays in the pros.

4. Miami Dolphins — Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama

Simpson is a first-year starter at Alabama but he’s playing with timing and anticipation that no other quarterback in the country is showing. Should be decide to jump into the 2026 draft class, it’s likely he would be a very early pick. And in Miami, it’s clear that Tua Tagovailoa isn’t the answer.

5. New York Giants — Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami

A right tackle is a sure-fire way to boost this offense that was showing tons of promise before injury struck. Imagine a well-protected Jaxson Dart in 2026 with Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo healthy?

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The Indiana Hoosiers are 7-1, ranked No. 2 in the country, and the hottest name in college football isn’t a five-star blue-chipper—it’s Fernando Mendoza, the 6’5” transfer quarterback who’s torching defenses at a historic clip and suddenly looks like the 2026 NFL Draft’s QB1.

24 touchdowns. 3 interceptions. A 191.0 passer rating. And he’s just getting started.

In this exclusive scouting report, we break down why NFL teams are already circling Bloomington, how Mendoza’s game translates to Sundays, and whether his meteoric rise is sustainable—or the real deal.

Read the full report—and get every deep-dive draft profile, film breakdown, and insider update delivered straight to your inbox.

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Hey gang!

It’s time for our yearly raffle to raise funds to buy Christmas gifts for needy children in SW Missouri through the 15 Percent foundation.

This year we’re raffling off a Yeti Roadie 32 Hard Cooler, and you choose which NFL team logo is on it. They retail for $425 and are the ultimate tailgate cooler thanks to the wheels and telescoping handle.

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Hey gang!

It’s time for our yearly raffle to raise funds to buy Christmas gifts for needy children in SW Missouri through the 15 Percent foundation.

This year we’re raffling off a Yeti Roadie 32 Hard Cooler, and you choose which NFL team logo is on it. They retail for $425 and are the ultimate tailgate cooler thanks to the wheels and telescoping handle.

Read more

As the 2025 college football season barrels toward its midpoint, the hype machine for the 2026 NFL Draft has sputtered to a halt. What was billed as a deep, quarterback-rich class—poised to deliver multiple first-round signal-callers and blue-chip talents across the board—has instead delivered a string of head-scratching performances, injuries, and outr…

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Want to know how a rookie is fitting into his new scheme? Curious about a college prospect’s draft stock? Need fantasy trade advice bef…

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The 2026 NFL Draft class is already stacking up to be loaded with talent, and we’ve broken it down for you—position by position, with the top five names you need to know right now. From quarterbacks with star power to defensive disruptors who’ll dominate Sundays, this early watchlist sets the stage for the season ahead.

And here’s the best part: you don’t need to miss a single update. For a limited time, you can unlock all of our scouting reports, mock drafts, player rankings, and inside intel for just $1/month. Whether you’re brand new or making a comeback, this deal gets you in the door for less than the price of a Gatorade.

Dive in, argue with your friends, and get smarter about the draft—because the road to 2026 starts here with an updated Top 25 list plus scouting reports on our top five players at each position.

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Updated Top 25 Overall

The college season is almost at the one-month mark, and we’ve already seen a ton of changes as players have risen to the challenge and others have fallen off or suffered injuries that caused their stock to fall. And also—sometimes players just don’t live up to expectations or take the next step in their development. And at quarterback, we’re seeing a lot of that!

These rankings are based on previous seasons and current play—they’re not a prediction of where things will be in April 2026.

1. Caleb Downs, SAF, Ohio State

2. Rueben Bain, EDGE, Miami

3. Spencer Fano, OT, Utah

4. Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami

5. Peter Woods, DT, Clemson

6. Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas

7. Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn

8. John Mateer, QB, Oklahoma

9. T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson

10. Dante Moore, QB, Oregon

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Buckle up, NFL fans! Week 1 of the 2025 season delivered jaw-dropping performances and shocking upsets that have us rethinking the entire 2026 NFL Draft landscape. From breakout stars stealing the spotlight to blue-chip prospects raising red flags, our latest mock draft dives into the wildest overreactions that could reshape team futures.

Subscribe now to get ahead of the curve and join the draft frenzy!

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1. New Orleans Saints — Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU

Spencer Rattler didn’t play poorly in Week 1, but you know how this goes. The team picking No. 1 overall either uses it on a quarterback or trades it to a team that needs one. Nussmeier is an ideal fit for Kellen Moore and offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier (dad of Garrett) and is playing the best of any quarterback prospect right now.

2. New England Patriots — Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn

A game-changing wide receiver would be our pick here if one existed in this draft class. Instead, the Patriots get a dynamic defensive line prospect who can play inside/outside with equal success thanks to his power at 285 pounds and quickness around the edge.

3. New York Jets — Caleb Downs, SAF, Ohio State

Downs might be the best player in college football. Aaron Glenn would have a field day scheming up ways to use the next Kyle Hamilton in his secondary. Addressing the offense was a thought, but Justin Fields played well enough to keep the naysayers away for another week.

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Week 1 was about first impressions. Week 2 was about proving whether those impressions were real. Some quarterbacks stepped forward and delivered in big moments, others stumbled under the lights, and a few defenders made their presence impossible to ignore. The picture isn’t complete yet, but the draft storylines are starting to take shape — and they’re only getting juicier.

1. Lead Item: What’s Going On At Quarterback

Week 3 gave us no clarity on the 2026 quarterback class. Four big names over the summer have given us glimpses of big play, but haven’t found consistency yet. Cade Klubnik (Clemson), Garrett Nussmeier (LSU), LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina), and Sam Leavitt (Arizona State) are often discussed as the top quarterbacks for this upcoming class, but how have they actually looked?

Below is our updated analysis focusing on Cade Klubnik, LaNorris Sellers, Garrett Nussmeier, and Sam Leavitt as quarterback prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft, addressing the question of what’s “wrong” with them based on their performances and scouting reports through Week 2 of the 2025 college football season.

Cade Klubnik (Clemson)

Strengths: Klubnik, a senior, has been a cornerstone for Clemson, showcasing significant growth in 2024 with 3,639 passing yards, 36 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions, leading the Tigers to an ACC Championship and a College Football Playoff appearance. His performance against Texas in the 2024 CFP (336 yards, 3 TDs) highlighted his ability to operate in rhythm, make quick reads, and deliver with poise. Scouts praise his experience (nearly 40 starts), clean mechanics, and ability to leverage Clemson’s talented receiving corps, which returns its top three targets in 2025. He’s a consensus top QB prospect, often ranked as QB1 or QB2 for 2026 among media scouts, but NFL teams are less sure of him.

What’s “Wrong”: Klubnik’s Week 1 performance in 2025 against LSU was concerning, completing just 19-of-38 passes (50%) for 230 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception in a 17-10 loss. His struggles against LSU’s aggressive defense exposed ongoing issues with arm strength, as he failed to drive the ball consistently into tight windows or stretch the field vertically. His 6’2”, 210-pound frame is adequate but not ideal for the NFL, and he tends to take sacks outside the pocket (13 in 2024, fifth-most in FBS), reflecting questionable decision-making under pressure. To maintain his top-10 draft projection, Klubnik must rebound in games like the upcoming matchup against LaNorris Sellers and South Carolina, proving he can handle elite defenses.

2026 Draft Outlook: Klubnik is a projected first-round pick, potentially top-10, but his Week 1 performance dropped him behind Sellers in some rankings. If he doesn’t address concerns about arm strength and consistency in high-stakes games, he risks slipping to Day 2. His experience gives him an edge over younger QBs, but he needs to capitalize on it.

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