Top 2026 quarterback prospects in the Rivals Industry Ranking

In the college football landscape, a premium is put on recruiting elite quarterbacks. And why wouldn’t there be? As we’ve already seen this season, play at that position specifically is often the difference between winning and losing the games that define your season. (See: Dante Moore vs. Penn State)

Identifying which passers fall into that bucket and which are just good or even serviceable has arguably never been more difficult. But a handful in the 2026 cycle have made their cases to be considered among the nation’s best, and expectations are already being heaped upon them before they’ve ever reached campus.

Midway through their senior seasons, these are the top quarterbacks in the class, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking:

1. 5-star Jared Curtis — Georgia

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 4 NATL.
School: Nashville Christian (Tenn.)

Scouting Summary: “Elite arm talent with creative playmaking ability. Has a big frame, measuring in at around 6-foot-3.5, 225 pounds with a 9.5-inch hand prior to his junior season. Looks like the top arm talent in the 2026 cycle. Ball explodes off his hand. Generates considerable velocity on throws to all areas of the field. Has a loose, natural throwing motion. Capable of delivering impressive passes from several arm angles. A pure rotational athlete who does not need his feet set to throw accurate passes. Plays with a gunslinging mentality and is not afraid to drive the football into tight windows over the middle of the field. A fluid athlete who is tough to corral in the backfield. Dangerous playmaker and improviser. Had some unbelievable second-reaction plays as a junior, evading pass rushers and uncorking throws 50+ yards downfield. Made impressive strides with his accuracy and decision-making as a junior.”

2. 5-star Dia Bell — Texas

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 5 NATL.
School: American Heritage (Fla.)

Scouting Summary: “Precision passer with the arm talent, size, and athleticism to translate to college football and beyond. Measured in at around 6-foot-2.5, 215 pounds with a 10-inch hand before his senior season. Mechanically clean with a smooth throwing motion that he replicates with consistency. Has polished footwork that is married to his upper body. Shows high-level arm talent, delivering well-placed passes to multiple levels of the field. A dangerous operator from the pocket. Able to evade pressure, reset his feet, and fire. Throws a pretty deep ball. Was a first-year starter as a sophomore and showed marked improvement while playing top competition as a junior. Flashed an added playmaking element and rushing component to his game down the stretch of his junior season.”

3. 5-star Faizon Brandon — Tennessee

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 9 NATL.
School: Grimsley (N.C.)

Elite 11 Review: “Brandon showed some of the best physical tools at the Elite 11 Finals. The 6-foot-3.5, 200-pounder has a projectable frame with a strong arm and plus athleticism. Brandon consistently delivered passes with zip throughout the week. He was impressive during drills on Day 1. Brandon was accurate while taking care of the football, completing 19 of 22 passes for three touchdowns in 7-on-7. There are some areas for improvement that we saw during the pro day workout. The fact Brandon, who is one of the youngest Elite 11 Finalists, was able to perform well despite room for growth points to his untapped potential.”

4. 5-star Keisean Henderson — Houston

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 14 NATL.
School: Legacy SSS (Texas)

Elite 11 Review: “Henderson owns one of the highest upsides among the Elite 11 Finalists. The Houston commit is a loose coordinated athlete with a strong arm. Henderson had highlight moments on each day of action, making some of the best throws we saw all week. His pass on a deep corner route during his pro day was the best throw we saw on Day 2. He was very aggressive during 7-on-7, finishing 14 of 25 with three touchdowns and zero interceptions. Initially considered as an athlete prospect, Henderson has blossomed into a promising quarterback and has made nice strides with his mechanics over the past year. We’re eager to see if he can carry those improvements into the fall during his senior season.”

5. 5-star Ryder Lyons — BYU

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 32 NATL.
School: Folsom (Calif.)

