Arch Manning and other top rookie QBs on the Rams radar for the 2026 NFL Draft

It's far too early to gauge when the Los Angeles Rams' projected 10 draft picks in the 2026 NFL Draft will fall, but one thing is certain. The Rams have never had this much draft ammunition since the team hired HC Sean McVay in 2017. While that is plenty to be excited about, it only gets better from here.

Breaking down the three day event in terms of the number of picks, we have:

Day 1
2 Round 1 picks
Day 2
1 Round 2 pick
1 Round 3 pick
Day 3
2 Round 5 picks
2 Round 6 picks
2 Round 7 picks

While 10 picks may seem like plenty of ammunition, the team has a knack for spending picks quickly if they deem a rookie prospect worth trading up for. In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Rams entered the event armed with eight draft picks. And after the first day of the event, the team had abstained from making any selections, but had traded back to gain an additional pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, plus a Round 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Still, those nine draft picks resulted in just six rookie selections.

The Rams did not follow the scripts laid out by NFL draft analysts. The team was expected to select a cornerback, a quarterback, and an offensive tackle in the 2025 NFL Draft. The team did not address any of those positions. That may seem confusing to fans who identify ideal fits for this team, but the Rams always seem to be three or four moves ahead of other NFL teams. It could very likely be that the team merely deferred selecting rookie cornerbacks, quarterbacks, or offensive tackles until the 2026 NFL Draft.

While we will investigate cornerback and offensive tackle prospects in future articles, it's time to peer into the crystal ball and scry what the future may hold for the Rams chances of selecting a rookie franchise quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft:

Quarterback prospects are definitely on the menu in the 2026 NFL Draft

There is an entire season of college football to be played, so it's very likely that the frontrunners who position themselves for an early selection in the upcoming draft have yet to be identified. After all, at this time a year ago, Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders was a front-runner at quarterback for the rookie class of 2025, and he fell all the way to Round 5.

Still, it's never too early to project top-rated quarterbacks. There are two reasons for this. First, early identification gives every fan the option to follow their favorite rookie quarterback prospects' progress and performances throughout their final collegiate season, and have a deep understanding of which prospects may fit the Rams offense.

A second reason for early detection is to arm readers with independent information, arming anyone who wishes to do so with enough information to be professionally skeptical when the myriad of draft profiles start appearing after the new year rolls around.

So, who should Rams fans place on their radar? Pro Football Focus had its list ready to go nearly two months ago. They nominate these 10 rookie quarterback prospects to track through their 2025 NCAA football seasons:

But there are other Top 10 rookie quarterback lists. Fox Sports NFL draft analyst Joel Klatt has generated his own list of Top 10 quarterbacks.

There are many other lists that either have been generated, or will be published, before the 2026 NFL Draft arrives.

(1) - Texas QB Arch Manning

For anyone who wants to argue that the NFL Draft process has been refined to a science, the fact that seldom played Texas quarterback Arch Manning is a perfect example of its many flaws. Just like consumers who are willing to pay top dollar for a name-recognized brand, NFL teams and analysts recognize the Manning pedigree and presume that he will follow the family legacy of grandfather Archie Manning, uncles Peyton and Eli.

And he may very well meet or exceed expectations.

This 6-foot-4, 225-pound Texas Longhorn quarterback has yet to have the mantle of starting quarterback thrust upon him. In two years of college football, he has completed 63 of 95 passes for 969 passing yards, nine touchdowns, and two interceptions. He can run as well, carrying the football 28 times for 115 yards and four rushing touchdowns.

He is instinctively and genetically robust in the pocket, and unless he has a horrific season in 2025, he will be earmarked among the top three overall prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. But nobody knows whether Manning will declare for the 2026 NFL Draft. If he does, he will be one of the top prospects in the draft.

Projected: Top 5 overall prospect

(2) - Clemson QB Cade Klubnik

While Arch Manning is getting an amazing amount of buzz early in the 2026 draft cycle from name recognition alone, Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik is doing so the old-fashioned way. He is earning positive buzz by playing hard. Standing 6-foot-2 and tipping the scales at 210 pounds, Klubnik is entering his fourth season with the Clemson Tigers.

