Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza (6-foot-5, 225 pounds) didn’t receive much hype in the preseason. He now looks like a lock to go No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2026 draft after winning the Heisman Trophy and leading the Hoosiers to the national championship game. Hoover could follow a similar path under Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti, a QB guru.
In 12 games for the TCU Horned Frogs in 2025, Hoover completed an above-average 65.9% of his passes for 3,472 yards, 29 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions. NFL teams may have concerns about his stature (6-foot-2, 200 pounds), but his arm and touch could help him overcome his unideal size.
“Hoover can match his quiet feet with an explosive throwing motion, and his quick release allows him to get the ball to the perimeter with a flick of his wrist,” wrote ESPN’s Jordan Reid in October. “That release helps him squeeze throws into tight windows, and he has a high-level understanding of which type of ball speed he needs when attacking all portions of the field.”
Sellers (6-foot-3, 240 pounds) looks the part of an NFL QB and may be the most athletic passer in the class. Before the start of the 2025 season, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported the South Carolina star ran a 40-yard dash between 4.4 and 4.5 seconds in offseason testing.
A QB, however, must beat defenses with his arm, and Sellers struggled to do that in 2025. In 12 games, he completed a career-low 60.8% of his passes for 2,437 yards, 13 TDs and eight interceptions.
If Sellers improves as a passer in 2026, expect his stock to skyrocket. The QB has all the tools scouts covet.
“There’s just not many quarterbacks in the history of football who have Sellers’ combination of size and agility,” wrote CBS Sports’ Mike Renner in a preseason scouting report. “It’s truly special.”
3. Dante Moore, Oregon Ducks
Moore (6-foot-3, 206 pounds) returning to school is a bit of a gamble. Had he declared for the 2026 draft, the Oregon standout would’ve likely been a top-three pick. In a deeper QB class, that’s no longer a guarantee.
That said, Moore still projects as a potential first-round pick in 2027. In 2025, he completed a stellar 71.8% of his passes for 3,565 yards, 30 TD passes and 10 interceptions, leading the Ducks to the College Football Playoff semifinals.
“Like [Houston Texans star C.J. Stroud], Moore is a gifted and natural passer,” wrote Fox Sports’ Rob Rang in a story published Jan. 1. “He has a snappy release, and the ball simply explodes out of his hand.”
Sayin (6-foot-1, 208 pounds) benefits from playing on a stacked team that includes star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. But unlike the kid who does nothing in a group project and still receives an A, the QB did his part for the Buckeyes.
Sayin was named a Heisman finalist in his first season as a starter, completing an FBS-leading 77% of his passes for 3,610 yards, 32 TD passes and eight interceptions.
“It helps when you’re throwing to NFL-level wide receivers — I get that,” wrote The Athletic’s Dane Brugler before the Heisman ceremony. “However, it still takes a talented QB to see the field, manage the pocket and put the ball in a spot where his monster pass-catchers can make plays.”
Yes, Manning (6-foot-4, 219 pounds) struggled to live up to unrealistic expectations early in the 2025 season, but he came on strong down the stretch. He led the Longhorns to a 10-3 record, culminating in a 41-27 win over the Michigan Wolverines in the Citrus Bowl, where he rushed for a 60-yard TD late in the fourth quarter.