On Sundays, Pittsburgh Steelers fans will study Aaron Rodgers’ every move. On Saturdays, they’ll be watching for his successor. Though what will happen in the 2026 NFL Draft remains unpredictable and Pittsburgh has no guarantee of coming away with a new franchise passer, the Steelers will be pursuing any and all of the top names next offseason. Top NFL draft analyst Dane Brugler released his first list ranking the who’s-who of the ’26 QB class.
Unsurprisingly, Brugler lists Texas’ Arch Manning No. 1 overall. Despite limited college experience with just 95 pass attempts, he’s regarded as a future top pick once he declares. Blessed with the Manning genes and an impressive skill set — he’s considered a far better athlete than Peyton and Eli — Arch Manning will serve as Texas’ starter this season.
“From the setup and reads to the execution, his operation is rhythmic and straight out of the how-to-play-quarterback manual,” Brugler wrote of Manning for The Athletic. “Regardless of the action required, Manning keeps his feet, base and eyes on the same page and without panic, which allows him to stay on time and anticipate.”
Most analysts believe Manning won’t declare next year, opting to stay in school and use all of his eligibility. Even Archie Manning said as much this offseason. But Arch Manning himself pushed back comments, telling reporters he’s made no decision about his future.
Manning is the consensus No. 1. The list from there becomes a jump ball. Brugler lists South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers No. 2. A breakout player last season, his size and athleticism serve as an intriguing combination.
In order, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, and Penn State’s Drew Allar round out Brugler’s top five. Mendoza is a sleeper who played well despite a poor supporting cast at Cal, transferring to lead the Hoosiers’ high-powered offense. Allar is a polarizing prospect with prototypical size but inconsistent mechanics. How he plays without TE Tyler Warren will be worth watching.
Seniors near the top of Brugler’s list include Arkansas’ Taylen Green, Texas Tech’s Behren Morton, and Iowa’s Mark Gronowski. Notable underclassmen beyond the above names were Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt (whom the Steelers have already begun scouting this season), Oklahoma’s John Mateer, and Pitt’s Eli Holstein. As past NFL draft classes have proven, there’s always top names who disappoint and sleepers who emerge.
Speaking last week, Assistant GM Andy Weidl acknowledged this year’s class appears better than the 2025 crop. But how it shakes out over the next five months is anyone’s guess.
No matter who becomes cream of the crop, the Steelers will be searching high and low for a new quarterback. The only problem is they’ll hardly be the only team on the prowl.