He checks all of the boxes: A solid quarterback prospect who has shown steady growth and improvement in his college career; the ability to scramble, threatening defenses with the ability to move the chains and score with his legs, and an amazingly effective deep ball that will have every NFL offensive coordinator drooling for the chance to add him to the roster.

Klubnik may not fall far enough for the Rams to select him, but he already exhibits traits that make him an ideal franchise quarterback in the Rams offense. He is the master of chaos, a quarterback who never loses his cool when a play breaks down While gifted with the mobility to move the chains, he keeps eyes fixed downfield to find the open receiver. And he has the pure arm strength to launch the football coast-to-coast, ensuring that defenses that get too excited about pursuing the quarterback pay a dear price for doing so.

Like any rookie prospect in his first year, he arrives with minor flaws that will need to be coached out of him. But Cade Klubnik is a quarterback who should be on every Rams radar this season.

Projected: Top 10 overall prospect

(3) - Penn State QB Drew Allar

One of the methods I love to 'check' myself with whenever evaluating rookie quarterback prospects is to determine how well received their receiver teammates hold up whenever they enter their respective NFL drafts. When that evaluation is applied to Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, he comes out smelling like a rose. After all, he threw the football to TE Tyler Warren, a 2025 NFL Draft tight end who was selected with the 15th overall pick in Round 1 by the Indianapolis Colts.

If you want a rugged, powerful, and durable quarterback on the Rams roster, then Drew Allar is your guy. He stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 238 pounds, and may be even taller when he competes in the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. Allar excels at pocket presence, making the right decisions and maintaining the determination to gain positive yards on every play.

Much like Klubnik, Allar has shown steady growth and development, has a robust body of work at the highest level of competition in college football, and can threaten defenses with his passing arm or by pulling the ball down and rushing for a first down or a touchdown. Allar is the first rookie quarterback prospect projected to fall far enough to be a viable option for the Rams, even if the team elects to spend just one of two Round 1 picks on a quarterback. There is a lot to love about Drew Allar right now.

Still, keep an eye on his touchdowns to interceptions ratio. It regressed significantly in 2024. If it continues in a negative trend in 2025, he could find his stock falling rapidly in the draft.

Projected: Mid-Round 1 selection

(4) - LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier was a backup for three seasons. But when he finally had the opportunity to start for the LSU Tigers, the unanimous question posed by NFL draft analysts around the country was: Why didn't he start sooner?

Slightly undersized at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Nussmeier looks more like a wide receiver than quarterback, but don't let your eyes fool you. He is every bit the NFL rookie prospect quarterback, and his 2024 NCAA season performance confirmed it. He completed a whopping 337 out of 525 passes for 4,052 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He is a pocket passer, and only has enough scramble in him to extend plays.

Despite his willingness to sit in the pocket, do not consider him a sitting duck. He can more, and throws with laser-guided accuracy even when on the move. He is a passing offenses dream-come-true, showcasing an ability to throw with ideal touch, make instant decisions to defeat blitzes, and can even beat defenses consistently with the deep ball. He buries the needle with leadership in the huddle and on the football field.

And then, there's this:

He may not fall to the Rams in the 2026 NFL Draft, but many fans will wish that he will.

Projected: Top 10 prospect

(5) - Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt

Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt is entering his third NCAA football season, which creates the chance that he may not elect to enter the 2026 NFL Draft. But if he continues his growth and development, he will be one of the more coveted rookie prospects in the 2026 rookie quarterback class.

He is already dropping jaws and raising eyebrows with his elite ball security. While he has thrown eight interceptions, only five throws that were picked off were on him. The other three were the result of receivers allowing the football to hit their hands before caroming off into the outstretched arms of a defensive back.

Keep the fact that he threw to Arizona State WR Tet McMillan in the back of your mind. That should give you an idea of just how good he can perform in the NFL.

He has a canon for a throwing arm, hitting receivers on eight 50+ yard plays. His accuracy is superb,l as he had two consecutive three-touchdown performances without throwing a singler interception. While his 6-foot-2 and 200-pound size may seem a bit undersized for an NFL quarterback, he has the speed to punish overly aggressive pass rushes by moving the chains or even running it in for a score.

Leavitt may sneak into Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft if he declares. But he could be a superb default prospect for a team that is looking for a quarterback in Round 1, but is unable to land one.

