Colin Cowherd Drops Shocking Top 3 QB Prospects—Who Surprised Him Most?

So, here’s a twist no one saw coming in the 2026 NFL draft saga—quarterback prospects once hailed as the next big thing are now tumbling down draft boards faster than a steep fade route. Colin Cowherd, with his signature blend of insight and bravado (and a snap judgment reminiscent of a seasoned sideline caller), has dropped a fresh top three that’s shaking up all our preconceptions. Fernando Mendoza, Dante Moore, and LaNorris Sellers? Not quite the household names we expected a few moons ago, yet here they are, stepping into the limelight as new frontrunners. Makes you wonder: if a draft board could talk, would it admit to having cold feet or just a sneaky crush on the underdog? Stick around—because this reshuffle isn’t just about talent; it’s about narrative, redemption, and the relentless hunt for the next franchise savior.

Colin Cowherd and Ann Cowherd attend the The Volume Anniversary Party on February 09, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. — (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for The Volume )

Prior to this NFL season, the 2026 draft class was heralded as a potential all-time great class when it comes to quarterback talent. Unfortunately for teams clamoring for their next franchise QB, this season has created some doubt at the top, and that highly-touted quarterback class is now full of question marks.

The top prospects today are not the top prospects from two or three months ago. After another up-and-down Saturday of college football, Colin Cowherd decided to share his updated QB prospect list. With Arch Manning likely returning to school, Drew Allar tearing his ACL, and others like Garrett Nussmeier and Cade Klubnik having down years, the door has been opened for other top prospects to run right through it.

Cowherd believes in the up-and-comers, as he tweeted that his top three QB prospects are Fernando Mendoza, Dante Moore, and LaNorris Sellers.

Based on the Sam Darnold ascension into greatness — my QB takes can’t be questioned without legal authority going forward. I present the 2026 QB draft order.
1 Dante Moore
2 Fernando Mendoza
3 LaNorris Sellers
4 Whatever

— Colin Cowherd (@colincowherd) November 9, 2025

Mendoza could be running away with the Heisman Trophy, as he now has his Indiana Hoosiers at 10-0 following a sensational game-winning drive in the final two minutes on Saturday to steal a win at Penn State. Moore has also shot up the boards with a stellar season for Oregon, and could join Mendoza in New York for the Heisman ceremony as well if he keeps it up.

Sellers hasn’t had the year many had hoped for a variety of reasons, as his South Carolina Gamecocks have now lost six of the last seven games as they fight through an absolutely brutal SEC schedule. While his supporting cast has let him down and he hasn’t put up numbers close to Mendoza’s or Moore’s, he is still a tantalizing prospect due to his supreme athletic ability and the great head on his shoulders. There is a long way to go until the 2026 draft, but it’s becoming clear that the top of the board will look nothing like people expected a few months ago.

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