We’re past the halfway mark of the 2025 college football season and the main contenders for the honor of top quarterback are well-established at this point.
Indiana’s undefeated run to a top-five national ranking comes in no small part thanks to quarterback Fernando Mendoza. After the team’s statement win against Oregon on the road, Mendoza continues to impress evaluators as the season continues.
Oregon’s own Dante Moore remains a contender for the top spot as well. Thanks to a better showing in Week 8, Moore and the Ducks could be back on track for a postseason run.
But the biggest development is from a quarterback in Tuscaloosa. Alabama’s Ty Simpson continues to impress as he makes strides in his first season as the Crimson Tide’s starter.
He’s now moved up in our 2026 NFL Draft quarterback prospect rankings to potentially challenge Mendoza later this season. Here’s how the rankings look entering Week 9 and why Simpson’s moved up:
2026 NFL Draft QB prospect rankings
1. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (last week: 1)
- Week 8 vs. Michigan State: 24-for-28 (85.7%) passing, 332 yards, four touchdowns; six carries, 17 yards
Michigan State held tough with Indiana for much of the first half but the Hoosiers eventually pulled away thanks in no small part to Mendoza. The top-ranked quarterback in the class was methodical in his precise ball placement all game.
Indiana took less than two minutes to score to open the second half thanks to a beautiful 48-yard touchdown pass from Mendoza to Omar Cooper Jr.
He set a season-high in passing yards with 332 as Michigan State didn’t pressure him nearly as often as Oregon a week prior. Per Pro Football Focus (PFF) data, Mendoza faced four pressures against the Spartans compared to 14 against the Ducks.
Mendoza made the plays you want to see from a No. 1 quarterback in the class, including multiple plays with his feet to gain extra yards. This wasn’t a statement game but a performance that keeps him at the top spot.
Mendoza and Indiana continue Big Ten play at home against upstart UCLA this week.
2. Ty Simpson, Alabama (last week: 3)
- Week 8 vs. Tennessee: 19-for-29 (65.5%) passing, 253 yards, two touchdowns; four carries, 15 yards
Simpson keeps playing his way into consideration for one of the top spots on this list. His game against Tennessee included so many things that make evaluators excited about what he could be at the NFL level.
Alabama’s first two drives of the first half started inside their own 10-yard line. Simpson’s first completion came on third and 13 from his own 6-yard line. Tight end Josh Cuevas is open at the top of his drop and Simpson backpedals to elude a rusher, resets and fires a pass to him for the first down.
That drive ended in a touchdown pass from Simpson to Isaiah Horton. The next drive started in similar circumstances and Simpson delivered by avoiding a chipped but free runner and placing the ball perfectly to Ryan Williams.
Those two plays are some of the best by any quarterback in the class and he did them in the same half. He’s taking on more pre-snap responsibilities than other quarterbacks in the class as well.
The biggest knock on Simpson is his game experience. He waited behind Bryce Young and Jalen Milroe before finally earning the starting job at the start of the season. But he’s more than familiar with playing the game at a high level; Simpson’s father, Jason, has been head coach at UT-Martin’s FCS football program for 20 years.
He gets bumped above Moore for his impressive play. He’ll have a good test against a talented South Carolina defense this week.
3. Dante Moore, Oregon (last week: 2)
- Week 8 at Rutgers: 15-for-20 (75.0%) passing, 288 yards, four touchdowns, one interception; three carries, 49 yards
After his worst outing of the season against Indiana, Moore needed a bounce-back performance on the road against Rutgers. Four touchdowns on 20 attempts is a good way to do just that.
Moore pushed the ball more than any other game this year. His average depth of target (ADOT) was a season-high 13.2 yards, per PFF data. This wasn’t a result of long-developing routes that he waited for, though. His average time to throw was 2.64 seconds – his third-lowest average of the season.
His first touchdown pass of the game was on a throw up the seam to top tight end prospect Kenyon Sadiq. It was placed well to ensure only Sadiq could catch it and he crossed the goal line for the score.
Moore’s deep ball abilities were on full display in this contest. Deep shots late in the first half were perfectly layered to offer yards-after-catch to his receivers, including this shot to tight end Jamari Johnson.
Moore’s lone interception came on his second-to-last pass of the game: a quick slant in which Ducks wide receiver Gary Bryant Jr. was pressed out of the way by Rutgers defensive back Cam Miller. That’s far from pure quarterback error. Four plays earlier, Moore showed off his mobility with a 35-yard scramble to get the Ducks across midfield.
Moore played better against lesser Big Ten competition in Week 8. He’ll need to continue building on that against Wisconsin at home this week.
4. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina (last week: 4)
- Week 8 vs. Oklahoma: 17-for-26 (65.4%) passing, 124 yards, one touchdown; eight carries, 44 yards
Sellers had one of his better days as a passer against the Sooners in Week 8. Oklahoma’s defense heated him up with 17 pressures and six sacks, per PFF data. But he countered that well and got the ball out in 3.02 seconds on average – his second-quickest mark of the season – and did not turn the ball over.
