Steelers Now took a look at the 2026 college football QB stock throughout the season as the Pittsburgh Steelers are in the market for a QB next year. Here are the biggest stars and disappointments in the regular season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have scouted quarterbacks heavily this season. The college football season saw plenty of surprises and disappointments. Steelers Now has your five highest risers and tumblers on the 2026 season.
Greatest Stock Rise
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
No one saw it coming except our analyst Derrick Bell . Mendoza has taken the college football world by storm. He took Indiana to new heights including a B1G Championship appearance–almost certainly a playoff run as well.
Mendoza was on the radar for many as a day one or day two pick in preseason. I'm not sure anyone saw this type of season coming. 32 touchdown passes to only five interceptions–and another six on the ground. Three times he had a completion percentage over 90%.
Mendoza has everything you want in a quarterback: size, strong arm, and lethal accuracy. He might be out of range for the Steelers, but he has been the signal caller this year.
Preseason Rank: No. 17
Final Regular Season Rank:
No. 3, QB1
Season Stats: 211-of-293 (72% comp. rate), 2758 yards (9.4 yards/attempt), 32 TD, 5 INT
Dante Moore , Oregon
While his play has cooled down the last five weeks, he is still one of college football's biggest surprises. Now, he has decisions to make. Not only has he put himself in position to be a first-round pick, he could also cash in on a new NIL deal by returning to college ball.
Moore went toe-to-toe with multiple top QB prospects including Mendoza, Drew Allar , and Jayden Maiava. In those matchups he led the Ducks to a 2-1 record including a memorable matchup against Penn State.
Moore is another quarterback who might end up being just out of the reach of the Steelers. Regardless, his decision regarding the 2026 NFL Draft is on every franchise's radar.
Preseason Rank: No. 470
Final Regular Season Rank:
No. 5, QB2
Season Stats: 227-of-313 (72.5% comp. rate), 2733 yards (8.7 yards/attempt), 24 TD, 6 INT
Ty Simpson , Alabama
Like Moore, Simpson has been another big surprise in college football. He also is draft eligible who may decide to stay in college ball after a cooled down performance late in the season.
Simpson has been tested as of late. Not only did he have to go to Jordan-Hare and grind out a win, his Crimson Tide was smacked around by Georgia in the SEC championship game. They also couldn't come through against Oklahoma as well. These losses could keep them out of the college football playoffs.
The NFL world is going to watch what Simpson decides to do. The class could be very deep and just as easily lose that depth if passers like Simpson decide to return to college football.
Preseason Rank: No. 684
Final Regular Season Rank:
No. 6, QB3
Season Stats: 256-of-389 (65.8% comp. rate), 3056 yards (7.9 yards/attempt), 25 TD, 4 INT
Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss
From JUCO-transfer-backup to a postseason run, what a season Chambliss has had. Not only has he helped put Ole Miss in playoff positioning, he got his head coach a pay raise… at another school.
Chambliss is a dark horse prospect. He could very well catch the admiration of an NFL team in the pre-draft process–but will it be in the first round? After 24 all purpose scores and competitive fire, it may not be out of the question.
Chambliss has a big decision to make. Does he roll the dice on the NFL draft or does he explore the transfer portal? He could follow Lane Kiffin to LSU and see if he can elevate his game once more. Or maybe he has done enough to get into the conversation…
Preseason Rank: N/A
Final Regular Season Rank:
No. 216, QB16
Season Stats: 218-of-333 (65.5% comp. rate), 3016 yards (9.1 yards/attempt), 18 TD, 3 INT
Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati
This is likely it for Sorbsy. After an impressive second season as a full time starter, he had Cincinnati in the conversation for a postseason run. Unfortunately, they will fall short of that. Sorsby might be a first round pick, however.
With 36 all purpose touchdowns–27 passes and nine rushes–his highlights pop out. He has an NFL arm and NFL athleticism. Each season he got better. The only concern might be his accuracy as his completion rate was dancing around 60%. When it comes to the draft, though, teams will value good in spite of the downs.
That said, does Sorsby have enough good to outweigh the concerns he might have? Right now, it's a yes. He will have a big opportunity to skyrocket his stock–very soon.
