Lead
The 2026 college football quarterback landscape will feature a concentration of returning elite talent after Oregon’s Dante Moore opted to stay in school and Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss won an eligibility fight. Analyst Danny Kanell released a Top 10 list of returning passers that highlights Arch Manning at No. 1 and includes players from the Big Ten, SEC, ACC, Big 12 and an Independent. The list reshapes preseason narratives for the CFP race and Heisman discussion heading into the long offseason. Fans and evaluators now have a clearer sense of which signal-callers will anchor programs next season.
Key takeaways
- Arch Manning (Texas) ranks No. 1 after a 2025 season with 3,163 passing yards, 26 TDs, seven INTs and 399 rushing yards with 10 rushing TDs.
- Julian Sayin (Ohio State) is No. 2 after throwing for 3,610 yards, 32 TDs and eight INTs and leading a 12-0 regular season.
- Darian Mensah (Miami) moves to the ACC from Duke and posted 3,973 passing yards and 34 TDs in 2025, making him a Heisman favorite.
- Dante Moore (Oregon) was a projected top-2 NFL pick but returned; his 2025 totals were 3,565 yards, 30 TDs and 10 INTs and a CFP semifinal appearance.
- Trinidad Chambliss (Ole Miss) cleared eligibility issues and finished 2025 with 3,937 passing yards, 22 TDs, three INTs and 527 rushing yards with eight scores.
- The Top 10 list spans conferences: four Big Ten QBs, three SEC, one ACC, one Big 12 and one Independent (Notre Dame).
- Several high-profile transfer quarterbacks (Mensah, Sorsby, Leavitt) reshape team outlooks and increase offseason intrigue.
Background
The quarterback position has returned to the center of college-football conversation after multiple high-level decisions in the 2025–26 offseason. Top prospects weighing NFL entry, legal eligibility battles and a busy transfer portal combined to keep experienced, high-stat players on campus rather than in the pros. That concentration of returning talent is unusual: typically, elite QBs depart to the NFL or scatter across programs. The result for 2026 is a deep pool of starters with proven production.
Conference dynamics also matter. Programs in the Big Ten and SEC collectively retain more starters than usual, increasing both interconference stakes and CFP permutations. Coaches in power conferences invested in transfers and internal development — Texas with Manning returning, Ohio State continuing with Sayin, and LSU bringing in Sam Leavitt — which alters preseason power rankings and game-planning assumptions. Athletic departments and booster activity in the portal era further accelerate roster churn and expectation-setting.
Main event
Danny Kanell’s Top 10 returners list opens with Arch Manning, who anchored Texas’ offense in 2025 and underwent offseason surgery but is reportedly progressing in rehab and already out of a walking boot. Manning’s dual-threat production, including a 399-yard rushing season and 10 ground scores, helped lift Texas into major postseason relevance. His Citrus Bowl performance (155 rushing yards in the 41-27 win over Michigan) is a notable sample of his expanded game.
Ohio State’s Julian Sayin earned high placement after a dominant first season as a starter (3,610 yards, 32 TDs, eight INTs) and a 12-0 regular season. Evaluators praise his accuracy and poise while noting Ohio State’s explosive receiver play as a complementary factor in many highlight plays. Sayin enters 2026 with elevated expectations to convert regular-season success into a national title.
Miami’s Darian Mensah is a headline transfer who moves from Duke after a breakthrough year (3,973 yards, 34 TDs). His combination of precision and off-script play has Miami projecting him as a Heisman contender and the centerpiece of coach Mario Cristobal’s offense. Mensah’s single-season production at Duke makes him one of the most intriguing portal additions.
Dante Moore’s decision to return after being viewed as a likely top-two NFL pick reshuffles the quarterback board; his 2025 line (3,565 yards, 30 TDs, 10 INTs) and leadership in Oregon’s CFP run were central to the Ducks’ success. Notre Dame’s CJ Carr, a freshman who threw for 2,741 yards and 24 TDs with six INTs, is another ascending starter expected to make a bigger leap in year two under Marcus Freeman.
Analysis & implications
Having multiple proven starters back changes the calculus for preseason CFP and Heisman projections. When elite passers remain in school, margin for error decreases for contenders — a single suspension, injury or breakout freshman elsewhere can shift the field dramatically. Teams with returning quarterbacks gain continuity advantages in scheme execution and recruiting messaging.
