Ranking the top 10 quarterback in college football entering the 2026 season.
With elite stars like Fernando Mendoza, Ty Simpson, and Carson Beck leaving college football to pursue an NFL career (and at least one leaving the NFL to play college football) the stage is set for new talent to step into the spotlight.
There is no need for concern, however, as plenty of stars are ready to emerge, particularly these 10 quarterbacks.
Top 10 Quarterbacks in College Football
1. Dante Moore (Oregon)
2025 Stats:
Passing Yards | Passing TDs | Interceptions | Completion % | Passer Rating |
3,565 | 30 | 10 | 71.8 | 163.7 |
University of Oregon quarterback Dante Moore is the top quarterback in college football ahead of the 2026 season. Moore was nearly a top-five pick in the 2026 NFL Draft but opted to return to Oregon for his junior year.
Moore is a pure pocket passer who possesses the arm talent to make every throw to any part of the field. He can throw deep, throw with anticipation, and work through progressions like an NFL quarterback. The Ducks quarterback has a strong arm, though his mobility is not considered elite.
2. Trinidad Chambliss (Ole Miss)
2025 Stats:
Passing Yards | Passing TDs | Interceptions | Completion % | Passer Rating |
3,937 | 22 | 3 | 66.1 | 155.3 |
Trinidad Chambliss has become an SEC star after his high-profile transition from Division II Ferris State to Ole Miss. Chambliss is a dynamic dual-threat quarterback who is known for extending plays, using his field awareness to evade tacklers and create opportunities under pressure. He is an elusive, improvisational runner who also possesses elite arm talent.
Chambliss led the SEC in passing yards and guided the Rebels to the College Football Playoff semifinals. The quarterback was named SEC Newcomer of the Year, won the Conerly Trophy, and finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting last season.
3. Julian Sayin (Ohio State)
2025 Stats:
Passing Yards | Passing TDs | Interceptions | Completion % | Passer Rating |
3,610 | 32 | 8 | 77.0 | 177.5 |
Julian Sayin is another elite pocket passer who spent a semester under Nick Saban at Alabama before transferring to Ohio State following the legendary coach's retirement ahead of the 2024 season.
Sayin led college football in completion percentage thanks to the incredible hands of his standout wide receivers and also boasted the nation's highest passer rating. Sayin looks outstanding at Ohio State, but the question remains as to how much those numbers are a product of his environment in Columbus.
4. CJ Carr (Notre Dame)
2025 Stats:
Passing Yards | Passing TDs | Interceptions | Completion % | Passer Rating |
2,741 | 24 | 6 | 66.6 | 168.1 |
Carr had a productive freshman season with the Fighting Irish, but with the team's running backs, Jeremiyah Love (third in 2025 Heisman voting) and Jadarian Price, now in the NFL, the Fighting Irish offense will lean significantly more on Carr in 2026.
Carr is the preseason favourite to win the Heisman Trophy in 2026 due to his elite arm talent and pocket presence. Carr is known as something of a football savant, capable of changing protections and putting his team in a position to succeed before the ball is even snapped.
5. Arch Manning (Texas)
2025 Stats:
Passing Yards | Passing TDs | Interceptions | Completion % | Passer Rating |
3,163 | 26 | 7 | 61.4 | 144.9 |
Peyton and Eli Manning's nephew, Arch Manning, possesses some of the best physical traits in the country, but his performances have not quite lived up to the hype.
Manning is a modern, dual-threat quarterback who uses his size to his advantage in the run game. The junior also has incredible arm talent reminiscent of his uncles, capable of making throws into tight windows. With an improved offence around him in 2026, Manning is poised for a huge breakout season before taking his talents to the NFL.
6. Darian Mensah (Miami)
2025 Stats:
Passing Yards | Passing TDs | Interceptions | Completion % | Passer Rating |
3,973 | 34 | 6 | 66.8 | 153.6 |
Mensah has been putting up incredible numbers at smaller programs (Tulane and Duke) over the past two seasons, but he arrives in Miami under significant pressure to replicate the National Championship run led by Carson Beck last year.
Darian Mensah is a talented all-round quarterback, blending arm strength with intelligent pre-snap processing and improvisational mobility. The question surrounding Mensah is whether he can dominate against the highest levels of competition when the lights are brightest.
7. Drew Mestemaker (Oklahoma State)
2025 Stats:
Passing Yards | Passing TDs | Interceptions | Completion % | Passer Rating |
4,379 | 34 | 9 | 68.9 | 168.7 |
At the University of North Texas last year, Drew Mestemaker led college football passing yards and touchdowns. The sophomore quarterback will take a step up to Oklahoma State this season, with expectations of turning the program around in a hurry.
Mestemaker's accuracy and rapid processing should facilitate his transition to playing against bigger and faster defenses in the Big 12, and he will be able to show the nation just how good he is at playing the position.
8. John Mateer (Oklahoma)
2025 Stats:
Passing Yards | Passing TDs | Interceptions | Completion % | Passer Rating |
2,885 | 14 | 11 | 62.2 | 129.4 |
Although John Mateer's numbers do not pop off the page, he did lead the Sooners to a 10-2 record (6-2 in the SEC) and a College Football Playoff bid while playing through a broken bone in his throwing hand.
Mateer is as tough as they get and possesses a charisma that draws comparisons to Oklahoma legend Baker Mayfield. If Mateer can reduce his interceptions, he will likely be in the Heisman Trophy conversation at the end of the year
9. Jayden Maiava (USC)
2025 Stats:
Passing Yards | Passing TDs | Interceptions | Completion % | Passer Rating |
3,711 | 24 | 10 | 65.8 | 157.8 |
USC senior Jayden Maiava is a rare player who could either climb draft boards significantly or fall completely out of contention based on his performance in 2026. Maiava is a big, physical quarterback, but he is not considered a dangerous runner outside of short-yardage gains.
He is a gunslinger who throws an excellent deep ball and loves pushing the ball deep downfield. Like Mateer, if he can avoid throwing a high volume of interceptions this year, he is poised for a statistically impressive season.
10. Marcel Reed (Texas A&M)
2025 Stats:
Passing Yards | Passing TDs | Interceptions | Completion % | Passer Rating |
3,169 | 25 | 12 | 62.1 | 148.2 |
Everyone knew Marcel Reed would be a threat with his legs at Texas A&M, but his 25 passing touchdowns took the SEC somewhat by surprise. Reed's dual-threat ability makes him nearly impossible to game plan against.
Reed led A&M to an 11–0 start last season, but the campaign ended poorly with a loss to Texas, followed by a defeat to Miami in the College Football Playoff, where the Aggies failed to score a single touchdown. In those final two games, Reed threw four interceptions and zero touchdowns. If, like me, you believe in the form shown during the first 11 games of the year, Reed is well-positioned to bounce back for a strong 2026 season.
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