With the 2025 NFL Draft done and over with, some scouts are already looking forward, including CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards.
In a mock draft conducted well before the 2026 NFL Draft, Edwards made some interesting predictions, including who the best quarterbacks will be next year.
Five Quarterbacks Projected in Round 1 of CBS’s 2026 NFL Mock Draft, Including Arch Manning
Edwards, who projected the New Orleans Saints to pick No. 1 overall in 2026, has them taking third-generation Manning and Texas quarterback Arch Manning. While Arch has only attempted 95 passes for the Longhorns, he’s expected to be far and away the best at his position in college football this year, replacing now Miami Dolphins quarterback Quinn Ewers.
The son of Cooper Manning and nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning would be headed to the home of grandpa Archie Manning to try and break the records that Drew Brees has since shattered. He’d be the first first-round quarterback the Saints took since they selected Archie in 1971.
Penn State quarterback Drew Allar is expected to be the next quarterback off the board, No. 2 overall to the Cleveland Browns. The Ohio native is a much more unrefined product, but with two full seasons of experience under his belt — and another to come, there will be plenty of high-level tape for scouts to look at.
South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers is picked as the third quarterback off the board, No. 6 overall, by the Las Vegas Raiders. Sellers heated up down the stretch for the Gamecocks last year, and with another year of experience under his belt, he could see himself move further up draft boards in 2025.
Edwards sees the Los Angeles Rams, picking via the Atlanta Falcons at No. 12 overall, taking LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier as the fourth quarterback off the board. Nussmeier would be able to study for a year behind Matthew Stafford before taking over the starting spot.
KEEP READING: Clemson Tigers See a Shocking 5 Players Selected in First Round of CSN’s 2026 NFL Mock Draft
At No. 16 overall, the Pittsburgh Steelers select the fifth quarterback off the board, UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava. While he made waves leaving Tennessee this month, Iamaleava could return to the East Coast if he plays up to the standards the Volunteers hoped he could reach last year.
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