Transfer movement continues to reshape roster construction: Texas Tech’s addition of Brendan Sorsby (5,613 yards, 45 TDs, 12 INTs over two seasons at Cincinnati) exemplifies how programs are willing to spend and recruit in the portal era to secure immediate upgrades. That dynamic privileges programs with resources and creates transactional roster strategies that contrast with long-term quarterback development models.
Conference balance will be tested in nonconference scheduling and November showdowns. With four Big Ten starters and three SEC starters on Kanell’s list, intraconference play will be a major factor in CFP selection. Ohio State, Michigan (not listed here), Texas and LSU (with Leavitt) represent programs that could leverage returning QB continuity into playoff berths — but depth and defense will still determine whether those offenses convert statistical talent into titles.
Comparison & data
| Rank | QB | School | 2025 Passing Yds | Pass TD | INT | Rushing Yds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arch Manning | Texas | 3,163 | 26 | 7 | 399 |
| 2 | Julian Sayin | Ohio State | 3,610 | 32 | 8 | — |
| 3 | Darian Mensah | Miami | 3,973 | 34 | — | — |
| 4 | Dante Moore | Oregon | 3,565 | 30 | 10 | — |
| 5 | CJ Carr | Notre Dame | 2,741 | 24 | 6 | — |
| 6 | Josh Hoover | Indiana | 9,629* (career) | 71* (career) | 33* (career) | — |
| 7 | Jayden Maiava | USC | 4,912 (two seasons) | 35 | 16 | — |
| 8 | Brendan Sorsby | Texas Tech | 5,613 (two seasons) | 45 | 12 | — |
| 9 | Sam Leavitt | LSU | 4,513 (two seasons) | 34 | 9 | — |
| 10 | Trinidad Chambliss | Ole Miss | 3,937 | 22 | 3 | 527 |
The table summarizes available passing and rushing production cited in Kanell’s list and surrounding reporting. For some players, totals reflect single-season numbers (2025), while others list multi-year or career aggregates noted by teams or analysts. These variations matter when comparing experience versus recent performance: career aggregates highlight durability and volume, single-season numbers emphasize a most-recent form.
Reactions & quotes
Media voices and coaches framed the list through the lenses of projection and player development, stressing both measured praise and remaining questions.
“He is a much better player,”
Paul Finebaum, ESPN commentator
Finebaum offered tempered praise for Arch Manning after the Heisman conversation and Texas’ season; his comment underlined both Manning’s advancement and continued skepticism about championship ceilings. Analysts used similar language to balance individual acclaim with team-level constraints.
“Insanely accurate,”
Ari Wasserman, On3 analyst
On3 analyst Ari Wasserman highlighted Julian Sayin’s precision as a foundational trait for Ohio State’s offense. That quality, combined with Ohio State’s receiver talent, shapes expectations for the Buckeyes’ ability to convert close games into wins.
“He’s accurate and his pocket awareness is off the charts,”
Mario Cristobal, Miami head coach
Coach Cristobal’s appraisal of Darian Mensah framed Miami’s optimism about the transfer’s fit. Miami’s staff sees Mensah as a comprehensive starter whose IQ and athleticism align with the program’s offensive identity.
Unconfirmed
- Exact recovery timeline and full-contact clearance date for Arch Manning after offseason surgery remain unverified publicly beyond reports that he is out of a walking boot.
- Specific financial details of Texas Tech’s acquisition of Brendan Sorsby through the portal — including booster involvement and amounts — are reported anecdotally but have not been fully disclosed.
- Full medical clearance status for Sam Leavitt after his 2025 injuries has not been independently confirmed by LSU beyond team updates.
- Details of the legal settlement or ruling specifics that allowed Trinidad Chambliss to return to Ole Miss are not fully public in available reporting.
Bottom line
The 2026 quarterback picture is unusually top-heavy with returning, proven starters. That concentration compresses preseason uncertainty in some ways — programs with veteran QBs start the year with clearer paths — yet it also raises the stakes: any single injury, eligibility hiccup or defensive improvement can rapidly shuffle contenders. Analysts and voters will be watching how these quarterbacks handle offseason development, coaching adjustments and health.
For bettors, broadcasters and college programs, the message is both opportunity and caution. Teams with retained signal-callers can market continuity and target CFP runs, but they must also guard against complacency and account for opponent improvements. Over the next months, monitoring rehab reports, fall camp performances and personnel moves will be essential to refine expectations for which of these Top 10 returners translate 2025 production into 2026 championships.