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There was some belief that the Los Angeles Rams might take a quarterback early in this year's draft, potentially even in Round 1. Not only did they pass on that option at No. 26, but they didn't take a quarterback at all.
What they did do, however, is acquire a first-round pick in 2026 by trading down with the Atlanta Falcons. With two first-rounders next year, the Rams are in position to potentially find Matthew Stafford's successor. The Falcons could be bad enough that the Rams are drafting in the top 10, or they could package their two picks and trade up the board for a QB.
So who are the quarterbacks to know? Here are seven names to monitor throughout the 2025 season. They could all garner first-round consideration next year, though it remains to be seen how many of them will declare for the draft.
2024 stats: 67.8% completion rate, 939 yards, 9 TD, 2 INT (108 rushing yards, 4 TD)
Manning is obviously the quarterback to know for 2026, but there's a chance he won't even declare for the draft. There are reports that he could return to Texas for at least one more year, which would leave quarterback-needy teams at the top of the board disappointed.
Manning has the smallest sample size of any quarterback on this list, having attempted just 95 passes in college, but he also has a ton of upside. He's impressively athletic, and has a big arm, but there's a long way to go before he's anointed the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
2024 stats: 66.5% completion rate, 3,327 yards, 24 TD, 8 INT (302 rushing yards, 6 TD)
Allar could've declared for the draft this year and likely would've been a first-round pick. Dane Brugler of The Athletic even believes he could've gone second overall to the Browns. Instead, he chose to return to school, continuing what's been a great career at Penn State.
He's mobile enough to make plays outside the pocket and was a red zone threat to run with his six touchdowns, which is a trait that will intrigue teams like the Rams. If Allar continues to develop, he could be a top-5 pick next April.
2024 stats: 65.6% completion rate, 2,534 yards, 18 TD, 7 INT (674 rushing yards, 7 TD)
Sellers might be the most exciting quarterback prospect in terms of his upside. A true dual-threat quarterback, Sellers threw for 2,534 yards and rushed for 674 last season in his first year as a starter, shining for the Gamecocks in the 12 games he played. He still has room to grow but with his combination of arm strength and athleticism, his ceiling is incredibly high.
With how successful mobile quarterbacks have been in the NFL in recent years, Sellers could find himself drafted in the top 10 next year.
2024 stats: 64.2% completion rate, 4,052 yards, 29 TD, 12 INT (-38 rushing yards, 3 TD)
Nussmeier is a true pocket passer, racking up more than 4,000 yards and 29 touchdown passes last season. He waited his turn at LSU, sitting for three years before becoming the starter in 2024. He attempted 525 passes and completed 337 of them, carrying the Tigers offense with a pass-heavy attack.
He shown signs of being a high-end quarterback but also makes some mistakes that he'll need to eliminate next season at LSU. If his decision-making improves, his stock will go along with it.
2024 stats (Tenn.): 63.8% completion rate, 2,616 yards, 19 TD, 5 INT (358 rushing yards, 3 TD)
Iamaleava was the focus of the college football world this spring after he entered the transfer portal due to an NIL dispute at Tennessee, transferring to UCLA. He's a fairly raw prospect who has the traits teams look for in a quarterback, but he also displayed poor decision-making and tried to make the big play too often.
He's mobile and has a big arm so the potential is there, but questions remain about his stock as a pro – especially after transferring to UCLA where the offense wasn't exactly impressive in 2024.
2024 stats: 63.4% completion rate, 3,639 yards, 36 TD, 6 INT (463 rushing yards, 7 TD)
Klubnik took his game to another level in 2024 after a pretty promising season in 2023. He threw 36 touchdown passes and led Clemson to a 10-4 record, racking up 3,639 yards in 14 games. If he continues to get better in 2025 and builds on what he accomplished last season, he'll absolutely garner first-round consideration.
According to Pro Football Focus, he was fifth in the nation with 28 big-time throws last season, so he isn't afraid to attempt tight-window passes downfield – and he proved he can complete them.
2024 stats (Cal): 68.7% completion rate, 3,004 yards, 16 TD, 6 INT (105 rushing yards, 2 TD)
Mendoza is the wild card in this group. He's 6-foot-5 and looks the part of an NFL quarterback, but he wasn't a highly-touted recruit out of high school. Big programs showed interest in him in the transfer portal this year, though, before he picked Indiana.
Brugler has him going to the Rams at No. 27 in his 2026 mock draft, calling him a "pleasant surprise" to watch last season. He's a name to monitor leading up to the draft next year.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: 7 QB prospects for Rams to know next year
Continue reading...
