Scout Notebook: QB Watch, Top Performers & Names To Know For The 2026 NFL Draft.

Week 1 of college football delivered some scintillating performances from top quarterback prospects and some not so great outings that left NFL scouts shaking their heads. We dissect what it all means

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SCOUTING THE NATION: QB WATCH

The Week 1 slate of college football action delivered on the hype. It was full of drama, surprises and stellar play from some of the premier quarterback prospects across the country. There were also some disapointing performances but we are not going to overreact based on one game. We examine the results of top draft-eligible signal-callers from the weekend that was.

No quarterback was more impressive than Garrett Nussmeier, who appeared poised in the pocket, made decisive throws and flashed tremendous ball velocity during the LSU Tigers 17-10 win over the Clemson Tigers. The performance included an 11-play, 73-yard game-winning drive orchestrated by Nussmeier in the fourth quarter. He would finish 28-of-38, for 230 passing yards and one touchdown (no interceptions). One of the more impressive throws of the day was a 30-yard rope, which Nussmeier dropped it in the bucket to speedy wideout Barion Brown where only his receiver could catch up. Unfortunately, a bad replay decision by the officials ruled it an incomplete pass. The son of former NFL quarterback and current Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, it’s clear that they younger Nussmeier possesses a high football IQ, as he was practically born out of the womb with a football in his hands. His leadership is evident, as he is the first quarterback to wear the esteemed jersey No.18 for LSU since Matt Mauck in 2003. Clearly, Nussmeier was the most impressive quarterback on display in the country this past weekend. He now needs 3,343 yards to pass Tommy Hodson as the Tigers’ all-time leading passer in school history.

On the losing end in the ‘Clash of the Tigers,’ Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik was not so impressive during his 2025 season debut. Under duress for much of the evening, Klubnik would find himself with little time to throw and making rushed decisions, which led to accuracy issues. The experienced Clemson rifleman did demonstrate nice mobility, extending plays to deliver the ball on the move but overall it was a lackluster performance, as the Tigers left plenty of points on the board. A costly third-quarter interception was the turning point of the game, as Klubnik would finish 19-of-38, for 230 passing yards and an interception. The 50% completion percentage was a byproduct of a hovering LSU secondary led by cornerback Mansoor Delane who came up with the pick. As for Klubnik, he was dealing with an online rumor that spread across the internet in which he was said to be in a bad car accident. He was asked about it earlier the week and he stated that his mom called him in tears. Still, Klubnik will need to learn how to wear blinders from off-field distractions and harness some of the accuracy woes that were on display in Week 1. The Tigers do not face another ranked opponent for six weeks when they host SMU on October 18th.

The most anticipated quarterback start of the weekend was in Columbus, where Texas Longhorns anointed young gun Arch Manning would receive a huge wake-up call. The Ohio State Buckeyes stymie defense would prove to be too overwhelming for Manning, who looked like a deer in headlights for most of the afternoon on Saturday, in front of 107,000 screaming fans. While observers waited patiently for the Longhorns offense to start clicking, it never materialized, as Manning was caught off guard by the deceptive pre-snap disguises implemented by Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. His first completion beyond 10 yards didn’t arrive until the fourth quarter. By then, it was too much for Manning to overcome who struggled mightily to see the field, even when protected. His balls were often off-the-mark, as his delivery seemed rushed and Manning failed to find his rhythm. He would finish 17-of-30, for 170 passing yards, with one touchdown pass to Parker Livingstone. However, he threw a critical interception made by Ohio State cornerback Jermaine Mathews, who announced himself to NFL scouts with a constant presence throughout the game. For Manning, he should be happy to see the next few cupcakes lined up on the schedule with three consecutive home games lined up against San Jose State, UTEP and Houston. His next real test will come on October 4th, as Texas visits the swamps of Florida, led by quarterback DJ Lagway, a candidate to be the top quarterback in the 2027 NFL Draft Class.

Another quarterback who came up short in his season debut was new UCLA gunslinger Nico Iamaleava, who seemed to have left his ammunition at home during a 43-10 beatdown at the hands of Utah. After a controversial departure from Tennessee during the offseason over NIL money, Iamaleava took his act to Hollywood, with 30 family members in attendance to witness the massacre. The highly touted quarterback laid a goose egg, making poor reads, inaccurate throws and absorbed a devastating amount of hits during the after dark affair, which turned into a nightmare quickly. Iamaleava was sacked four times, completed just 11-of-22 passes (his worst completion percentage of his career), for 136 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception. He was the Bruins leading rusher with 47 yards on 11 carries. This would seem to be a crossroads moment for Iamaleava who has showcased the ability to throw one of the best deep balls in college football, when he finds his groove. The Bruins will host No.2 ranked Penn State on October 4th, an opportunity for Iamaleava to change the minds of NFL decision-makers, as he’ll compete against Nittany Lions signal-caller Drew Allar.

