Back by popular demand—or perhaps force of habit—it’s time for the annual college football Most Intriguing Lists. Last week we had the most intriguing coaches. This week, the 25 most intriguing quarterbacks:
1. Darian Mensah, Miami
It’s now an annual tradition for the Hurricanes to make a splash portal move at quarterback—see: Cam Ward, Carson Beck. But this one had the biggest ripple effect. It was a late raid of an ACC rival (Duke) that thought it had its star QB locked up for 2026, and the resulting furor included the Blue Devils suing Mensah for breach of contract. They settled out of court a week later, as Miami remains on a winning streak in the realm of snatching players who are under questionably binding contracts elsewhere (Xavier Lucas last year from Wisconsin). Modestly regarded out of high school, Mensah put up spectacular numbers in his first two college seasons, with 56 touchdown passes, 12 interceptions and nearly 6,700 air yards at Tulane and Duke. He walks into a loaded offense at The U.
2. Arch Manning, Texas
Last year, the question was whether Manning could elevate the Longhorns to championship status. This year, the question is whether the Horns’ new offensive personnel can elevate Manning’s play to that level. Arguably the most ballyhooed recruit ever as a third-generation Manning QB, Arch was at times painfully unprepared to be a savior in 2025, which led to an eruption of overheated takes. But he got better as the season went along, and is now surrounded by a flush hand of skill players. “What he got put through probably would have melted or destroyed 99% of people in his shoes,” coach Steve Sarkisian said. Will the scar tissue facilitate growth into a true star? Answers start arriving in earnest Sept. 12 against Ohio State.
3. Trinidad Chambliss, Mississippi
Even Fernando Mendoza was not as profound a revelation last season as Chambliss, a Division II transfer who began the year as a backup and ended it slinging the Rebels into the College Football Playoff semifinals. Chambliss then made news in two major offseason developments—spurning a chance to follow former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin to LSU in the divorce of the century, and gaining an extra year of eligibility via the courts. With a guy who produced nearly 4,500 yards of total offense with a 0.7% interception rate back under center, the Rebels are a preseason top 10 team. The only looming question is how well Chambliss meshes with new offensive coordinator John David Baker, after a productive partnership with Charlie Weis Jr.
4. Josh Hoover, Indiana
The track record for new QBs coached by Curt Cignetti and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan is that they have a career year. Mendoza and Kurtis Rourke did it at Indiana, and everyone they coached at James Madison did it, too. Hoover, who has already shown steady progress over three seasons at TCU, could really be something if the Cignetti pattern holds. The product of Heath, Texas, is the leading active passer in FBS, with more than 9,600 air yards and 79 total touchdowns. If Indiana is functioning well offensively, Hoover might be tasked with doing less and taking care of the ball more (33 career interceptions is not a Cig-friendly number). If so, his efficiency rating could take a Mendoza-esque leap forward from good to great.
5. Will Hammond, Texas Tech
The Brendan Sorsby Era That Never Was at Tech will apparently default to the Hammond era, provided his surgically repaired knee is ready to go. Hammond was a highly functional backup last year to Behren Morton on a Big 12 championship team, and was in position to fill the same role behind Sorsby until the Cincinnati transfer’s gambling scandal ended his college career. The well-bankrolled Red Raiders have assembled a roster with as much talent as almost anyone in college football—but the quarterback question looms large. Tech is hopeful that Hammond will be ready for the season opener, but if need be it could win with a backup for two weeks before hosting Houston on Sept. 18.
6. Bryce Underwood, Michigan
Much of what drew the No. 1 QB recruit in the class of 2025 to Ann Arbor is gone after one season, except the proximity to his Detroit home and the NIL money. But a reboot under a better head coach (Kyle Whittingham) and offensive coordinator (Jason Beck) could make for a quantum leap forward from a fairly cautious first year of college. Underwood averaged 24 pass attempts and six runs per game in the regular season, and was just 13th in the Big Ten in combined passes and runs during conference play. If training wheels were on, it’s time to take them off for ’26—especially with some key returnees at running back and receiver, plus Utah transfer JJ Buchanan at tight end. Time to let all his talent shine.
7. Alabama starter
In the portal era, there aren’t many intriguing preseason camp QB battles. The Crimson Tide have a rare one, and a good one, between two Ty Simpson backups—Austin Mack and Keelon Russell. Mack has been with Kalen DeBoer since Washington went to the 2023 national championship game, appearing in five college games. At 6'6" and 235 pounds, he’s the bigger of the two and the more experienced in the DeBoer/Ryan Grubb offense. Russell, who was the No. 2 QB nationally in the recruiting class of 2025, played in two games last season. At 6'3" and 194 pounds, he’s the more athletic of the two and probably has the higher upside. DeBoer may let the starter call go deep into camp before the program starts a high-pressure season.
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