Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt named his Top 10 quarterbacks going into the 2026 college football season. It’s the list everyone was waiting for regarding the most important position!
Depending upon their skill set, offense, injury history and what can be projected, these are pretty much the best quarterbacks you’ll find in college football. But Klatt’s list is certainly subject to change.
$19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage
So let’s dive into Klatt’s quarterback list. We’ll climb our way to the top and we start with a transfer into the SEC.
Leavitt kicks off Klatt’s list of quarterbacks going into the 2026 season. Coming off an injury, there are certainly questions about the Arizona State transfer.
Still, there’s a lot to like about a guy who led the Sun Devils to the CFP in 2024 and is now in Lane Kiffin’s system. When he was healthy, Leavitt had 2,885 yards, 24 touchdowns, six interceptions, a 61.7% completion percentage, 443 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns two years ago.
Hoover is next on Klatt’s list as he goes from TCU to Indiana. Could he be the latest success story in Bloomington under Curt Cignetti? He’s already pretty established, but could take the next step with the reigning champs.
Last season, Hoover threw for 3,472 yards, 29 touchdowns, 13 interceptions and a 65.9% completion percentage. While Hoover has 56 touchdowns in the last two years, he’s thrown 24 interceptions, so that’ll keep him from the top of the list.
Mensah made headlines when he decided to transfer from Duke to Miami this offseason. He’s also the third straight transfer on Klatt’s list.
This is the third school in three years for Mensah, but he’s been really good at Tulane and Duke. Last year, he set career highs with 3,973 yards, 34 touchdowns, six interceptions and a 66.8% completion percentage. He’ll replace Carson Beck and try to win a national title with the Hurricanes in 2026.
Maiava goes into Year 2 as a starter under Lincoln Riley. He was productive last year, but the numbers might have to go up if USC is going to make the CFP.
Last year, Maiava threw for 3,711 yards, 24 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 65.8% completion percentage. He improved leaps and bounds compared to 2024 and from his time at UNLV as a freshman in 2023.
Mateer was a highly touted transfer from Washington State going into the 2025 season, but injuries hampered his abilities. Still, he did enough while he was on the field to aid Oklahoma to a CFP berth.
Klatt is opting to keep Mateer in an upper tier, so to speak, due to his proven ability when healthy. In 2024 with Wazzu, Mateer threw for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns, seven interceptions, a 64.6% completion percentage, 826 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns.
Carr was impressive during his first season as Notre Dame’s starting QB. While the Irish went 10-2, they didn’t make the CFP and they opted out of any other postseason games.
He’ll have to be that good again to ensure Notre Dame is in playoff contention. But as it stands, he’s in Klatt’s top five QBs going into the 2026 season. Last year, he threw for 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns, six interceptions and a 66.6% completion percentage.
Chambliss was granted a waiver to play a sixth year and stayed at Ole Miss despite the departure of Lane Kiffin to LSU. He’s Klatt’s No. 4 QB going into the fall.
He really impressed in Kiffin’s system, so he’ll have to learn a different one for 2026, but still, the talent is there after Chambliss starred in last year’s College Football Playoff. Chambliss tossed for 3,973 yards, 22 touchdowns, three interceptions, a 66.1% completion percentage, 527 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns.
Sayin took the reins at Ohio State in 2025 and ran with them. He got the Buckeyes to the CFP, but fell short of winning a national title.
No matter, he was highly productive in Ryan Day’s system and has Jeremiah Smith again this fall. With all of those factors in mind, he made Klatt’s top three. Last year, Sayin threw for 3,610 yards, 32 touchdowns, eight interceptions and an FBS-leading 77% completion percentage.
Klatt, shockingly for some, did not put Manning as his No. 1 QB in college football. Manning struggled to start the 2025 campaign, but improved each week and hit a hot streak at the end of the year.
There will be pressure as Texas is a title contender and Manning has been placed in early Heisman polls. But the dual threat has the skill set to be the best. He threw for 3,163 yards, 26 touchdowns, seven interceptions, a 61.4% completion percentage, 399 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns in 2025.
Moore comes out as Klatt’s top QB going into the 2026 college football season. He arguably could’ve been the No. 2 QB taken in the draft this spring, but he elected to stay in school.
Now, he’ll chase a national title with the Ducks after falling short last year. Moore has resurrected his career after transferring from UCLA following his freshman year. In 2025, Moore threw for 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 71.8% completion percentage.