The first full Saturday of the 2026 college football season didn’t bring any Earthquake upsets, though. West Michigan can be different And Boise State has had a good run.
Still, after a long offseason, we’re getting our first glimpses at the projected top prospects. 2027 NFL Draft Room. What are the future benefits of going to amazing startups? What did we see from a couple of big-name QBs who should be at the top of the rankings in April?
Our draft experts, Dane Brugler and Nick Baumgardner, with their thoughts:
Arch Manning: How did he fare in his season debut?
Sam Khan Jr. and Johnny Sweet
1. We got our first look at Arch Manning and Dante Moore this season. Is there a big reception from both shows?
Dane Brugler: No two quarterbacks will be under the NFL microscope more this fall than Manning and Moore. Although neither season was perfect to shake off the rust, they both played well and had far more high points than low.
Picking up where he left off last season, Manning has demonstrated several key qualities. That’s what makes him such a promising prospect: pocket moves, passing instincts and the mental and physical toughness needed at the next level. Perhaps the biggest takeaway for me was the positive impact of the Longhorns’ offseason additions. Manning now has a more diverse running game, a more consistent offensive line (in pass protection and the run game) and, most importantly, the presence of Cam Coleman on the outside. There’s no telling what that target type means for the quarterback.
When you’re a top NFL prospect, you’re expected to play well against Texas State. The real test will come next Saturday when Ohio State arrives in Austin.
Moore faced a much better opponent this week in Boise State, which kept the game close all the way. There were a few decisions and throws he needed, but Moore kept the game going and did a great job.
With a new play caller and several new faces for Oregon’s offensive line, there are still many questions about this offense moving forward. But Moore has played like a veteran, so the Ducks’ coaching staff can take solace in the fact that the quarterback isn’t an issue — especially with Moore holding tight end Jamari Johnson.
It was great to see Evan Stewart back after last year’s knee injury. He put up a few points, but his speed was evident on offense.
Nick Baumgardner: It could be a long year for Manning’s enemies.
Manning wasn’t perfect against Texas State, but four touchdowns and 305 yards on 20 completions — that’s a pretty solid opening before a big test. Manning was aggressive under center, standing tall in the pocket and finding Texas’ big-money weapon when asked. He seems very comfortable in charge of Steve Sarkisian’s offense, which isn’t something we could really say last September.
Coleman and fellow WR Ryan Wingo are excellent, and Texas has two top-end backs and a top-notch offensive line. It’s hard to see Manning not having a big year. But he’s spraying the ball too much due to inconsistent mechanics, and the red-zone interceptions he’s thrown look all too common. I would have loved to have seen a completely clean performance, but it was still a very strong start.
Oregon faced a terrible challenge, and Moore was basically the reason the Ducks won. The first half was sloppy, but – as usual – Moore kept his cool and excelled in difficult moments. Mentally this man is 21 years old 45. He is very stable.
2. Did Yonzaye Pierre start the 2026 season with a pick six, three tackles and a sack against East Carolina? What is the ceiling?
It uses: A lot of “huh?” I received Pierre’s responses from readers when they saw him in number 10 My preseason top 50But forks that jump off the tape and have amazing features always push my board – just like what we saw in the opening from Pierre. He’s explosive and runs with a nose for the football, but the playmaking violence is my favorite part of the game.
Time will tell if Pierre can be drafted as high as I have him in the rankings, but there’s no need to flirt to see a first-round-caliber talent. Alabama’s rotation was tough on Saturday, so it will be interesting to see how Pierre’s snaps and usage improve throughout the season.
Bumgarner: Pierre plays really hard – he’s a stickler every time he’s out there. Alabama is involved in everything it does on defense. He’s a big-time edge setter who helps in the run game, and will likely take the mantle from Rueben Bain Jr. as the player who punches the offensive lineman in the chest. It will take.
What you want to see from Pierre now, however, is more improvement as a pass rusher. He’s always had a relatively low win rate and needs to be more efficient off the rim when those opportunities present themselves. But Saturday was a good start.
3. Drew Mestemaker seems like an intriguing name in the 2027 class. Will Oklahoma State’s shocking loss in Tulsa change that?
It uses: Until we’re given a reason not to, I think we should consider Mestemaker a 2028 NFL draft prospect. And given his relative inexperience playing the position at the highest level, that’s not surprising. Despite lighting up college football last season at North Texas, his Oklahoma State career got off to a rough start — the Pox didn’t score a point until the final minute of the third quarter, and Mestemaker averaged just 4.9 yards per pass attempt, with a pair of interceptions.
I have no doubt that Mestemaker and his offense will get better as the season goes on, but it won’t be easy when Oregon visits Stillwater next week.
Bumgarner: Mestemaker’s assessment was that everything was an “if” situation. As: This will all be very good if so Can withstand competition and jumping in a new home. Oklahoma State has 92 freshmen this season, which is an NCAA record — a truly freshman football team. So, this Mestemaker’s first job was not just a new situation, but essentially a reboot for the entire Oklahoma State program.
Either way, I’m with Dane – it’s hard to do more than track Mestemaker right now. This was always the case for Mestemaker, who was still very young, and needed another record-breaking year to consider jumping into the 2027 class. But I still think there’s good hope in there.
4. Which other 2027 NFL Draft prospects stood out to you in Week 1?
It uses: There were two top wide receiver prospects I really liked over the summer and they both showed up in Week 1.
From UTSA, Ohio State transfer Devin McCune was a very low rise this offseason, and I think he has the potential to be a top-100 pick. He’s good, not big, size and speed but plays like a pro with his road awareness, ball skills and overall toughness. He was very good on ball territory, with all six of his catches resulting in a first down or a touchdown. With Jeremiah Smith likely to get double and triple-coverage looks all season, McCuin must eat — and be mysterious.
Houston’s Amare Thomas entered the season as a Top-10 senior wide receiver at my positionAnd why did it show in the opener against Oregon State. He finished with eight catches for 133 yards and a touchdown, along with a few highlight-reel plays. Thomas is 5-foot-11 and 204 pounds, with speed that can touch the 4.3-second range.
This is a fun senior wide receiver class, with McCune, Thomas and others who may not be first-rate but are carving out productive careers.
Bumgarner: I hope people do not fall asleep in a happy situation Darian Mensah and Miami spent Friday night. What a debut for the former Duke passenger. Not only is Mensah a perfect fit for whatever Shannon Dawson does offensively, but they’re seeing improvement in enthusiasm and confidence. The Hurricanes are going to score a lot of points this year.
Big Rutgers wideout KJ Duff was dominant Thursday night, even though the rest of the offense looked like an impressive loss against UMass. Duff, a tackle machine at 6-5, 225, had nine catches for 196 yards and three touchdowns, including a 78-yarder.
I will throw a shout out to Iowa OT Trevor Luck for one of our top scoring efforts this year. Iowa’s offense was terrific, putting up 289 rushing yards (11 players had a carry) in a 40-0 rout of Northern Illinois. The bad news? Senior O lineman Cade Piper missed the second half with an injury.