Projected: Early Round 2

(6) - Miami QB Carson Beck

It's ironic that the Georgia quarterback who backed up QB Stetson Bennett is now playing in his final NCAA football season, but college football has become a bit of an enigma of late. Beck was the starting quarterback for the Georgia Bulldogs after Bennett was drafted by the Rams. While he exhibits a prototypical size for a successful NFL quarterback, he never seemed to align with his offense to enjoy similar success as Bennett.

He has transferred to the Miami Hurricanes for the 2025 NCAA season, his sixth season of college football.

Beck did not start until teammate Stetson Bennett declared for the 2023 NFL Draft. Since taking over, Beck has put up a solid body of work that should intrigue NFL teams. His size of 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds is big enough to meet the typical NFL QB standards. But Rams fans can rightfully ask why Stetson Bennett won the starting job for two consecutive seasons.

Beck is good, but not elite. He has good passing mechanics, but can miss his mark on deep routes. While he can be effective at eluding pressure, he is a pocket passer, and is limited to shuffling and lateral movement to evade the pass rush. Perhaps worst of all, he regressed as a starter in 2024.

If he dominates in the Miami Hurricanes offense in 2025, he could be a dark horse for a Round 1 selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. But if he merely puts up similar numbers as a starter, he could find his draft stock tumble.

Projection: Round 3

(7) - South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers

South Carolina Gamecocks rookie quarterback prospect LaNorris Sellers is the third player who is entering his third season of college football, which opens the possibility of him not electing to enter the 2026 NFL Draft. Still, he is trending in the right way, and his 6-foot-3 242-pound form exudes the power and durability that NFL teams love to have in a young quarterback.

As a starter in 2024, Sellers managed to complete 65.6 percent of his passes for 2,534 yards, 18 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also manage to run for 674 yards and seven rushing touchdowns.

If you need an NFL quarterback comparison, think Michael Vick. While Sellers can beat you with his running, he can easily hurl the football 60 yards downfield with a flip of his wrist. That is something that simply cannot be coached. And he already has superb processing speed, textbook throwing motion, and can convert busted plays into huge gains.

Best of all, he will turn 21 after his juniro season. If he declares for the 2026 NFL Draft, multiple teams will have him very high on their big board.

Projection: Mid-Round 1

(8) - UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava

I don't have to name UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava as a potential rookie quarterback prospect who intrigues the Los Angeles Rams. The fact that he will compete in the Rams backyard will automatically place him on the team's radar. And any rookie quarterback prospect who stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 215 pounds will draw interest from all 32 NFL teams. So it's not as though this young man will sneak into the 2026 NFL Draft undetected.

But Iamaleava is another college football quarterback who is competing in his third college football season. He played his first two seasons for the Tennessee Volunteers, where he started in his second season and showed enough moxy in the pocket to be viewed as a very promising prospect for the upcoming draft.

Iamaleava would love to sit in the pocket and pick secondaries apart. But if the pocket breaks down, he has the wheels and speed to pull the ball down and run for daylight. At 6-foot-6, his giraffe-like legs can chew up a lot of real estate rather quickly. His throwing already has him among the most talked-about rookie prospects. He has amazing arm strength, is very elusive in the pocket, and yet still has an incredibly swift release.

If he has a solid season, his stock will skyrocket. Even now, he is a solid get.

Projection: Mid-Round 1

(9) - Arkansas QB Taylen Green

The Rams love to add rookie prospects who transfer from smaller college football programs to larger college football programs and continue to flourish. That being said, you have to place former Boise State-turned Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green on the Rams radar. Green boasts an incredible stature of 6-foot-6, while tipping the scales at 230 pounds. He was not a standout with Boise State, but he did position himself to be a rising star with an impressive season with the Arkansas Razorbacks in 2024.

Green is entering his fifth season of college football, but to be considered one of the top quarterback prospects of the 2026 NFL Draft, he will need to show up in a big way this season for the Razorback, and then perform well in one of the post-season feature bowls that give rookie prospects a chance to shine against the nation's top competitors.

Green is on track to deliver.