Speaking of Allar, he faced an ill-equipped Nevada team, as Penn State romped in a 46-11 victory. In his second season under offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, the pocket-passer looked much more comfortable and in total command of the offense, finishing an efficient 22-of-26 passing, for 217 yards and one touchdown (finding USC transfer wideout Kyron Hudson). However, there were several occasions, where the Penn State offense stalled inside the red zone, utilizing a makeshift offensive line that used a rotation of blockers up front. Overall, the offense added many new wrinkles that we did not see a year ago, such as pre-snap motions, an up-tempo pace and various personnel groupings. His performance has catapulted him to the front of the Heisman Trophy odds early on this season. With just one class on his academic schedule this fall, Allar is all in on the task at hand.

One quarterback who looked the part and played the role of a lead character was South Carolina dual-threat LaNorris Sellers. His combination of size and speed, along with a cannon arm was on full display for pro evaluators, as he ran like an angry, caged bull. Sellers showcased his ability to beat opponents with his arm, as evidenced by the 64-yard touchdown bomb to condor wideout Nyck Harbor, in addition to the ground, which included a designed 15-yard draw pay for a score early in the game. Sellers would wear down the Virginia Tech defense all game long and into the fourth quarter with tough, hard-nosed runs that will remind you of Cam Newton. The ball protection as a runner was noticeable but Sellers did take quite a punishment in his own right, engrossing an alarming amount of massive hits. He would finish 12-of-19 passing, for yards, one passing touchdown (no interceptions), while adding another score via the ground. Sellers thrives off the RPO and after Nussmeier, it feels like Sellers generated the most amount of buzz from his opening week performance. The two will square off on October 11th, as South Carolina visits LSU, a game that NFL personnel are sure to have circled on their calendar!

Lastly, the ‘Convicts vs Catholics’ rivalry provided us an up close glimpse of new Miami lead man Carson Beck who led Hurricanes to a minor upset over Notre Dame, which is considered to have one of the best defenses in the nation. Credited for his leadership from the moment he stepped onto the Coral gables campus, Beck was sharp to begin his 2025 campaign, making quick, pinpoint throws and coming up big when his team needed him most. In fact, Beck led back-to-back 75-yard scoring drives to close out the first half and then again on the opening drive of the second half. It proved to be too much for the Fighting Irish, as he methodically and efficiently drove the Hurricanes down field, completing 20-of-31 passes, for 205 yards, with two touchdowns and zero turnovers. An overlooked stat from last season in Georgia was the alarming 36 drops registered by Bulldogs receivers. There were no drops on this night, as Beck has positioned Miami to be a top contender for the national championship.

AAF DAILY SHOW: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2025

In this episode of the All Access Football Daily, host Ric Serritella welcomes listeners to the launch of a new era, as we present REAL football talk! Each day, we will air live and discuss the hot topics from the world of football with special guests. For those of you who have followed us for the past two decades, then you know that we always have one eye on the NFL Draft. Buckle up and stream on in, you never know who might pop up on the show next. All Access. All Football. All The Time.

SCOUT NOTEBOOK: NUSSMEIER, MANNING & MORE

Each week, All Access Football brings you the names you need to know, as we count you down to ‘Destination Pittsburgh,’ for the 2026 NFL Draft, courtesy of the NFL Draft Bible scouting department. For more in-depth analysis on top prospects from Week 1 action, be sure to upgrade to the All Access Football Annual Pass, which gains reader access into the full ‘Scout Notebook’ on Mondays, ‘World Famous All Access Football Report’ on Wednesdays and ‘Drat Insider’, published on Fridays. Members also receive a copy of the Official 2026 NFL Draft Bible, featuring 500+ in-depth scouting reports and used by all 32 NFL teams (published in April).

This week, our scouts brig you more analysis on quarterbacks Doug Nussmeier of LSU, Arch Manning of Texas, plus one wide receiver who drew a Tez Johnson comparison, another wideout target who seems destined for the first round, a playmaker who has emerged from the Florida State defense and more. We hope you enjoy our 24th NFL Draft cycle of providing you with independent coverage of the NFL Draft and EVERYTHING pigskin. Buckle up for more scout analysis below …