College football quarterback tiers 2026: Ranking every projected starter from 1 to 138
College football analysis firms are releasing comprehensive 2026 preseason quarterback rankings, sparking debate over top-tier positioning.
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The brief
Analysts have published tiered rankings for all 138 projected starting college football quarterbacks for the 2026 season. These lists categorize players based on their projected performance heading into the upcoming schedule.
Coverage from The New York Times, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Bleacher Report, and On3 focuses on the specific placement of high-profile players like Arch Manning, Dante Moore, CJ Carr, and Julian Sayin. Reports from 247Sports and ClutchPoints highlight how these rankings compare individual athletes across major conferences, including the Big Ten.
Future updates will likely track shifts in these rankings as players transition into active competition. Official roster updates and team performance during the initial weeks of the season remain the primary factors for potential adjustments to these current assessments.
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Quick answers
Who published the comprehensive 138-quarterback tier list?
The rankings were published by The Athletic.
Where is Arch Manning positioned in the current rankings?
Coverage indicates Manning is ranked behind six other quarterbacks.
Are there other analysts releasing quarterback rankings?
Yes, David Pollack has also released a ranking of the top five college quarterbacks entering the 2026 season.
Coverage (16)
- Where The Athletic places Wisconsin's Colton Joseph among 138 QBs Badgers Wire · 1d ago
- Oregon's 2026 opposing QBs in The Athletic's QB Tiers Yahoo Sports · 1d ago
- Motivation for Arch Manning, an SEC breakaway and more from SEC media days Houston Chronicle · 1d ago
- Gunner Stockton, John Mateer Snubbed From Tier 1 of College Football QB Rankings Sports Illustrated · 1d ago
- Where The Athletic places Wisconsin's Colton Joseph among 138 QBs Yahoo Sports · 1d ago
- College football’s best QBs for 2026, plus poll results The New York Times · 1d ago
- Skull Session: Julian Sayin Ranked As College Football’s Fifth-Best Quarterback, David Gabriel Georges Makes His Commitment Tonight and 19 Buckeyes Make the East-West Bowl 1000 Eleven Warriors · 1d ago
- The Athletic’s No. 1 QB isn’t Oregon’s Dante Moore or Notre Dame’s CJ Carr MSN · 1d ago
- Texas star Arch Manning behind 6 superstar QBs in The Athletic’s tier rankings Yahoo Sports · 1d ago
- Where every Big Ten QB ranks in The Athletic's 2026 rankings On3 · 1d ago
- College Football Quarterbacks with the Most to Prove in 2026 Season Bleacher Report · 1d ago
- Arch Manning hit with brutal spot in The Athletic's QB rankings Yardbarker · 1d ago
- Texas star Arch Manning behind 6 superstar QBs in The Athletic’s tier rankings ClutchPoints · 1d ago
- David Pollack ranks college football's Top 5 quarterbacks entering 2026 season On3 · 1d ago
- Ohio State's Julian Sayin ranked as 5th-best QB in country 247Sports · 1d ago
- College football quarterback tiers 2026: Ranking every projected starter from 1 to 138 The New York Times · 1d ago
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