A trio of SEC stars sit atop our 2026 NFL Draft QB prospect rankings after two weeks of college football play.
Leading the way is LaNorris Sellers of South Carolina, followed by LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier and Texas’ Arch Manning.
Oklahoma’s John Mateer is the big riser this week.
Week 2 of the season had fewer ranked matchups than the first week. Oklahoma and Michigan loomed as the lone game between two ranked opponents and did not disappoint.
It was another week of film for the top players in the 2026 NFL Draft class, quarterbacks included. A much deeper class than 2025 could see a handful of passers drafted in the first round.
Week 2 didn’t see much change as SEC quarterbacks held the top three spots in the rankings with solid to OK performances. The biggest riser came from that ranked matchup as John Mateer’s game against Michigan bumps him ahead of two other passers.
We’ll be following the top players at the position throughout the season and updating our rankings in the wake of weekly results.
2026 NFL Draft QB prospect rankings
1. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina (last week: 1)
Week 2 vs. South Carolina State: 11-19 (57.9%) passing, 128 yards, one touchdown; six carries, 28 yards, one fumble
South Carolina needed a special teams touchdown to kick-start the team and get past visiting South Carolina State in the Gamecocks’ home opener.
Sellers showed out well in Week 1 against Virginia Tech but wasn’t quite on the same mark in Week 2. He threw deep more with an average depth of target (ADOT) of 11.0 yards compared to 7.9 in Week 1, per Pro Football Focus. Yet he only had 128 passing yards and faced fewer pressures than against the Hokies.
He could’ve scored a touchdown as runner on a key third-down conversion in the opening drive of the second half. Instead, he ran into the lone defender – occupied by a Gamecocks wide receiver who was blocking – left between him and the end zone. That shows a potential worrying trend that he showed in Week 1, when he ran into contact that kept him from scoring instead of moving around it to score.
Still, in a down week for most of the top quarterbacks in the class, Sellers retains his No. 1 spot. The Gamecocks stay home in Week 3 for a game against 2-0 Vanderbilt.
2. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU (last week: 2)
Week 2 vs. Louisiana Tech: 26-41 (63.4%) passing, 237 yards, one touchdown, one interception
Nussmeier followed his outstanding showing against Clemson with a solid game against Louisiana Tech. The game plan was vastly different than what the Tigers did in Week 1; Nussmeier’s ADOT was 9.1 yards, more than double what it was against Clemson (4.4).
He started off a bit scattershot with unsettled feet. An overthrow with a clean pocket that would’ve been a chunk gain to Barion Brown in the first quarter stands out. He found his rhythm more in the second half as the Tigers eventually pulled away for a 23-7 win.
Nussmeier had relatively clear pockets but stood tall against pressure to deliver, including when the Tigers were backed up in their own territory. This wasn’t Nussmeier’s best game statistically as the Louisiana Tech secondary played physically against the Tigers’ wideouts. He still made enough throws to keep his standing at No. 2.
LSU has Florida up next in its first SEC matchup of the season.
3. Arch Manning, Texas (last week: 3)
Week 2 vs. San Jose State: 19-30 (63.3%) passing, 295 yards, four touchdowns, one interception; three carries, 30 yards, one touchdown, one fumble
Manning’s scoring spree in Week 2 improves his outlook in general but, given the level of competition, doesn’t bump him up the rankings.
He played with a lot more confidence against San Jose State but still had some of the issues we saw in Week 1 against Ohio State. His footwork impacted his accuracy even with more open throws on offer against the visiting Spartans.
Manning and the Longhorns face UTEP at home this week. It should be another opportunity for him to build on his improvements from the San Jose State game.
4. Drew Allar, Penn State (last week: 4)
Week 2 vs. FIU: 19-33 (57.6%) passing, 200 yards, two touchdowns
Allar had a strong start to the year against Nevada but, like Nussmeier and Sellers, some issues cropped up in Week 2 – along with the flashes that scouts like to see.
His footwork was inconsistent at times and that caused the ball to miss the mark, hence his nearly 30-point drop in completion percentage. Penn State pushed the ball on Saturday and Allar had a 9.1-yard ADOT but missed the mark more than you’d like.
Still, his second touchdown was one of the reasons why scouts and fans alike should be excited about his potential. Allar faked a handoff and powered a ball 55 yards in the air to Devonte Ross in the end zone for the score.
When he’s right, it’s quite right. Allar and Penn State have a tune-up against Villanova before their bye week and a showdown at home against Oregon.
5. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (last week: 5)
Week 2 vs. Kennesaw State: 18-25 (72%) passing, 245 yards, four touchdowns; three carries, 20 yards
Mendoza wasted no time showing off both his passing and running skills against Kennesaw State. He led consecutive touchdown drives in the first quarter and capped off the second with a nicely-placed slot fade to Elijah Sarratt.
That duo connected multiple times on Saturday – including three touchdowns. The last score came on a wide open shot up the middle to extend the lead.
Mendoza’s settling in at Indiana after transferring from Cal. His footwork looked improved overall in Week 2 and that showed in his high completion percentage. The Hoosiers have one more game against an unranked opponent – Indiana State – in Week 3 before taking on their first ranked team of the season in No. 9 Illinois. That game will be crucial for his evaluation.
6. John Mateer, Oklahoma (last week: 8)
Week 2 vs. Michigan: 21-34 (61.8%) passing, 270 yards, one touchdown, one interception; 19 carries, 75 yards, two touchdowns
Mateer jumps up the rankings after putting on a great showing against a good Michigan defense in Week 2 following his historic performance against Illinois State in Week 1.
Mateer showcased his pocket mobility and varied arm slots against the Wolverines. He was more aggressive than the other passers on this list and it could’ve come back to bite him. It didn’t this time, leaving him a great performance both as a passer and a runner in Week 2.
A crucial third-down conversion stands out as his best play in the Sooners’ 24-13 win over the Wolverines.
Oklahoma heads on the road for the first time in Week 3 for a game against Temple.
7. Cade Klubnik, Clemson (last week: 6)
Week 2 vs. Troy: 18-24 (75%) passing, 196 yards, two touchdowns, one interception; four rushes, 7 yards
The Tigers were nearly upset at home by Troy and had to roar back from a 16-3 halftime deficit to win 27-16. Klubnik and the offense as a whole started slow in the first quarter.
His footwork was troubling early on and a tipped pass became a 4-yard pick-six to put the Tigers down 16-0. That’s a tough start against an unranked opponent.
To his credit, Klubnik came back in the second half. One of his best throws of the night came against pressure up the middle with a 34-yard dime to Bryant Wesco Jr. for a touchdown.
He’s yet to put together a complete game but there’s still plenty of time for that. Clemson heads on the road to face Georgia Tech in its ACC opener this week.
8. Taylen Green, Arkansas (last week: NR)
Week 2 vs. Arkansas State: 17-26 (65.4%) passing, 239 yards, four touchdowns, two interceptions; nine carries, 151 yards, one touchdown
Green makes his debut on this ranking behind another multi-touchdown performance in Week 2. At 6-foot-6 and 235 pounds, he’s similar in size to Sellers with outstanding athleticism, as well.
He leads the FBS in passing touchdowns after his four on Saturday. He showed off his athleticism on one play by scrambling for a first down (and hurdling a defender) before firing a shot to Jalen Brown from 8 yards out for a touchdown.
Green’s dual threat abilities and production have him on the radar early in the season. This week’s game against Ole Miss on the road will be massive for his draft outlook.
Next two up: Sam Leavitt, Arizona; Nico Iamaleava, UCLA