We are already somehow at Week 4 in the college football season. The season has seen some significant shifts. Quarterback Arch Manning was assumed to be the grand prize of the 2026 draft. That opinion has shifted.
Way too early mock drafts are difficult. The summer of 2025 had Carson Beck as the presumed top pick in the draft, followed closely by Shedeur Sanders. Very few saw Sanders' fall coming just days before the 2025 draft.
This is opening brush strokes. The picture will end up complete in a year, when we view the next group of rookies on an NFL field.
Expect this board to see significant changes. I know I'm wrong. I have a lot of football to watch. My aim is transparency. When I see something, I will share.
This is a learning process, and we are in it together.
Ultimately, it should provide a road map to the 2026 version of the Footballguys Rookie Guide.
Notable omissions:
QB Arch Manning, Texas - Manning's 2025 season is off to a rocky start. Before the season, there were loud whispers that he would be returning for another season regardless of how 2025 turned out. I do not expect him to be in the 2026 draft.
QB LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina - No one entered the season with as much hype as Manning. But Sellers may have been a clear second. He has not lived up to the hype, and an early injury against Vanderbilt knocked him out of the upset loss.
WR Antonio Williams, Clemson - Williams is a buzzy draft name, but he has missed the season with an injury. He may return against Syracuse, and Clemson needs him after a disappointing 1-2 start.
These players could end up high on The Board. But they are currently off it.
