Where the top quarterback recruits in the 2026 class signed

With the Early Signing Period in the rearview and the last few holdouts of the 2026 class set to sign on Wednesday, Rivals is looking back at the top prospects in the cycle, beginning with the nation’s top quarterback recruits.

The group features four five-stars — all ranked among the top 20 recruits in the country. But it also features more than two-dozen other blue-chippers who signed with programs across the SEC, ACC, Big Ten, and Big 12.

Below are the top 25 quarterbacks in the class and where they’re signed:

1. Five-Star Plus+ QB Keisean Henderson — Houston

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 2 NATL.
School: Legacy SSS (Texas)

Scout’s Take: “Henderson is the highest senior riser among quarterbacks after making a massive improvement in his on-field play from his junior to senior seasons. A gifted athlete, Henderson has embraced development as a quarterback and went from the least productive Rivals300 signal caller as a junior to the most productive as a senior. The Houston commit lit up scoreboards at Houston Legacy SSS this fall, completing 74.5% of his passes for 3,880 yards and 45 touchdowns against six interceptions, along with 522 rushing yards and 10 more scores. His per game averages of 440 total yards and 5.5 touchdowns are the best marks of any Rivals300 quarterback. Henderson’s rise as a senior reminds us some of what we saw from Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell in the 2025 cycle. Most importantly, the film matches the production. Henderson is a toolsy quarterback with a plus arm, aggressive mindset, and improved pocket presence.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings

2. Five-Star Plus+ QB Jared Curtis — Vanderbilt

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 3 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.”

3. 5-star Faizon Brandon — Tennessee

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

Scouting Summary: ”Accurate passer with the physical traits to make him one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2026 cycle. Measured around 6-foot-3.5, 200 pounds with a 9.25-inch hand before his senior season. Has the frame to add more good weight. Flashes a live arm, particularly in the camp setting, easily generating zip on his passes. Piloted his team to a state title as a junior, completing 77.1% of his passes for 2,814 yards (13.1 YPA) and 35 touchdowns against 2 interceptions. A good athlete with solid speed, running for 625 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior. Does a good job limiting mistakes and avoids putting the ball in harm’s way. Has the skill set to stress defenses with his arm and legs. An effective distributor in operating the quick passing game. Also played basketball. Plays in a conservative high school offense that offers few downfield passing opportunities. Will benefit from honing his footwork and lower body mechanics once he works with college coaches. One of the youngest top quarterbacks in the cycle, turning 17 years old in June before his senior season. Will need to continue gaining more useful passing reps, but has early-round upside if developed properly.”

4. 5-star QB Dia Bell — Texas

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 16 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.”

5. 4-star Jett Thomalla – Alabama

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 44 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.

6. 4-star Ryder Lyons — BYU

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 52 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.”

7. 4-star Bowe Bentley — Oklahoma

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 89 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.”

8. 4-star Jonas Williams — USC

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 117 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

9. 4-star Jake Fette — Arizona State

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 118 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.”

10. 4-star Landon Duckworth — South Carolina

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 141 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.”

Other top quarterbacks and where they’re signed

11. Tradon Bessinger – Iowa
12. Bryson Beaver – Georgia
13. Travis Burgess – North Carolina
14. Matt Ponatoski – Kentucky
15. Teddy Jarrard – Notre Dame

16. Kayd Coffman – Michigan State
17. Helaman Casuga – Texas A&M
18. Grant Lawless – Wake Forest
19. Will Griffin – Florida
20. Rocco Marriott – UCF

21. Briggs Cherry – Louisville
22. Dereon Coleman – Miami
23. Tommy Carr – Michigan
24. Oscar Rios – Arizona
25. Troy Huhn – Virginia Tech