The Cleveland Browns could be on the lookout for a QB high in the 2026 NFL Draft
The Cleveland Browns quarterback situation is, frankly, a mess.
Joe Flacco probably isn’t an answer beyond 2025 and it’s unlikely that Kenny Pickett will be the long-term answer for the Browns either.
Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders each have the chance to emerge as “The Guy” for the future, though each also has warts.
Gabriel is old (for a rookie), undersized, and left-handed. On the flip side, he’s experienced and his projectable stats at Oregon compared very well with the likes of Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix, and Cam Ward as college prospects.
Sanders also has mediocre traits, brings the kind of spotlight that can be a distraction, and won’t have Travis Hunter to throw to. That said, he was also remarkably efficient and can deliver an accurate and catchable pass.
The long-term vision is murky to say the least. And despite the Browns taking two quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft, they might be looking at the position in the first round of the 2026 draft.
With that in mind, let’s take a quick look at five quarterbacks who could be “The Guy” for the Browns.
Sam Leavitt (Arizona State)
2025 status: Red-shirt sophomore
Leavitt is undersized, listed at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, but his arm strength and movement skills are better than average.
He plays with great competitive toughness, with the willingness to hang in the pocket and take hits to give his receivers time to get open. Leavitt only completed 61.7 percent of his passes last year, but that belies the ability to throw with solid accuracy and anticipation. He’s a generally efficient quarterback who had 24 touchdowns to just six interceptions (at least one of which was tipped at the line of scrimmage).
This year will be big for him, as he only attempted 23 passes across four games before redshirting in 2023, and attempted 350 passes last year. Leavitt has room to grow and address any lingering size concerns, and he could be a steady riser this year if he builds on the foundation he laid down last year.
Fernando Mendoza (Indiana)
2025 status: Junior
Mendoza is transferring from Cal to Indiana for the 2025 season. He sports an NFL-ready frame and is listed at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, and while he doesn’t have great quickness as an athlete, he does have a quick release and strong arm.
He has enough arm strength to access the deeper areas of the field, as well as a quick-enough release to beat coverage in the underneath area of the field. Mendoza is an accurate passer who’s willing to attack deep but doesn’t put the ball in danger often.
Mendoza wasn’t a factor in Cal’s running game, averaging just 1.2 yards per carry for 105 yards. Considering he lacks great quickness and agility, that might be unlikely to change at Indiana.
Drew Allar (Penn State)
2025 status: Senior
Drew Allar is going to be this year’s “The Next Josh Allen” thanks to his prototypical blend of size, arm strength, and athleticism.
Allar is an imposing figure at 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, with the athleticism to be a viable piece of the rushing attack in short yardage. Not only is he big, strong, and tough to bring down, but he moves well for his size and finished with six rushing touchdowns last year.
While he’s still developing as a passer, Allar has the tools that coaches want to work with at the NFL level. He boasts impressive arm strength to drive the ball to all areas of the field, as well as an understanding of how to throw with anticipation. He had a great stretch of play in the latter part of the season, but fell off over the final games Penn State played.
The big question is whether Allar can keep honing his craft as a passer and develop greater consistency in his game.
Cade Klubnik (Clemson)
2025 status: Junior
Klubnik is going to be an interesting prospect to follow this year. If Clemson’s defense is as advertised, he shouldn’t have to carry much of the load himself. However, he has the potential to be a high first-round selection.
Klubnik is a quick, twitchy athlete who can navigate the pocket, extend plays, or hurt the defense with his scrambling. That said, he isn’t particularly big at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds. He could wind up measuring bigger than that at the Combine, but he doesn’t have a very heavy frame. He also has merely “adequate” arm talent and is much more of a “West Coast” passer than a vertical bomber.
That, of course, might not be much of a problem for Kevin Stefanski and the type of offense he prefers to run.
Garrett Neussmeier (LSU)
2025 status: Senior
Neussmeier almost declared for the 2025 NFL Draft, but he made the correct decision to go back to school. He’s an undersized player at 6-foot 5/8 inches, 204 pounds, but is a smooth athlete and a savvy operator.
His father is a coach and former player, so it’s little wonder that he already plays the game with a “pro” mentality. Neussmeier does a great job of reading the defense, getting through his progressions, and manipulating the secondary with his eyes. He has a very quick release and is accurate to all areas of the field. His arm isn’t quite “plus,” but he can regularly attack tight windows in the intermediate area of the field.
He could emerge as the top quarterback in this class with a strong senior season.
Will these college quarterbacks enter the 2026 NFL draft?
We could probably include Sam Leavitt in this section based on his overall experience level. But, at least at this point, these two quarterbacks could be the players whose decision the 2026 quarterback class will hinge upon.
LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina)
2025 status: Red-shirt sophomore
Sellers exploded onto the college scene over the course of the 2024 season. He’s an unrefined passer, but his tools are incredibly exciting.
His athletic profile will likely be compared to the likes of Jalen Milroe, Anthony Richardson, or Cam Newton. He isn’t quite as tall as Newton or Richardson at 6-foot-3, but he’s very powerfully built, with excellent speed and agility. He also has fantastic situational awareness and body control, letting him escape and scramble in ways that are reminiscent of Cam Ward or Kyler Murray but at 240 pounds.
He still needs to do a better job of working through his progressions as well as playing with more consistent technique as a thrower. Sellers has the potential to turn the SEC on its ear if he can take the next step as a passer and truly unlock the South Carolina playbook. That said, he might be best served by staying in school until the ‘27 draft.
Arch Manning (Texas)
2025 status: Red-shirt sophomore
The scion of the Manning family is the one everyone is waiting for. Arch has been projected as a first overall pick since middle school, and it seems as though it’s more a matter of “when” than “if”.
Arch has every tool to be a superstar quarterback at the NFL and follow in his uncles’ footsteps. In fact, considering he takes after his father (Cooper) and grandfather (Archie) in the athleticism department, he could be more like Andrew Luck than Peyton or Eli. However, considering Arch only has two games of starting experience entering 2025, it seems more likely that he won’t be coming out until 2027.
Which of the above QBs are you most interested in seeing in Cleveland next year?
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