Scouting Summary: “Productive dual threat who makes outstanding high-level improvisational plays as a scramble artist. Measured at a shade under 6-foot-2 and around 220 pounds before his senior season. Hand measures at 9 inches. Added around 15 pounds during his junior year. At the helm of one of the top high school programs in Northern California. Highly productive over his high school career. Most comfortable when making improvisational plays. Lures defenders with his movements and keeps his eyes downfield to find open receivers. Never believes a play is dead. Stocky build and is tough to sack. Quality passer who can deliver with accuracy and touch. Shows the ability to step up in the pocket and deliver well-placed passes with timing when he wants to. Capable on designed runs in addition to scrambles. Shows the ability to break and avoid tackles at the second level. High usage player who will enter college football with a ton of meaningful reps in playmaking situations. Competitive temperament and plays with fire. Completed 68.1% of his passes for 3,011 yards (9.7 yards per attempt), while rushing for 585 yards (4.9 YPC) and 14 touchdowns as a junior. Can get into trouble against good defenses by bailing and looking to scramble too early in the play. A good, not overwhelming arm talent. Also plays varsity basketball. Can develop into one of the top quarterbacks in college football with continued improvements to his processing.”

6. 4-star Bowe Bentley — Oklahoma

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 69 NATL.
School: Celina (Texas)

Elite 11 Review: “Bentley elevated his game during the competitive portions of the Elite 11 Finals. He was solid on Day 1, but came alive on the final two days. Bentley turned in one of the cleaner pro day sessions on Day 2, as he was on target on 18 of his 20 passes. No Elite 11 Finalist moved at a faster pace than Bentley during 7-on-7. The state champion signal caller zipped through his reads and showed off noticeably quick processing ability.”

7. 4-star Jake Fette — Arizona State

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 81 NATL.
School: Del Valle (Texas)

Elite 11 Review: “Fette was the most explosive mover among the Elite 11 Finalists. A twitched-up athlete, Fette showed eye-catching reactive quickness throughout the week. We came away from Day 1 thinking that Fette moved at a different speed than most others. We continued to see flashes of that explosive burst throughout the week. He also showed a live arm. While Fette had a bumpy 7-on-7 session on Day 3, the movement skills were evident.”

8. 4-star Landon Duckworth — South Carolina

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 85 NATL.
School: Jackson (Ala.)

Elite 11 Review: “Duckworth is one of the toolsier quarterbacks on the ground in Los Angeles. Duckworth has a big frame with ample room to continue filling out. He’s the most explosive athlete of the group. Tuesday night allowed for another opportunity to showcase the improvements Duckworth has made as a passer this offseason. We’re impressed with the growth we’ve seen since seeing him in action at the Atlanta Under Armour camp back in February. Duckworth is more aligned and in sync than he was six months ago. As a result, he’s delivering strikes at a much higher rate. The velocity and accuracy look improved. Granted, there were times when some throws got away from him, but the improvement, along with the high-end tools, has to be taken as a big positive.”

9. 4-star Jonas Williams — USC

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 143 NATL.
School: Lincoln-Way East (Ill.)

Scout’s Take: “USC commit Jonas Williams has long been considered one of the top quarterback prospects in the cycle since his days as an underclassman. Williams is a well-rounded quarterback who shows quality passing skill and playmaking ability on Friday nights. We want to see how his physical traits stack up with this talented group of 2026 quarterbacks.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings

10. 4-star Jett Thomalla – Nebraska

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 152 NATL.
School: Millard South (Omaha, NE)

Elite 11 Review: Thomalla put together a solid week of work at the Elite 11 Finals. The new Alabama commit hit his stride on Day 2, charting on target on 18 of his 20 passes during his pro day workout, while showing good timing with his footwork. He followed that up on Day 3 by completing 14 of 21 passes for four touchdowns and one interception. At 6-foot-3.5, 200 pounds, Thomalla touts a college-ready frame with quality arm strength. He was at his best when targeting out-breaking routes in the intermediate area of the field.