What they did do, however, is acquire a first-round pick in 2026 by trading down with the Atlanta Falcons. With two first-rounders next year, the Rams are in position to potentially find Matthew Stafford's successor. The Falcons could be bad enough that the Rams are drafting in the top 10, or they could package their two picks and trade up the board for a QB.
So who are the quarterbacks to know? Here are seven names to monitor throughout the 2025 season. They could all garner first-round consideration next year, though it remains to be seen how many of them will declare for the draft.
Arch Manning, Texas
2024 stats: 67.8% completion rate, 939 yards, 9 TD, 2 INT (108 rushing yards, 4 TD)
Manning is obviously the quarterback to know for 2026, but there's a chance he won't even declare for the draft. There are reports that he could return to Texas for at least one more year, which would leave quarterback-needy teams at the top of the board disappointed.
Manning has the smallest sample size of any quarterback on this list, having attempted just 95 passes in college, but he also has a ton of upside. He's impressively athletic, and has a big arm, but there's a long way to go before he's anointed the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Drew Allar, Penn State
2024 stats: 66.5% completion rate, 3,327 yards, 24 TD, 8 INT (302 rushing yards, 6 TD)
Allar could've declared for the draft this year and likely would've been a first-round pick. Dane Brugler of The Athletic even believes he could've gone second overall to the Browns. Instead, he chose to return to school, continuing what's been a great career at Penn State.
He's mobile enough to make plays outside the pocket and was a red zone threat to run with his six touchdowns, which is a trait that will intrigue teams like the Rams. If Allar continues to develop, he could be a top-5 pick next April.
LaNorris Sellars, South Carolina
2024 stats: 65.6% completion rate, 2,534 yards, 18 TD, 7 INT (674 rushing yards, 7 TD)
Sellers might be the most exciting quarterback prospect in terms of his upside. A true dual-threat quarterback, Sellers threw for 2,534 yards and rushed for 674 last season in his first year as a starter, shining for the Gamecocks in the 12 games he played. He still has room to grow but with his combination of arm strength and athleticism, his ceiling is incredibly high.
With how successful mobile quarterbacks have been in the NFL in recent years, Sellers could find himself drafted in the top 10 next year.
Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
2024 stats: 64.2% completion rate, 4,052 yards, 29 TD, 12 INT (-38 rushing yards, 3 TD)
Nussmeier is a true pocket passer, racking up more than 4,000 yards and 29 touchdown passes last season. He waited his turn at LSU, sitting for three years before becoming the starter in 2024. He attempted 525 passes and completed 337 of them, carrying the Tigers offense with a pass-heavy attack.
He shown signs of being a high-end quarterback but also makes some mistakes that he'll need to eliminate next season at LSU. If his decision-making improves, his stock will go along with it.
Nico Iamaleava, UCLA
2024 stats (Tenn.): 63.8% completion rate, 2,616 yards, 19 TD, 5 INT (358 rushing yards, 3 TD)
Iamaleava was the focus of the college football world this spring after he entered the transfer portal due to an NIL dispute at Tennessee, transferring to UCLA. He's a fairly raw prospect who has the traits teams look for in a quarterback, but he also displayed poor decision-making and tried to make the big play too often.
He's mobile and has a big arm so the potential is there, but questions remain about his stock as a pro – especially after transferring to UCLA where the offense wasn't exactly impressive in 2024.
Cade Klubnik, Clemson
2024 stats: 63.4% completion rate, 3,639 yards, 36 TD, 6 INT (463 rushing yards, 7 TD)
Klubnik took his game to another level in 2024 after a pretty promising season in 2023. He threw 36 touchdown passes and led Clemson to a 10-4 record, racking up 3,639 yards in 14 games. If he continues to get better in 2025 and builds on what he accomplished last season, he'll absolutely garner first-round consideration.
According to Pro Football Focus, he was fifth in the nation with 28 big-time throws last season, so he isn't afraid to attempt tight-window passes downfield – and he proved he can complete them.
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
2024 stats (Cal): 68.7% completion rate, 3,004 yards, 16 TD, 6 INT (105 rushing yards, 2 TD)
Mendoza is the wild card in this group. He's 6-foot-5 and looks the part of an NFL quarterback, but he wasn't a highly-touted recruit out of high school. Big programs showed interest in him in the transfer portal this year, though, before he picked Indiana.
Brugler has him going to the Rams at No. 27 in his 2026 mock draft, calling him a "pleasant surprise" to watch last season. He's a name to monitor leading up to the draft next year.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: 7 QB prospects for Rams to know next year
Continue reading...