He got South Carolina in the end zone for the first time in the game by hanging in the pocket against pressure on fourth and goal to find wideout Nyck Harbor for the touchdown.
That play encapsulates a lot of what Sellers was dealing with all game. Oklahoma’s pressure repeatedly forced scrambles and, thanks to his outlier athleticism, Sellers kept the South Carolina offense afloat.
South Carolina stayed in shotgun in the deep red zone often, likely as a result of Oklahoma’s pressure looks. Against a less pressure-happy team we could see more of how Sellers has developed as a passer.
He may not get much of a break this week against Alabama. Still, he remains the quarterback with the most tools and highest ceiling in this class.
5. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU (last week: 5)
- Week 8 at Vanderbilt: 19-for-28 (67.9%) passing, 225 yards, two touchdowns
LSU lost for the second time this season on the road against Vanderbilt and Nussmeier had a solid if unspectacular game.
The offense went with the quick game for the first quarter to get Nussmeier into a rhythm early on versus an aggressive Commodores defense. He bought time and evaded pressure on his first touchdown of the game to Trey’Dez Green.
Nussmeier finished the day with a 5.9-yard ADOT which is his second-lowest mark of the season, per PFF data. He managed to stay turnover-free for the first time in a month despite getting pressured 13 times and sacked twice.
Facing a second-half deficit, Nussmeier and the offense went with more deep shots that weren’t as successful as hoped. He escaped without any turnovers but struggled to connect and keep the Tigers alive.
He may be forced into a similar game plan in Week 9 against a stout Texas A&M front.
6. John Mateer, Oklahoma (last week: 6)
- Week 8 at South Carolina: 19-for-27 (70.4%) passing, 155 yards, one touchdown; eight carries, 24 yards
Mateer’s poor performance against Texas in Week 7 was the lowlight of his season so far. Against South Carolina, he was better against a solid defense thanks to a solid game plan.
Mateer set season-lows in ADOT (4.1 yards) and time to throw (2.1 seconds), according to PFF data. Oklahoma relied on quick passing to neutralize the Gamecocks’ pass rush and he only faced four pressures all game. By comparison, Nussmeier had a 5.9-yard ADOT and 2.58-second time to throw against South Carolina in Week 7 and was pressured 13 times.
That game plan didn’t afford many wow throws for the Sooners’ passer but he still had some highlights. His lone touchdown of the game came on a perfect shot to wideout Isaiah Sategna III down the far sideline.
He continued to showcase his functional scrambling by picking up a pair of first downs with his legs, including a third and 4 conversion early on in the second half.
Oklahoma’s back at home to face Ole Miss in Week 8. That should be a chance for Mateer to press more as a passer.
7. Jayden Maiava, USC (last week: 8)
- Week 8 at Notre Dame: 22-for-42 (52.4%) passing, 328 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions
Maiava and USC struggled on the road against a talented Notre Dame defense featuring future NFL players at multiple positions. USC started with quick passes to get Maiava a rhythm and were rewarded with an impressive throw for a touchdown from Maiava to tight end Lake McRee.
Maiava’s ball placement put the ball exactly where only McRee could get it and in bounds. He showed similarly impressive touch on a 59-yard touchdown throw to Ja’Kobi Lane in the third quarter.
Turnovers doomed the Trojans’ hopes at a road win over the Irish, including Maiava’s first interception on an underthrown ball in the face of pressure. His second pick came on a desperation heave with just more than a minute remaining.
Considering what else he put on film from this game, we aren’t going to penalize him too heavily for those mistakes. He moves up a spot ahead of the Trojans’ bye.
8. Sam Leavitt, Arizona State (last week: 7)
- Week 8 vs Texas Tech: 25-for-32 (78.1%) passing, 260 yards, two touchdowns, one interception; eight carries, 31 yards, one fumble
Leavitt rounds out the top eight prospects this week after a solid performance in Arizona State’s upset win over Texas Tech. The Red Raiders’ pass rush is one of the best in country powered by potential Round 1 NFL Draft pick David Bailey.
Texas Tech pressured Leavitt 15 times, per PFF data, the most he’s faced in a game this season. They got to him for four sacks as well but he used his legs to extend plays, including a 49-yard pass to Jaren Hamilton in the first quarter to set up the Sun Devils’ first points of the game.
He hit Hamilton again for another highlight throw to bring the Sun Devils in field goal range late in the first half. Leavitt’s escapability was on full display in the second half as well to convert in the red zone.
He may not be as refined a passer as others ahead of him on this list but he continues to make key plays in key moments for the Sun Devils against top competition. Arizona State is home again this week against Houston.
Next two up: Carson Beck, Miami; Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati