Arch Manning and 4 other quarterbacks the Rams should want in 2026

The Los Angeles Rams made one of the biggest moves of the draft when they traded down in the first round. It wasn’t just that the Rams traded back, but it was also the fact that it gave them a future first-round pick.

That extra first-round pick gives the Rams a lot of flexibility heading into the 2026 draft. Not only does it allow them to find their successor to Matthew Stafford, but it also allows them to trade for an immediate star if that’s something that they choose to do. It allows the Rams to keep building along this path of ‘win now, but don’t sacrifice the future’. The Rams are able to keep one foot in each timeline.

With an extra first-round pick, there will be a lot of eyes on the 2026 quarterback class. Here are the names that the Rams should be watching.

Arch Manning, Texas

Any list is going to start with Arch Manning. That has partly to do with his last name and also Les Snead’s connection to Texas. Snead was seen talking with Manning during Texas’ Pro Day this past season. However, there is still an element of ‘wait and see’ with Manning. The fact of the matter is, up to this point, he’s only started two games. Manning is 2-0 in those games, but they came against ULM and Mississippi State. He threw two touchdowns and two interceptions against ULM, but went 26-for-31 with 325 yards and two touchdowns against Mississippi State.

Right now, we only have a two game sample with Manning. It’s also possible that he goes back to school. Both Peyton and Eli Manning played four years at Tennessee and Ole Miss. They could both persuade Arch to go back to school and continue to develop. It’s possible that he doesn’t come out until 2027 or even 2028. The arm talent is there, but his processing and anticipatory throws need to develop.

LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina

As it stands, LaNorris Sellers should be the top quarterback of the 2026 draft class. This is the player that the Rams should want. Sellers brings the mobility and athleticism of a modern quarterback, but he also has the pocket mobility to move around between the tackles and avoid defenders. He is simply one of the hardest quarterbacks to sack. On top of that, he has the ability to create the explosive plays out of structure and has the football IQ to process defensive coverages pre and post-snap.

Sellers only has one year as a starter and will look to continue developing this season. He needs to add some more touch on some of his passes and just get more experience. With a good season at South Carolina, Sellers could skyrocket himself into the number one overall pick. For the Rams’ sake, they will hope that he does enough to remain a first-round selection, but not enough to draw comparisons to Patrick Mahomes.

Drew Allar, Penn State

Allar made the decision to return to Penn State following last season and had he declared, he likely goes in the first-round. However, it’s hard to fault Allar for returning to school. He needed another season to develop and find some consistency. The athletic ability and the arm talent are clearly there and is reminiscent of Justin Herbert or Josh Allen. His arm elasticity and explosiveness are clearly evident. He is simply too inconsistent to feel comfortable with right now.

Allar showed development last season and will look to do the same in 2025 as he prepares for the NFL Draft. If he can get more consistent from an accuracy standpoint and perform better under pressure, Allar is a mid first-round quarterback that could develop behind Matthew Stafford for a season.

Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

The last time the Rams took a first-round quarterback, that player came from Cal. While Mendoza transferred from Cal to Indiana this past season, he will get to play in the same offense that saw Kurtis Rourke jump onto the scene last season. Mendoza had offers to Miami and Georgia, but chose Indiana who had the number seven passing offense in 2024.

The talent jumps off the tape, and with Indiana he should put up good numbers. Every year there is a quarterback that comes out of nowhere and ends up as a first or second-round player. That could be Mendoza in 2026.

Nico Iamaleava, UCLA

This is likely going to be the prospect next year in which many “character concerns” will come out. After demanding $4 million from Tennessee and the school saying ‘no thanks’ and parting ways with him, it wasn’t a good look. This seems to be more of a reflection on Iamaleava surrounding himself with a poor support group than the kid himself. It will be hard for the Rams to look the other way when Iamaleava is playing in their backyard.

Taking away the drama, there is a lot to like with Iamaleava. He has a huge arm and can hit every level of the field. The UCLA quarterback also has the athleticism and mobility to create plays out of structure and pick up yards with his legs. Iamaleava needs to work on his accuracy and processing. While leaving Tennessee may hurt his numbers, from an NFL preparation standpoint, it may have been best to get out of that offensive scheme.

Honorable Mentions

• Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
• Cade Klubnik, Clemson
• Carson Beck, Miami
• Cameron Rising
• Conner Weigman

A player like Garrett Nussmeier is going to consistently get mocked to the Rams and is a player that they should have interest in. The talent is clearly there from a processing and technical standpoint. Given that he is the son of an offensive coordinator, offensive coaches will really like him. He needs to improve on his decision-making in 2026.

Cade Klubnik is another player that has been talked about for years as a top prospect. He hasn’t impressed over the last two seasons, but 2026 will be his chance. Klubnik shows functional mobility and can escape pressure in the pocket, creating yards with his legs. He’s your modern pocket passer at quarterback. For Klubnik and many of these quarterbacks, it comes down to showing continued development and consistency.