Welcome to the C2C Chronicles. A series that focuses on college football through the lens of the Campus2Canton league format. Today, we are going to dive into the 2026 QB class and the likelihood of each player being the QB1.

Sure, luck means a lot in football. Not having a good quarterback is bad luck.

– Don Shula

Let’s start with a hypothetical…imagine your rebuild isn’t going according to plan. You’ve traded away NFL studs like Lamar Jackson and CeeDee Lamb for loads of college picks in the past, but they just aren’t panning out. The only thing keeping your $50 buy-in from being another donation yet again is Jaxson Dart.

Yikes. A bit too close to home?

Fear not, my friend, before you rage-trade anything of value away yet AGAIN, let’s take a look at the potential 2026 QB class, there just might be a QB that can get your rebuild back on track.

Here’s a list of our suspects. Let’s examine (hypothetically and prophetically, if you will) how each will or won’t be the QB1 in the 2026 NFL Draft. Each player has a written scenario outlining what would have to happen in 2026 to either lead them to QB1 status or away from it.

• Garrett Nussmeier (‘The Gunslinger’)
• Cade Klubnik (‘The Arms Dealer’)
• Drew Allar (‘The Prototype’)
• Sam Leavitt (‘The General’)
• LaNorris Sellers (‘The Cheat Code’)
• Arch Manning (‘The X-Factor’)

Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

Why he will be the QB1

Nussmeier has another standout season, throwing for over 30 touchdowns and showing more restraint, throwing only 8 INTs. His completion percentage is still hovering in the mid-to-low 60s because he is throwing many deep balls. That doesn’t deter the New Orleans Saints from selecting him as the new face of the franchise with the first overall pick. Yes, nepotism exists in the NFL, too. Yes, nepotism exists in the NFL too.

Why he won’t be the QB1

Still trusting his arm a little too much, Nussmeier averages over an INT per game. After an up-and-down season for LSU, he decides not to throw at the combine, much to the dismay of the scouting community. He ends up being drafted by the LA Rams as the QB3 of the class.

Hoff’s Percentage Prediction – 30% chance of being the ’26 QB1

Cade Klubnik, Clemson

Why he will be the QB1

The QB with the most NFL-level weapons around him, Klubnik, builds upon a stellar 2025 season (3,642 yds, 36/6 TD/INT) with a Heisman ceremony invite. (C’mon, I can’t give away my Heisman predictions this early!) Leading Clemson to another CFP berth, Klubnik finishes the season eclipsing the 45-TD mark and wows NFL teams in the process.

Why he won’t be the QB1

Clemson’s offense improves, but Klubnik’s inconsistencies remain—hesitating on deep reads and misfiring under pressure. Despite strong interviews, teams are wary of investing too heavily. He’s drafted late on Day 2 by the Las Vegas Raiders, introduced in a press conference as “someone who’s going to compete and learn from the veterans in the room.”

Hoff’s Percentage Prediction – 25% chance of being the ’26 QB1

Drew Allar, Penn State

Why he will be the QB1

With a new OC and an unleashed vertical game, Allar finally looks like the five-star, cannon-armed monster Penn State fans have been waiting for. He throws 33 touchdowns with just 6 picks, carves up Michigan in primetime, and finishes the season with more “wow” throws than any QB in the class. After ‘acing’ the combine and flashing improved footwork, Allar goes No. 1 overall to the Cleveland Browns, which seems to be the next logical step for that franchise.

Why he won’t be the QB1

Despite some improvement, Allar’s lack of mobility and inconsistent deep accuracy continue to haunt him. He finishes with solid but uninspiring numbers, and questions about whether he can create under pressure swirl as draft season ramps up. He underwhelms in Senior Bowl practices and posts a 4.91 forty at the combine. By draft night, he’s QB5 off the board—selected by the Miami Dolphins, where he’ll battle Zach Wilson and Quinn Ewers for backup reps.

Hoff’s Percentage Prediction – 35% chance of being the ’26 QB1

Sam Leavitt, Arizona State

Why he will be the QB1

After transferring and instantly lighting up the field in 2024, Sam Leavitt becomes the breakout star of the 2025 season. He showcases elite pocket movement, creative off-platform throws, and just enough chaos to keep defensive coordinators up at night. As the hype builds, scouts start whispering ‘Mahomes-lite.’ He lights up the combine with a 4.55 forty and a laser show in throwing drills. By April, he’s the belle of the draft ball—taken 2nd overall by the Indianapolis Colts as the new face of the franchise.

Why he won’t be the QB1

The tools are there, but the tape is utter chaos. Leavitt wows on one play and sails a wide-open post the next. His offense puts up numbers, but scouts start worrying he’s just a highlight merchant without the consistency to lead an NFL huddle. A shaky outing at the Senior Bowl and a 59% completion rate on the season send up red flags. He slides to the early third round and is drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he enters camp behind a stopgap veteran and a 2025 Day 3 pick—just another name in a crowded QB room.

Hoff’s Percentage Prediction – 15% chance of being the ’26 QB1

LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina

Why he will be the QB1

The college football world isn’t ready for what LaNorris Sellers unleashes in 2025. He bulldozes defenders like a tight end, flicks bombs 60 yards off his back foot, and leads South Carolina to 10 wins for the first time in forever. The raw tools become refined—mechanics tighten up, touch improves, and he answers every question scouts had. By draft season, he’s the talk of the process. He tears up the combine and goes No. 3 overall to the New York Jets, immediately hailed as the franchise savior.

Why he won’t be the QB1

The flashes are electric, but the inconsistencies remain. Sellers hurdles linebackers one week and misses wide-open slants the next. He puts up numbers, but struggles against elite defenses and never fully shakes the “raw tools” label. At the combine, he tests off the charts but looks stiff in throwing drills. By draft night, teams see upside—but not stability. He’s taken 52nd overall by the Dallas Cowboys, where he sits behind Dak Prescott and becomes the most exciting backup in the league before ever taking a snap.

Hoff’s Percentage Prediction – 40% chance of being the ’26 QB1

Arch Manning, Texas

Why he will be the QB1

The pressure, the name, the expectations—none of it rattles Arch Manning in 2025. He shows command, touch, and just enough athleticism to silence the doubters. The narrative is too perfect to ignore: a polished leader with NFL DNA and momentum at the right time. The New Orleans Saints make it official, drafting Arch No. 1 overall to bring the Manning name home and give the franchise its long-awaited heir.

Why he won’t be the QB1

Arch finally gets the starting job… and it’s fine. Not bad, not amazing—just fine. He makes the right reads, avoids big mistakes, and runs the offense cleanly, but the jaw-dropping moments never come. By draft season, teams are asking: Where’s the wow-factor? Arch decides to stay in school, giving himself a better shot at being QB1 in 2027.

Hoff’s Percentage Prediction – 5% chance of being the ’26 QB1

The 2026 draft class is a fascinating blend of blue-chip bloodlines, late bloomers, and high-ceiling chaos agents. Whether it’s Arch Manning trying to live up to a name, LaNorris Sellers trying to bulldoze his way into the top tier, or Sam Leavitt and Garrett Nussmeier trusting their arms a little too much, this class offers no shortage of intrigue. Drew Allar might finally put it all together. Cade Klubnik might still figure it out. Or none of them might pan out, and we’ll spend next summer talking ourselves into the next wave.

That’s the beauty of the journey from Campus to Canton—projection is a puzzle, and nobody has all the pieces.