ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. recently revealed which QB took the top spot in his 2026 NFL draft rankings.
Mel Kiper Reveals Which QB Tops His 2026 NFL Draft Rankings originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The 2026 NFL draft could easily set a record for the number of quarterbacks taken in the first round.
As many as eight signal-caller could hear their name called in the first 32 picks, likely prompting scouts to put LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Penn State’s Drew Allar, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, and Miami’s Carson Beck under a microscope to determine who’s the best of the best.
And while a case could likely be made for any one of them to go in the top five, there’s one player who trumps every one of them should he decide to declare early and enter the 2026 draft.
Who Does Mel Kiper Believe is QB1 of the 2026 Class?
During a recent episode of “First Draft,” ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. revealed which passer took the No. 1 spot in his 2026 draft rankings, and despite what his grandfather Archie said about staying at Texas beyond next season, Kiper still picked Longhorns star Arch Manning as the top QB in next year’s draft.
“We put him at No. 1 because we have to — it’s Arch Manning,” Kiper said. “We saw glimpses last year of the greatness he could provide that Texas offense. Running the football, he’s got great legs. Cooper Manning, his father, was a wide receiver until he got injured.
“So he’s got speed – something Eli and Peyton didn’t have. … We don’t know if he will develop into that because he only has 95 career pass attempts… But for right now you have to put him [No. 1].”
Will Manning Turn Pro or Stay at Texas?
Most agree that Manning would be the No. 1 overall pick and sure-fire top-ranked quarterback if he did declare for the 2026 draft.
However, in a recent interview with Texas Monthly, Archie disclosed that his grandson plans to be at Texas for the long haul.
“Arch isn't going to do that [declare for the 2026 draft]” Archie confirmed. “He'll be at Texas.”
Despite starting just two games for the Longhorns over two seasons, Manning is already being anointed by some as the next big thing in college football. He threw for 939 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions, and rushed for another 108 yards and another four touchdowns while filling in for Miami Dolphins rookie Quinn Ewers last season.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Football
