South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers emerged as the early frontrunner for the 2026 NFL draft’s top quarterback position in a recent ESPN survey of 25 NFL scouts and executives.
Sellers received eight votes in the poll, narrowly edging LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier who garnered seven votes. The survey, conducted heading into Week 4, revealed significant uncertainty among evaluators as seven different quarterbacks received first-place votes across the 25 responses.
Following Sellers and Nussmeier, Miami’s Carson Beck and Oklahoma’s John Mateer each received three votes. Penn State’s Drew Allar earned two votes, while Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt and Texas’ Arch Manning each received one vote.
The wide distribution of votes reflects the unpredictable nature of early draft evaluations. Several highly-touted prospects have struggled this season, though the overall quarterback class is considered stronger than last year’s group.
Eligibility questions further complicate projections, as Sellers, Mateer, Leavitt and Manning all have remaining college years available.
“Much like last year, it’s hard to pick this early,” said one NFL general manager surveyed.
Scouts cite Sellers’ physical attributes as his primary advantage in early evaluations. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound redshirt sophomore fits the modern dual-threat quarterback prototype.
“He’s got most physical talent,” one veteran scout told ESPN. “His ability to scramble and make plays with his feet as a runner. He’s instinctive and the ball comes out quick.”
The debate between Sellers and Nussmeier centers on contrasting strengths. While Sellers offers superior size and mobility, Nussmeier brings five years of college experience and comes from an NFL coaching family.
“Instinctive and finds a way,” another scout said of Nussmeier. “He’s got a great feel for the position and a good arm.”
Beck has rebounded from disappointing 2024 struggles to improve his draft stock early this season. Mateer’s performance against Michigan impressed evaluators, while Manning’s slow start has dampened expectations for an early declaration.
The survey methodology mirrors last year’s Week 6 poll, which saw Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders lead with nine votes compared to Beck’s five.