Week 1 of the 2025 college football season showcases top prospects from the 2026 NFL draft class, including Arch Manning, Caleb Downs, Garrett Nussmeier and Peter Woods. The 2026 draft remains nearly eight months away, but early forecasting expects a strong quarterback group. Historically, six first-round quarterbacks occurred only in 1983 and 2024; 2026 could mirror that pattern with six QBs taken in Round 1. Arch Manning's unclear draft status introduces uncertainty. Key questions include how many quarterbacks will go on Day 1, which schools could dominate the draft, and which prospects will headline the class.
I can't wait to see some of the top prospects from the 2026 NFL draft class in action. Texas quarterback Arch Manning facing off against Ohio State safety Caleb Downs? LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier vs. defensive tackle Peter Woods and a loaded Clemson defense? This is going to be fun. Now, it's really early. The 2026 draft is still almost eight months away.
We've seen six quarterbacks selected in Round 1 only twice in the common draft era (since 1967). The first was in 1983, a few years after I began evaluating prospects. That class featured John Elway, Jim Kelly and Dan Marino. The second time came more than 40 years later in 2024, when Caleb Williams led six QBs taken inside the opening 12 picks. After this year's draft produced only two first-round quarterbacks, I think the position could boom again in 2026
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