Silver And Black Pride
The Raiders fell to 1-2 following a loss to the Commanders, while the season is far from over and the NFL Draft is still about 7 months away (it will be a quick 7 months), teams are already looking to the draft strengths and fans should do the same. Through the next few weeks I will be breaking down each position to get fans accustomed to a few names and players to keep an eye on through the rest of the college football season.
The 2026 quarterback class was raved about and while the class is still good it’s largely due to players taking a step up to combat the one’s taking a step back. Oklahoma’s John Mateer is on the smaller side but has legit NFL arm talent and phenomenal traits as a runner. In terms of his mental aspects, Mateer is slowly learning but has shown flashes of being a potential franchise QB. Mateer is likely sitting third to a tie between Oregon’s Dante Moore and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. Moore has carved up defenses through the Ducks first four games, though he’s yet to play an elite defense which will change this week against Penn State. Moore has logged a 74.7% completion rate, 11 TD, 1 INT and another 96 rushing yards. Moore has shown elite arm talent, a high IQ and ability to read defenses while also working well in the pocket. Moore displays an NFL ability to layer passes and complete throws into tight windows while also realizing when he needs to take the check down.
Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza has looked lights out with the Hoosiers, showcasing his same elite arm talent from his time at Cal but also expanding on his mental aspects. Mendoza reads defenses well, is able to throw a perfect deep pass and also layers passes into tight windows down the seam at an elite level. Mendoza’s biggest question came with his talent vs lower level defenses having only palyed ODU, Kennesaw State, and Indiana State but against Illinois, who feature likely 3 defensive picks in the top 100 Mendoza went 21/23 for 267 yards, and 5 TD. The 6’5/225 junior has a 77% completion rate, 14 touchdowns, ZERO interceptions, and another 101 yards and 2 TD on the ground in four games. South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers is likely the best overall quarterback prospect in the class showcasing elite arm talent, good running skills, and has displayed the IQ of an NFL QB often. Despite this, Sellers is extremely raw and is going to likely need to return to South Carolina in 2026 to really build upon his draft stock and showcase he can consistently develop and refine his traits. The class also features LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier who is a raw QB prospect but has displayed the ability to make NFL caliber throws, read defenses at a good level, and also moves well in the pocket to be quick. Nussmeier will need development in the NFL but the 6’1/205 senior has logged...
