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We're days away from the 2026 NFL Draft. As usual, a lot of talk is centered around the quarterback position.
This QB class isn't great. It's a step down from last year's class, which featured three elite prospects at the top of the draft. Caleb Williams went No. 1 overall, followed by LSU product Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye at No. 2 and No. 3.
Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, and Jaxson Dart headline this year’s class. All three have a chance to go in the first round, and Ward has earned some high praise, but Sanders and Dart’s status as first-rounders is questionable.
With uncertainty surrounding this group, some fan bases turned their attention to a 2026 quarterback crop that has a chance to be top-heavy, much like the one we saw in 2024.
Two names that project to be in the discussion for the. No. 1 overall pick are Texas's Arch Manning and LSU's Garrett Nussmeier. The two sit atop the Heisman Trophy odds board, and if either has a Heisman-caliber season, they'll be one of the first three players off the board in 2026.
Today, we'll look at who has the better shot of being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Nussmeier wouldn't be the first LSU quarterback to follow this path. Joe Burrow had a promising 2018 at LSU before taking it to another level in his fifth year of college football. That led to Burrow going No. 1 overall in 2020. Jayden Daniels' story is similar, though he was the second player taken.
Nussmeier's 2024 showed plenty of promise, even if there was the occasional mistake. You could have said the same thing about Burrow and Daniels after their fourth years.
But Nussmeier's arm is as talented as they come. He can make all the throws. Nussmeier showcases an ability to throw with velocity or deliver layered passes. The accuracy is good and he can place the ball into tight windows.
Nussmeier's final three games in 2024 was the best three-game stretch of his career, and it could be a sign of things to come in 2025. According to PFF, Nussmeier's 84.9 passing grade in that span was the best in the SEC. He averaged 8.9 yards per attempt while throwing seven touchdowns to just one pick.
If that's the version of Nussmeier we see all year in 2024, he will be the first player selected in next year's draft.
The last name says it all. Manning was built to play quarterback in the NFL.
As a recruit, Manning was the the top ranked player in the country, according to 247Sports and Rivals. The Louisiana native has all the talent in the world.
We've yet to see Manning for an extended sample size, but when he got a chance in 2024, he looked the part. Manning made two starts as Quinn Ewers dealt with an injury. Against Mississippi State, Manning completed 26 passes on 31 attempts. He averaged 10.5 yards per pass and tossed two scores.
Manning and Nussmeier have similar levels of arm talent, but Manning has an edge in the mobility department. Not only can he make all the throws, but he can move the ball with his legs.
Another factor working in Manning's favor is age. Manning will be a redshirt sophomore this fall, two years younger than Nussmeier.
The potential is off the charts. There's a reason Manning is the Heisman favorite. Even a moderately productive season could be enough to make Manning the No. 1 overall pick in 2026.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Arch Manning or Garrett Nussmeier: Who's the No. 1 draft pick in 2026?
Continue reading...
This QB class isn't great. It's a step down from last year's class, which featured three elite prospects at the top of the draft. Caleb Williams went No. 1 overall, followed by LSU product Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye at No. 2 and No. 3.
Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, and Jaxson Dart headline this year’s class. All three have a chance to go in the first round, and Ward has earned some high praise, but Sanders and Dart’s status as first-rounders is questionable.
With uncertainty surrounding this group, some fan bases turned their attention to a 2026 quarterback crop that has a chance to be top-heavy, much like the one we saw in 2024.
Two names that project to be in the discussion for the. No. 1 overall pick are Texas's Arch Manning and LSU's Garrett Nussmeier. The two sit atop the Heisman Trophy odds board, and if either has a Heisman-caliber season, they'll be one of the first three players off the board in 2026.
Today, we'll look at who has the better shot of being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The case for Garrett Nussmeier
Nussmeier wouldn't be the first LSU quarterback to follow this path. Joe Burrow had a promising 2018 at LSU before taking it to another level in his fifth year of college football. That led to Burrow going No. 1 overall in 2020. Jayden Daniels' story is similar, though he was the second player taken.
Nussmeier's 2024 showed plenty of promise, even if there was the occasional mistake. You could have said the same thing about Burrow and Daniels after their fourth years.
But Nussmeier's arm is as talented as they come. He can make all the throws. Nussmeier showcases an ability to throw with velocity or deliver layered passes. The accuracy is good and he can place the ball into tight windows.
Nussmeier's final three games in 2024 was the best three-game stretch of his career, and it could be a sign of things to come in 2025. According to PFF, Nussmeier's 84.9 passing grade in that span was the best in the SEC. He averaged 8.9 yards per attempt while throwing seven touchdowns to just one pick.
If that's the version of Nussmeier we see all year in 2024, he will be the first player selected in next year's draft.
The case for Arch Manning
The last name says it all. Manning was built to play quarterback in the NFL.
As a recruit, Manning was the the top ranked player in the country, according to 247Sports and Rivals. The Louisiana native has all the talent in the world.
We've yet to see Manning for an extended sample size, but when he got a chance in 2024, he looked the part. Manning made two starts as Quinn Ewers dealt with an injury. Against Mississippi State, Manning completed 26 passes on 31 attempts. He averaged 10.5 yards per pass and tossed two scores.
Manning and Nussmeier have similar levels of arm talent, but Manning has an edge in the mobility department. Not only can he make all the throws, but he can move the ball with his legs.
Another factor working in Manning's favor is age. Manning will be a redshirt sophomore this fall, two years younger than Nussmeier.
The potential is off the charts. There's a reason Manning is the Heisman favorite. Even a moderately productive season could be enough to make Manning the No. 1 overall pick in 2026.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Arch Manning or Garrett Nussmeier: Who's the No. 1 draft pick in 2026?
Continue reading...
