2026 NFL Draft QB prospect rankings: SEC stars stay on top, John Mateer rises

College football continues to march on through the nonconference schedule. That means some easy matchups for top teams – with a few exceptions – as the Power 4 programs gear up for a long run to the College Football Playoff (CFP).

Week 2 of the season had fewer ranked matchups than the first week. Oklahoma and Michigan loomed as the lone game between two ranked opponents and did not disappoint.

It was another week of film for the top players in the 2026 NFL Draft class, quarterbacks included. A much deeper class than 2025 could see a handful of passers drafted in the first round.

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Week 2 didn't see much change as SEC quarterbacks held the top three spots in the rankings with solid to OK performances. The biggest riser came from that ranked matchup as John Mateer's game against Michigan bumps him ahead of two other passers.

We'll be following the top players at the position throughout the season and updating our rankings in the wake of weekly results.

2026 NFL Draft QB prospect rankings

1. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina(last week: 1)

• Week 2 vs. South Carolina State: 11-19 (57.9%) passing, 128 yards, one touchdown; six carries, 28 yards, one fumble

South Carolina needed a special teams touchdown to kick-start the team and get past visiting South Carolina State in the Gamecocks' home opener.

Sellers showed out well in Week 1 against Virginia Tech but wasn't quite on the same mark in Week 2. He threw deep more with an average depth of target (ADOT) of 11.0 yards compared to 7.9 in Week 1, per Pro Football Focus. Yet he only had 128 passing yards and faced fewer pressures than against the Hokies.

He could've scored a touchdown as runner on a key third-down conversion in the opening drive of the second half. Instead, he ran into the lone defender – occupied by a Gamecocks wide receiver who was blocking – left between him and the end zone. That shows a potential worrying trend that he showed in Week 1, when he ran into contact that kept him from scoring instead of moving around it to score.

Still, in a down week for most of the top quarterbacks in the class, Sellers retains his No. 1 spot. The Gamecocks stay home in Week 3 for a game against 2-0 Vanderbilt.

2. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU(last week: 2)

• Week 2 vs. Louisiana Tech: 26-41 (63.4%) passing, 237 yards, one touchdown, one interception

Nussmeier followed his outstanding showing against Clemson with a solid game against Louisiana Tech. The game plan was vastly different than what the Tigers did in Week 1; Nussmeier's ADOT was 9.1 yards, more than double what it was against Clemson (4.4).

He started off a bit scattershot with unsettled feet. An overthrow with a clean pocket that would've been a chunk gain to Barion Brown in the first quarter stands out. He found his rhythm more in the second half as the Tigers eventually pulled away for a 23-7 win.

Nussmeier had relatively clear pockets but stood tall against pressure to deliver, including when the Tigers were backed up in their own territory. This wasn't Nussmeier's best game statistically as the Louisiana Tech secondary played physically against the Tigers' wideouts. He still made enough throws to keep his standing at No. 2.

LSU has Florida up next in its first SEC matchup of the season.

3. Arch Manning, Texas(last week: 3)

• Week 2 vs. San Jose State: 19-30 (63.3%) passing, 295 yards, four touchdowns, one interception; three carries, 30 yards, one touchdown, one fumble

Manning's scoring spree in Week 2 improves his outlook in general but, given the level of competition, doesn't bump him up the rankings.

He played with a lot more confidence against San Jose State but still had some of the issues we saw in Week 1 against Ohio State. His footwork impacted his accuracy even with more open throws on offer against the visiting Spartans.

Manning and the Longhorns face UTEP at home this week. It should be another opportunity for him to build on his improvements from the San Jose State game.

4. Drew Allar, Penn State(last week: 4)

• Week 2 vs. FIU: 19-33 (57.6%) passing, 200 yards, two touchdowns

Allar had a strong start to the year against Nevada but, like Nussmeier and Sellers, some issues cropped up in Week 2 – along with the flashes that scouts like to see.

His footwork was inconsistent at times and that caused the ball to miss the mark, hence his nearly 30-point drop in completion percentage. Penn State pushed the ball on Saturday and Allar had a 9.1-yard ADOT but missed the mark more than you'd like.

Still, his second touchdown was one of the reasons why scouts and fans alike should be excited about his potential. Allar faked a handoff and powered a ball 55 yards in the air to Devonte Ross in the end zone for the score.