Preseason Rank: No. 249
Final Regular Season Rank:
No. 147, QB11
Season Stats: 207-of-336 (61.6% comp. rate), 2800 yards (8.3 yards/attempt), 27 TD, 5 INT
Great Stock Fall
Arch Manning , Texas
Some will say he was college football's biggest disappointment. By all accounts, after being ranked as the second-best player in the NFL MDDB in the preseason, he is now unranked. He is likely to head back to Texas for his senior season.
Manning couldn't live up to the hype, oftentimes looking overwhelmed–especially in week one. However, he also had flashes of why expectations were so high. He can run like grandpa Archie and even throw like uncle Peyton , but he couldn't win the big games like uncle Eli.
Manning could shock the world and declare for the draft. For now, as his grandfather set the expectation of, he appears set to play in college ball in 2026. Though it's worth noting, the Pittsburgh Steelers have scouted him plenty.
Preseason Rank: No. 2
Final Regular Season Rank: N/A , QB N/A
Season Stats: 227-of-370 (61.4% comp. rate), 2942 yards (8.0 yards/attempt), 24 TD, 7 INT
Drew Allar, Penn State
It's a little unfair to Allar due to his injury. However, leading up to the injury, Penn State was in the middle of a collapse–leading to James Franklin's in-season firing. He still has all the tools NFL teams love, but there are still concerns.
First, obviously, will Allar be healthy enough to participate in combine or pro day drills? If there is ever an opportunity to recover your stock, it's with those events. On the field, can he play better in big games?
Some will look at last year's Notre Dame and this year's Oregon losses and say that summarizes Allar. Can make all the plays in the world, but when the heat is on, he hasn't delivered. He will be drafted in April. The question is where? Maybe the Pittsburgh Steelers?
Preseason Rank: No. 8
Final Regular Season Rank:
No. 73, QB7
Season Stats: 103-of-159 (64.8% comp. rate), 1100 yards (6.9 yards/attempt), 8 TD, 3 INT
John Mateer, Oklahoma
44 all-purpose TD in 2024 at Washington State. That is what the Sooners were hoping to get when Mateer transferred to them. Unfortunately, it hasn't panned out. He has the competitive fire to play in the SEC–as displayed with gutting through a hand injury.
Right now, there isn't an indication he can play in the NFL. It was a disappointing season and likely will see him return to college football in 2026–maybe to another team.
If he does return in 2026, it could give teams another look if he starts for Oklahoma again. His hand injury definitely threw things off track. He is very athletic and by all accounts has decent arm strength. He just needs to show he can play–again.
Preseason Rank: No. 62
Final Regular Season Rank:
No. 87, QB8
Season Stats: 221-of-356 (62.1% comp. rate), 2578 yards (7.2 yards/attempt), 12 TD, 10 INT
Garrett Nussmeier , Louisiana State
Not a great year. Once thought of as an early pick for the 2025 NFL Draft, it's not looking like returning to college football was the best decision. Like Mateer and Allar, injuries derailed a once promising 2025 campaign.
Like Sorsby, this is it for Nussmeier. He will be headed for the draft and it's a mystery where he will land. His frame brings into question how durable he will be. His arm talent makes you want to forget it.
Like all the prospects set to declare, the combine and pro days will be huge opportunities to boost his stock. His health will need to be addressed as well as abdominal injuries that linger could require surgical repair. Will he meet with the Pittsburgh Steelers?
Preseason Rank: No. 5
Final Regular Season Rank:
No. 43, QB5
Season Stats: 194-of-288 (67.4% comp. rate), 1927 yards, 12 TD, 5 INT
Cade Klubnik , Clemson
Of all those whose stock fell, early on Klubnik's tumbled from the Empire State building. After 43 all purpose touchdowns in 2024, expectations for Klubnik and Clemson were sky high. Needless to say, none were met.
To Klubnik's credit, though, the second half of the year was much better than the first. In his first four games he threw six touchdowns and four interceptions. The rest of the way, he threw 10 scores and only two picks.
He looked much more composed, took better care of the football, and had a 6-1 finish after a 1-3 start. The Steelers also scouted him throughout the year. Is the Pittsburgh Steelers' guy?
Preseason Rank: No. 1
Final Regular Season Rank:
No. 96, QB9
Season Stats: 235-of-353 (66.6% comp. rate), 2750 yards (7.8 yards/attempt), 16 TD, 6 INT
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : 2026 NFL Draft QB Stock Report: The Biggest Rises and Falls
Related Headlines