Viewed as one of the most athletic quarterbacks in the queue for the 2026 NFL Draft, Green offers NFL offenses passing and running skills. In 2024, he threw for 3,154 yards, 15 touchdowns, and nine interceptions while rushing for 602 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. To secure a top-tier draft projection Green need to increase passing yards and touchdowns, while limiting turnovers. If he can do that, he could hear his name called out on Day 1.

Projection: Round 4

(10) - Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza

The jury is split on former California-to-Indiana Hoosiers rookie quarterback prospect Fernando Mendoza. On some draft boards, the third-year college football prospect is only projected in the 2027 NFL Draft. But some draft analysts believe that the Indiana quarterback will forego his final year of college football eligibility. If that happens, some draft analysts project him off the 2026 NFL Draft board as early as Round 1. And at 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, that may happen.

The Rams are likely to already have Mendoza in their sights. He played two seasons for the California Golden Bears, finishing with a 66.5 percent completion rate, 4,712 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. The best part if his collegiate career is the fact that all of his numbes are trending in a positive direction.

What do some draft analysts say about Fernando Mendoza?

"At 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, Mendoza looks like an NFL quarterback but really has a chance to elevate his stock by playing in the Big Ten after a quality campaign as a starter with the California Golden Bears. He has a bit of moxy and could be the actual long-term Big Ben successor in Pittsburgh. "

SI's Bryan Fischer

Some way-too-early 2026 mock drafts have Mendoza off the board in Round 1. He hasn't earned that projection yet, but if he has a solid season in 2025, he could get there by draft day.

Projection: Day 2 in 2026 NFL Draft

(11) - Oklahoma QB John Mateer

Oklahoma rookie quarterback prospect John Mateer is entering his fourth season of college football, but he played his first three season for the Washington State Cougars. That means that Mateer has a lot at stake this season. From what he showcased at Washington State, Mateer is perfectly positioned to make a move towards being drafted in 2026. Standing 6-foot-1 and tipping the scales at 219 pounds, Mateer is on the smallish size of NFL quarterback size.

But he does have several factors working in his favor.

For starters, he is a dual-threat quarterback who is very dangerous whenever he pulls the football down and runs for daylight. In 2024, he rushed 178 times for 826 yards and 15 touchdowns, essentially adding a star running back to any offense. He matched that with completing 224 of 347 passes for 3,149 yards, 29 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. If he matches or exceeds those numbers in the Oklahoma Sooners offense, you can expect him to be a hot name in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Projected: Round 4

(12) - Florida QB DJ Lagway

Entering just his second season of college football, DJ Lagway is considered one of the top college football quarterback prospects for the 2027 NFL Draft. Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 235 pounds, Lagway is a name to monitor, if only to bear witness to why he is projected so high in the draft two years away.

He is projected to highly because he is a treasure trove of what NFL draft analysts check off in what they look for in rookie quarterback prospected. He stands 6-foot-3, and some reports list him over 235 pounds (of muscle). Even as his draft profile is a work in progress, Lagway is piquing the intrigue of an ever increasing number of draft analysts. And some are touting hkim as an elite rookie quarterback prospect for the 2027 NFL Draft. So, why bother with tracking him now?

Well, it's always a good idea to follow the peformance of a promising college quarterback, even if he does not declare for the 2026 NFL Draft. But part of tracking a player is to determine the validity of promising profiles. Is Lagway destined to be an elite NFL quarterback? You can decide.

Projected: Top 3 overall in 2027 NFL Draft

(13) - Illinois QB Luke Altmeyer

The Fighting Illini boast a sleeper rookie quarterback prospect in Luke Altmeyer. Listed at 6-foot-2 nd 195 pounds, Altmeyer was a two-year backup on Mississippi's roster before transferring to Illinois and taking on the reins of starting quarterback for the Big-10 contender. While he languished under-the-radar for three seasons of college football, he boosted his stock significantly with a solid season in 2024.

If he showcases improvement in 2025, he could see his stock skyrocket. NFL teams love prototypical rookie prospects, but also gravitate towards those college players who transfer and excell with their new teams. And the Rams are definitely one of the NFL teams that loves rookies who boast that in their collegiate career.

In the Fighting Illini offense, Altmeyer has improved from 1,883 passing yards and 13 touchdowns to 2,717 passing yards and 22 touchdowns. If he can improve those numbers for the third season in a row, he will hear his name called out in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Projected: Round 3

As always, thanks for reading.

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